Auto Express names Goodyear ‘Best Summer Tyre’ in the 2012 Product Awards
British magazine, Auto Express has named the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 tyre, the ‘Best Summer Tyre’ in the 2012 Auto Express Product Awards.
The magazine labels the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 as more balanced than its competitors and safe and secure in dry and wet conditions with a great all round performance.
Michelle Fisher, Goodyear UK brand manager said: “Our Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 tyre continues to prove its worth as an increasing number of independent experts discover its strengths, on both wet and dry road surfaces.
“It is a clear recognition that the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 is being seen as one of the best tyres on the market today, and being named as the ‘Best Tyre’ by such an influential automotive magazine really adds credibility to our message.”
With over a decade of testing experience, the Auto Express tyre test goes beyond the mandatory categories of performance labels that will become compulsory in Europe later this year.
Besides testing noise, economy and wet grip, Auto Express also tests handling and braking in wet and dry conditions, aquaplaning, cabin noise and all-round ability.
Also commended and completing the top three in the ‘Best Summer Tyre’ category were the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 with its wet grip performance and the Pirelli P Zero, winning the handling and braking disciplines.
The Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2’s win of the 2012 Product Awards follows its first place in the 2011 Auto Express Tyre Test.
For more information visit:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/product_awards/283069/the_best_summer_tyre.html
Sébastien Loeb hands MICHELIN its 240th WRC win
The strength and performance of the MICHELIN Latitude Cross H1 helped Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena (Citroën DS3 WRC) claim their sixth straight Rally Mexico win today. The event also saw MICHELIN notch up its 240th world class victory since the creation of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in 1973.
This weekend marked the Rally Mexico debut of the hard-compound ‘H1’ version of the MICHELIN Latitude Cross which was introduced in 2011. After the weekend’s wide, technical stages in the Sierra Madre, near Leon, Mexico, today’s result provides further evidence of the potential of this tyre which was used last year in Jordan, Greece and Spain. It is a promising pointer, too, for the rest of 2012 when the same tyre will be available for all the remaining gravel rounds, with the exception of Rally Finland.
“MICHELIN worked through all the data it collected during the 2011 Rally Mexico and listened carefully to the comments of the teams and drivers to develop a new, even stronger and more durable tyre. The result is the Latitude Cross H1, and I feel very confident with it,” noted the eight-time world champion Sébastien Loeb in Mexico.
The confidence permitted by the Latitude Cross H1 tempted some drivers to perhaps flirt with the limit at times, including Petter Solberg (Ford/MICHELIN) who clouted an earth bank and span four kilometres after the start of SS2. Despite a lack of air in his rear-left tyre, the Norwegian managed to complete the remaining 18km, losing just 55 seconds in the process. He went on to finish third overall.
In a similar incident, on Saturday’s SS15, Jari-Matti Latvala shattered his Ford/MICHELIN’s front-left rim when he hit a big rock. Once again, the strength of the Latitude Cross enabled the Finn to complete the remaining 25km without stopping to change the wheel. The Finn lost less than a minute. “You have to admire the fantastic job that MICHELIN has done. You couldn’t have imagined this sort of thing happening in recent years…”
Meanwhile, Frenchman Sébastien Loeb successfully steered clear of all the pitfalls to collect his 69th world class victory, and his sixth straight win in Mexico. Team-mate Mikko Hirvonen made it a one-two finish for Citroën/MICHELIN, its first of the season.
MICHELIN also won the fiercely-fought Production World Championship classification (PWRC), despite the fact that only three of the class’s starters were competing on the French firm’s rubber. Mexico’s Benito Guerra (Mitsubishi) showed that the MICHELIN Latitude Cross H1 is equally as competitive on near-production specification cars.
Michelin Sponsoring the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival
Michelin 
Australia has just announced its sponsorship of the 2012 Alliance Francaise French Film Festival (AF FFF).
The French film industry is one of the world’s most dynamic film industries with over 300 films released commercially each year and the AF FFF is the main French cultural event in Australia.
In Australia, there has been a strong uptake for French films with audience numbers growing from 50,000 (2005) to 1.3 million (2011). Locally, French films are the fourth most popular in Australia, preceded only by English language films from the USA, UK and local productions.
According to Michelin Australia, Managing Director, Thierry Martin-Lassagne, the festival continues to grow from strength to strength, encapsulating a growing international interest in French cinema.
“French cinema has an appeal that reaches far beyond France’s local community,” Thierry said.
“It is the largest foreign film festival in Australia showcasing the best of contemporary French cinema including action, romance, comedy, thrillers, children’s films, animation and documentaries.
“Michelin chose to become a National Sponsor of this event as it ties in very nicely with Michelin’s heritage of being a French company. Not to mention the sponsorship has great appeal as one of Australia’s only national film events, which we are pleased to be involved in.”
The festival is running at six locations (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra) from 6 March until 9 April, 2012.
Visit www.afrenchfilmfestival.org for session times and more information.
Registrations Open for 2013 Michelin Challenge Design
Michelin North America has opened registrations for the 2013 Michelin Challenge Design competition – titled ‘Half! Lightweight with a Passion!’
Participants in the 2013 Michelin Challenge Design have been set the task of designing a family vehicle, whilst addressing the subject of weight reduction through design – a subject the tyre market says is “becoming a new battleground in the struggle for increasing fuel efficiency.”
In the 2013 Challenge, Michelin says it is looking to “bring forward passionate designs that employ innovative vehicle architecture for weight reduction, without compromising safety or comfort.”
Submitted vehicle designs must meet consumer demands for safety and comfort, be usable on the current road infrastructure and be feasibly produced using materials, powertrain solution or manufacturing solutions that are in use today or in development for use in the foreseeable future.
Successful designs will be those that drive desire for vehicle ownership or usage while contributing to lightweight vehicle development through choices of materials and using the most effective manufacturing techniques.
Michelin notes that more than ever before, successful design requires closer cooperation with engineering, manufacturing and planning.
“As an industry, we’ve come to an interesting crossroad,” commented John Moloney, Michelin’s vice-president of original equipment marketing for North and South America.
“Consumers and governments are pushing for dramatic gains in fuel efficiency as the automotive industry is designing and development lightweight next-generation vehicles. We look forward to seeing how participants in the 2013 Michelin Challenge Design will respond to these concerns.”
Further information on the 2013 Michelin Challenge Design is available on www.michelinchallengedesign.com
The Michelin Man Celebrates his 113th Birthday and joins Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame
The Michelin Man turned 113 years old in October and celebrated by being inducted into Advertising Week’s Walk of Fame as “Icon of the Year” in ceremonies at Time Square in New York. As part of an online voting contest, The Michelin Man won the hearts of many who voted online to elevate him to his rightful place in advertising history.
For more than a century, The Michelin Man has served as an ambassador for the Michelin brand. In 1894, the two founding brothers, Andre and Edouard Michelin, saw a stack of tyres and noted that with arms “it would make a man.” Four years later, in 1898, The Michelin Man’s character was born, appearing in Michelin posters and representing the company. Today, The Michelin Man – sometimes called “Bibendum” – is regarded as one of the most iconic symbols in the world.
The Michelin Man has stood the test of time while representing improvements in transportation of people and goods, respect for the environment and promotion of road safety. As one of the world’s most recognized brand icons, The Michelin Man represents mobility to millions of consumers in more than 150 countries. As the ultimate stamp of approval, he gives consumers confidence wherever they are going by providing fuel-efficient, safe, long-lasting tyres.
The Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame recognizes America’s most beloved advertising icons and slogans. The Michelin Man will join such other iconic symbols as Columbian coffee icon Juan Valdez and Geico’s gecko.