Michelin Supporting Audi Mileage Marathon

On October 1 Michelin’s Green X energy saving tyres set out on a 15-day, 4,800 miles journey across America, fitted to Audi clean diesel vehicles. Audi Q5 and Q7 models have been fitted with Michelin Latitude Tour HP tyres, and A4 and A3 cars with Primacy HP tyres for the Audi Mileage Marathon journey, which is been undertaken to increase public awareness of environmentally friendlier automotive equipment and technology.

“Michelin enthusiastically accepted Audi’s invitation to join the Audi Mileage Marathon,” said Tom Chubb, vice president of Marketing for Michelin Automotive Industry Division. “Like Challenge Bibendum, we see this as another great opportunity to help spread the word about the environmentally-positive equipment and technology innovations now available. The Audi Mileage Marathon showcases Michelin’s environmental leadership among hundreds of people in a hands-on, experiential way. We’re also pleased Audi selected Michelin Maps & Guides to serve as in-car reference material for the marathon participants and everyone following their progress via the Internet.

“Looking beyond the marathon and over the next two decades, Michelin will dramatically improve tire performance in three important areas,” Chubb added. “Michelin intends to double tyre wear life in order to reduce the amount of raw materials needed by half to substantially reduce braking distance in order to enhance safety and is also working to further reduce tyre rolling resistance -the force that must be overcome to move the tires on a vehicle forward – for passenger cars by up to 50 per cent.”

Michelin has, of course, been tackling the challenges of tyre-related energy consumption and the issue of CO2 emissions for some time. During the past 16 years, Michelin has developed four generations of energy saving tyres, and the company reports that since their introduction in 1992, the 600 million Michelin Green X tyres sold worldwide have saved almost ten billion gallons of fuel and avoided almost 25 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from reaching the atmosphere. Michelin’s approach to tyre development has resulted in tyre designs and compounds that help reduce fuel consumption without sacrificing their level of performance in other areas.