- Corvette’s World Debut Reveals MICHELIN Tires Standard on All 2014 Models
- Michelin Media Center Helps Put Detroit in the Worldwide Automotive Spotlight
- Michelin Challenge Design™ Theme Pushes the Lightweight Envelope on the Automobile of Tomorrow
- Michelin’s Display Invites Visitors to “Be the Tire!”
DETROIT (Jan. 14, 2013) – With the start of the 2013 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Michelin – one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers – marks a significant achievement as the show’s exclusive tire sponsor throughout its 25-year history.
When the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) decided in 1989 to elevate the Detroit Auto Show, as it was formerly known, to the world-class show it is today, Michelin was first to sign on in support. That year, and each since, Michelin has been the official sponsor of the Michelin Media Center at NAIAS, accommodating the international and national journalists covering the news from the show. Since that inaugural debut, media attendance at NAIAS has more than quadrupled and the Michelin Media Center continues to evolve to meet the show’s ever-growing needs.
“Over the past quarter century, we have seen the North American International Auto Show become one of the world’s premier events for the automotive industry,” said Pete Selleck, chairman and president of Michelin North America. “Michelin is honored to have been a part of the show from the beginning, and we look forward to many more years ahead.”
Corvette’s World Debut Reveals MICHELIN Tires Standard on All 2014 Models
At NAIAS 2013, Michelin celebrates the world reveal of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette and news that, for the first time, MICHELIN tires are exclusive original equipment on the complete line-up of 2014 Corvette models.
The MICHELIN Pilot® Super Sport® ZP tires outfitting the 2014 Corvette are the result of thousands of hours of collaborative development and testing between technical experts from Michelin and Corvette and are specially designed to meet the performance needs of one of the world’s premier sports cars.
“The MICHELIN Pilot Super Sport ZP tire is the result of a relentless focus on innovation shared by Michelin and General Motors,” said John Moloney, vice president of original equipment marketing at Michelin North America. “In its development, we pushed the boundaries to create an ultra-high performance tire that would deliver the performance levels required by Corvette and expected by Corvette drivers.”
Michelin is also entering its 10th season of international sports car competition and technical partnership with Corvette Racing in 2013.
The standard 2014 Corvette and the Z51 option package join the list of Corvette models already equipped with MICHELIN tires, such as the ZR1 and Z06. The technologies behind the MICHELIN Pilot® Super Sport® ZP tires are inspired from compounds and tread patterns used in racing slicks and mark the first time that such technologies have been applied to street car tires. This ultra-high-performance combination provides outstanding braking power, turn-in and cornering while minimizing tradeoffs in performance.
The MICHELIN Pilot Super Sport ZP tires are manufactured in Greenville, S.C., at state-of-the-art facilities specifically designed for building high-performance, high-intensity tires.
Find out more information on the MICHELIN tires designed specifically for the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette.
Michelin Media Center Helps Put Detroit in the Worldwide Automotive Spotlight
For the 25th consecutive year, the Michelin Media Center supports the estimated 6,000 national and international journalists who cover NAIAS 2013 from Detroit’s Cobo Center.
A new location and upgraded amenities make the 2013 Michelin Media Center better, and bigger, than ever. Moving from the third level of Cobo Center to Michigan Hall, this year’s Media Center provides journalists more convenient access to the showroom floor and its expanded 29,000 square feet of working space, including the TVS Broadcast Center, is among the world’s largest of auto show media centers. The Michelin Media Center offers all the necessary resources and services for working journalists.
Complementing the Media Center, Michelin is once again hosting Michelin Media Live (www.live.michelinmedia.com), an online multimedia hub that delivers real-time content to journalists covering NAIAS. Michelin Media Live provides members of the press who are attending the show — and those working outside Detroit — the opportunity to supplement their coverage of new car unveilings with high-quality photos and 360-degree videos that are downloadable and free to use. Also, a new search feature gives users the ability to quickly and easily find specific vehicles or other topics by keyword, and a live Twitter feed keeps viewers up to date with conversations taking place at the show.
Michelin Challenge Design™ Theme Pushes the Lightweight Envelope on the Automobile of Tomorrow
The Michelin Challenge Design™ exhibit at NAIAS 2013 highlights the design achievements of this year’s winning submission that addressed the theme “HALF! Lightweight with Passion.” Supporting the Michelin Challenge Design™ theme is the radical Nissan Delta Wing racing car. The Delta Wing is a racing car with half the weight, half the aerodynamic drag, and using half the fuel of an American Le Mans Series P1 racing car. The Delta Wing ran the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Petit le Mans races on specially designed four-inch-wide MICHELIN front tires. This innovative car has won awards from several automotive publications, including being named Automobile Magazine’s Racing Car of the Year and included on the Popular Science’s “2012 Best of What’s New” list.
Designers from around the world submitted proposals that focused on vehicle weight reduction to contribute to greater fuel efficiency – a topic of importance for governments, consumers and manufacturers. The proposals showcased lightweight concept vehicles designed with specific considerations for materials and manufacturing processes. Contestants were required to adhere to regulations for safety and comfort and to present designs that could be feasibly produced using solutions that are in use today or are in development for use in the foreseeable future.
The Michelin Challenge Design™ program started in 2002 and continues to recognize and support innovative vehicle design by providing an opportunity for aspiring designers to present their most interesting work at one of the world’s premier auto shows.
For more information on Michelin Challenge Design™, visit www.michelinchallengedesign.com.
Michelin’s Display Invites Visitors to “Be the Tire!”
Visitors to NAIAS 2013 are encouraged to explore Michelin’s main floor exhibit where they can experience high-tech interactive and multimedia features, including a “Be the Tire!” immersive experience that offers the unique chance to see and feel what a tire goes through on the road.
The “Be the Tire!” exhibition invites visitors inside a kiosk and uses a combination of simulations and audio and visual effects to create an experience that emulates the life of a tire. Other booth highlights include an interactive tire selector and video wall.