Pirelli is taking some of the credit for BMW M’s latest Nürburgring achievements, and it has good reason to. The Italian tire manufacturer developed special versions of its P Zero Trofeo RS for three M models: the M2, M3 CS Touring, and M4 CS. Two of them have used the bespoke rubber to set new lap records at the Green Hell.
The P Zero Trofeo RS is already a serious piece of rubber, sitting near the top of Pirelli’s road-legal performance tire range. However, M wanted something tailored to its cars’ specific characteristics, so the two companies worked together to fine-tune the compound and construction.
The result is a semi-slick tire designed to deliver plenty of grip on dry asphalt while remaining road legal. That matters for owners who want to drive their cars to the track rather than haul them on a trailer. Pirelli also focused on keeping performance consistent over repeated laps, when heat and heavy loads can take their toll on tires.
The development process included virtual simulations and extensive testing, including sessions at Pirelli’s Nardò test facility in southern Italy and, naturally, the Nürburgring. Each tire carries BMW’s star marking, indicating that it was developed specifically for the German automaker and approved for its cars.
The Records Set By The M2 And M3 CS Touring
The first two models to benefit from the special Pirelli tires have wasted no time putting them to work. Equipped with the M Performance Track Kit, the BMW M2 lapped the Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 25.068 seconds. That was enough to beat the previous compact-car benchmark, set by the more hardcore M2 CS.
The M3 CS Touring wasn’t much slower, crossing the finish line after 7 minutes and 29.490 seconds. That made it the production wagon ever around the Nordschleife, beating the previous record by almost six seconds. It’s quite an achievement for a car that can also swallow a family’s holiday luggage.
Of course, tires alone don’t make records. Both cars benefit from serious engineering underneath the bodywork, but getting the right rubber down on the road is essential when chasing lap times on a circuit as demanding as the Nürburgring. With more than 70 corners spread across 20.832 kilometers (12.944 miles), there’s little room for mistakes or inadequate grip.
Pirelli And BMW M Have Worked Together For Years
The latest tires are part of a much wider relationship between the two companies. Pirelli has developed more than 30 bespoke tire specifications for BMW models over the years, covering everything from everyday road cars to high-performance M machines.
Pirelli brings its motorsport technology to the P Zero Trofeo RS while keeping the tire road legal. Don’t expect a comfortable touring experience, though. That’s not what this tire is about. Buyers of cars such as the M2 and M4 CS are likely more interested in cornering grip and lap times than in squeezing out a few extra miles from a set.
Pirelli has also developed dedicated versions of its other P Zero tires for BMW, showing that the partnership extends well beyond track-focused specials. Still, the Trofeo RS is arguably the most exciting application, especially when you measure the results against the clock at the Nürburgring.
The Fastest Production BMW Around The Nürburgring Didn’t Use Pirelli Tires
We’re adding an interesting footnote to Pirelli’s latest announcement. The fastest production BMW ever to lap the Nürburgring, the M4 CSL, didn’t use Italian tires. Instead, BMW fitted the limited-run coupe with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber for its record-setting run.
Back in April 2023, the M4 CSL completed the Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 18.137 seconds, a time that remains the benchmark for a series-production BMW. The car wore 275/35 ZR19 tires at the front and 285/30 ZR20 at the rear. So, while Pirelli can celebrate its contribution to BMW M’s latest records, Michelin still has bragging rights when it comes to the fastest production BMW.
It’s a useful reminder that even the best performance cars need the right tires to deliver their full potential. And when manufacturers are chasing tenths of a second on the Green Hell, choosing the right supplier can be just as important as adding horsepower or shaving off weight.
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
