Michelin Pilot Sport CUP 2R Review — Michelin’s Ultimate Road-Legal Racing Tyre
Overall Rating: 9.8 / 10
Category: Full Track / Road Legal
Price in NZ: From $1,356 per tyre
Best for: Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Ferrari Pista, McLaren 720S — the world’s fastest road cars
Available sizes: 19″ – 21″ rims
Quick Verdict
The Michelin Pilot Sport CUP 2R is not a tyre for the road. It is a racing tyre that happens to be road-legal — the tyre that Porsche factory homologates on the 911 GT3 RS and 718 Cayman GT4 RS, vehicles designed to be competitive on circuits with a number plate. At $1,356 per tyre, it is the most expensive tyre Michelin sells in New Zealand and one of the most expensive road-legal tyres available anywhere.
For the very specific buyer — an owner of a Porsche GT3 RS, Ferrari 488 Pista, or McLaren 720S who regularly drives on circuit — the CUP 2R is not optional. It is the tyre these cars were designed, developed, and certified around. Every other option is a compromise.
Key Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Category | Full Track / Road Legal |
| EU Label — Wet Grip | E (track focus — very limited wet performance) |
| Speed Ratings | Y (300 km/h), ZR+ |
| Available Rim Sizes | 19″, 20″, 21″ |
| NZ Price Range | $1,356 – $2,500+ (size dependent) |
| Key Technology | Racing slick-derived compound, Twaron ultra-light belt |
| OEM | Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, Ferrari 488 Pista |
CUP 2 vs CUP 2R — The Critical Difference
The standard Pilot Sport CUP 2 is a road-legal track tyre. The CUP 2R takes this further: it uses a compound even closer to full slick racing rubber, an ultra-light Twaron belt construction that reduces unsprung weight, and a tread pattern that transitions to near-slick levels of contact patch efficiency at operating temperature.
| Feature | CUP 2 | CUP 2R |
|---|---|---|
| EU Wet Grip | E | E |
| NZ Price | $638+ | $1,356+ |
| Compound | Semi-slick | Near-slick |
| OEM | GT3, GT4 | GT3 RS, GT4 RS, 488 Pista |
| Best for | Track days, road-legal circuit use | Factory GT RS / Pista ownership |
NZ Track Use Context
The CUP 2R will be encountered at Highlands Motorsport Park (Cromwell) and occasionally at Manfeild Circuit, where Porsche Club NZ track days attract GT3 RS and GT4 RS owners. At Highlands — NZ’s most driver-focused circuit — the CUP 2R’s operating window is reached on the main straight and through the high-speed sections, delivering lateral G-forces that simply are not accessible on road-biased tyres.
Critical warning for NZ roads: The CUP 2R’s EU Label E wet grip means it is genuinely dangerous in significant rain on public roads. At operating temperature and in dry conditions, it is extraordinary. On a wet Auckland motorway in July, it is dangerous. Owners of GT3 RS models in NZ who daily their car must carry road tyres for wet weather or accept significant risk.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- The closest road-legal tyre to a racing slick commercially available
- OEM on the world’s fastest normally-aspirated road cars
- Porsche and Ferrari factory-certified for extreme performance use
- Extraordinary dry grip and circuit lap time capability
Cons
- $1,356+ per tyre — extremely expensive
- EU Label E wet grip — genuinely dangerous on wet NZ roads
- Very short tread life (300–1,000 km in circuit use)
- Not appropriate as a road tyre for any NZ driving conditions
Sources
- Michelin Pilot Sport CUP 2 R specifications — michelin.com — accessed 2026-06-04
- Tyroola NZ pricing — tyroola.co.nz/tyre/michelin/ — accessed 2026-06-04
Related Pages
- Michelin Pilot Sport CUP 2 — the road/track balance
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4S — the road-focused supercar choice
- Michelin Tyres NZ — brand overview