PIRELLI: A RECORD-BREAKING P ZERO TROFEO RS FOR THE BMW M2, M3 AND M4
With the bespoke semi-slick Pirelli tyre, the BMW M2 with M Performance Track Kit and M3 CS Touring have set new records at the Nürburgring
Milan, 9 November 2026 – Pirelli has developed a bespoke version of the P Zero Trofeo RS for three of the most iconic models in the BMW M range: the BMW M2, M3 and M4. This semi-slick tyre, developed for track use while also being road legal, has been tailor-made by Pirelli for the three models in collaboration with the German car manufacturer. The aim is to deliver safety and sporting performance, particularly in terms of dry grip, cornering stability and braking, as well as consistent performance during track use.
With the new Pirelli fitment, the BMW M2 with M Performance Track Kit and the BMW M3 CS Touring have set new records at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The BMW M2 with M Performance Track Kit, which combines street legal driving pleasure with an optimized set-up designed to provide greater precision during track days, recorded a lap time of 7:25.068 minutes, lowering the Nürburgring compact car record, previously held by the M2 CS, by 0.5 seconds. The BMW M3 CS Touring, meanwhile, completed the lap in 7:29.490, becoming the fastest Touring car ever around the legendary German circuit and beating the previous record by almost six seconds. The Nürburgring Nordschleife was also the main venue for the development of this P Zero Trofeo RS. The circuit is recognized as one of the most demanding tracks in the world, with its 20.832-kilometre length and more than 70 corners presenting an extreme challenge for both drivers and cars. Over time, it has become a global benchmark for assessing the dynamic capabilities of different models.
The bespoke development programme is the result of close collaboration between Pirelli and BMW M’s R&D teams. Thanks to advanced virtual development techniques, the two teams were able to adapt the tyre’s characteristics to the different requirements from the earliest stages of the project, in line with Pirelli’s Perfect Fit approach, which aims to create products tailored to each specific model or application. Following the virtual phase, the development process moved on to track testing, with sessions held at the Nardò test circuit as well as at the Nürburgring, where the solutions identified through simulation were validated in real-world conditions.
All fitments developed by Pirelli for the Munich-based manufacturer feature BMW’s star marking, confirming their homologation and ensuring that the tyres meet the manufacturer’s stringent performance and safety requirements. The longstanding partnership with BMW M is further strengthened by these new fitments and now encompasses more than 30 bespoke tyre projects across the P Zero family: from the latest-generation P Zero, delivering performance and safety, to P Zero R, designed for the most high-performance cars while also suited to everyday driving; from P Zero Trofeo RS to P Zero Winter 2, developed for winter conditions.
P ZERO TROFEO RS
Launched in 2023 initially as original equipment for supercars and hypercars, the P Zero Trofeo RS semi-slick is the most performance-oriented tyre in the Pirelli P Zero family. It was developed to transfer almost 120 years of Pirelli’s motorsport experience “from track to road”, combining the latest technologies, cutting-edge materials and customizable multi-compound solutions. The P Zero Trofeo RS maintains a high level of performance over time, enabling drivers to safely exploit the full potential of their cars, for example during track days. Although designed for track use, Pirelli engineers have worked to broaden the tyre’s operating range, ensuring a high level of safety even on wet asphalt.