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From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Translation of a document describing the new Michelin 'Pilot' tyre.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 146\1\  scan0068
Date  2nd November 1937
  
TRANSLATION
ET.2.11.37.

THE EVENT OF THE YEAR
THE NEW MICHELIN "PILOT" TYRE.

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The sensation of the Paris Motor Show which has recently closed its doors is unquestionably the new and revolutionary tyre produced by Michelin. Not only is the springing of a car fitted with these tyres very much better, but steering, stability and comfort are improved out of all knowledge.

The reason is not far to seek:

x
x x

A desire for better springing led to the introduction first of "Confort" and later of "Superconfort" low pressure tyres, which brought the pressure down from 34 lbs. per square inch in the former to 20 lbs. per Square inch in the latter type. Recently, however, there has been a considerable speed up in traffic, and the extra m.p.h. have given rise to excessive tyre deformation that increases the tendancy to "shimmy" and impairs lateral stability*. So the motorist, when he began to feel less and less safe as the speed increased, blew his tyres up harder - an "old wives' remedy" that merely meant giving up the benefit, by no means to be despised, of soft riding.

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* This is what, in French, is called "envirage".
  
  


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