MICHELIN TYRE LAUNCH HIGHLIGHTS PERFORMANCE GAP WHEN TWO-THIRDS WORN
CV Show, Stand 5H40, Hall 5, NEC, Birmingham, 14 – 16 April 2015
(Stoke-on-Trent – April 14, 2015) – Michelin is using the occasion of the Commercial Vehicle Show 2015 to launch multiple new sizes in its growing X Multi range of 17.5” and 19.5” tyres, for 7.5 – 16 tonne trucks and midi-coaches.
Guy Heywood, Commercial Director of Michelin’s truck and bus division, says the tyres stand out for being safer, more fuel-efficient, quieter and longer-lasting than the 10-year-old Michelin XDE2s they replace.
Critically, they combat what Michelin perceives as a “worrying trend” amongst some tyre manufacturers to develop new products which deliver optimum performance under the three tyre labelling criteria measured when a tyre is brand new – at the expense of performance in other areas and when partly worn.
“Labels are a good step forward, but they don’t tell the full story,” says Heywood. “What matters more is how a tyre performs throughout its life, from the first to the last millimetre of legal tread depth.”
Michelin commissioned TÜV SÜD in Germany to certify testing of its latest X Multi fitments against four premium competitor brands rated either ‘B’ or ‘C’ for wet grip under European tyre labelling legislation.
Heywood explains: “The difference under wet braking when two-thirds worn told a different story to the rating on each tyre’s label. It points to a worrying trend.”
The testing revealed an average 13m difference in wet braking between a vehicle shod with Michelin X Multi Z and X Multi D tyres, and the four premium competitors tested, when braking from 50 to 0km/h on a low friction surface.
Michelin says that stopping 13m shorter is the equivalent of three family hatchbacks in a queue of traffic; under emergency braking conditions that’s potentially the difference between avoiding a collision and a multi-vehicle pile-up.
The new Michelin X Multi tyres offer total performance year-round on all types of road thanks to their 3PMSF (Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake) certification, awarded following tests in defined snowy conditions. The accreditation shows the tyre has passed the “snow grip index” requirements – standards not necessarily met by tyres simply labelled M+S (Mud and Snow).
Full-depth sipes ensure excellent handling from the first to the last kilometre, whilst new tyre architecture delivers an average 5dB reduction in noise across the range. This makes the new X Multi fitments around 50 per cent quieter than the previous generation – enhancing their suitability for out-of-hours delivery vehicles and passenger transport.
The Michelin stand features six of the new X Multi tyres including the 215/75 R 17.5 X Multi Z, 215/75 R 17.5 X Multi D, 245/70 R19.5 X Multi Z, 245/70 R19.5 X Multi D, 225/77 R17.5 X Multi Z and 265/70 R19.5 X Multi Z.
In total, the new X Multi range is now available to buy in the UK and Republic of Ireland in seven all-position (X Multi Z) and seven drive axle (X Multi D) sizes.
To see a video of the testing, and the full results, visit http://goo.gl/NnvP97 or access the Michelin Trucks & Buses Europe YouTube channel.
For further information on the Michelin commercial vehicle tyre range visit http://trucks.michelin.co.uk/
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Michelin, the leading tyre company, is dedicated to sustainably improving the mobility of goods and people by manufacturing, distributing and marketing tyres for every type of vehicle. It also offers innovative business support services, digital mobility services and publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 170 countries, has 112,300 employees and operates 68 production plants in 17 countries. The Group also has a Technology Centre, responsible for research and development, with operations in Europe, North America and Asia. (www.michelin.com)
For further press information please contact:
David Johnson, Michelin Press Office
Tel: + 44 (0) 1782 402341 Email: d.johnson@uk.michelin.com
James Keeler or Sam Hargreaves, Garnett Keeler PR, Inver House, 37-39 Pound Street,
Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 3PG
Tel: +44 (0)20 8647 4467 E-mail: james.keeler@garnettkeeler.com or sam.hargreaves@garnettkeeler.com
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