One of the largest premium tyre manufacturers in the world, Michelin is a company known not only by motorists, but also by food lovers and those who like tourism. Alongside having the most recognisable corporate mascot in the world, this is how the French tyre company can be described in brief.
Michelin tyres are characterised by some of the most advanced technological solutions, while the company's plants are among the most modern. Each Michelin tyre model offers the highest level of performance and always offers something new and previously unprecedented in terms of technology. A good example of this is the Michelin CrossClimate — the first winter-approved summer tyre. Of course, the company also has an extensive range of winter tyres and all-season tyres.
This brand's tyres often win awards in the biggest tests conducted by automotive magazines. Their high positions on these ranking lists go hand in hand with the extremely positive feedback from drivers. The quality of Michelin tyres is also demonstrated by victories in motorsport rallies and races, including Formula 1, WRC, 24 Hours of Le Mans, MotoGP and cross-country cycling.
Interesting facts:
Michelin is not just one of the most innovative manufacturers, but also one of the oldest. It was founded by brothers André and Édouard in 1889.
The brand is also famous for issuing travel guides and awarding the best restaurants in the world its mark of quality — the Michelin star. It was André Michelin himself who came up with the idea.
Bibendum, the brand's symbol, is the famous Michelin Man. In 2000, Bibendum won Michelin the title of best logo of all time. The first poster depicting this figure was created in 1898 by the artist Marius Rossillon.
The company has developed a patent for radial tyres, developed the XAS model designed for high-performance cars and produced the first "green" tyre, the Green X.
The Michelin Group also includes brands such as Kleber, BFGoodrich, Riken, Taurus, Kormoran, Warrior, Siam Tyre, Tigar, Euromaster and RECAMIC.
History of the brand
Everyone knows him – the creature with a human shape, looking a bit like a boy made of Lego, Casper the cartoon ghost, or the legendary Golem. The Michelin Man, also called Bibendum, has been a constant companion of the firm that has pushed the tyre industry forward for many decades with successive watershed inventions.
The mascot that drinks up obstacles
Since we have begun by mentioning Michelin’s best-known symbol, it is worth noting that Bibendum (his name means “to drink” in Latin) has worked solidly for very many years to gain the status of an icon of popular culture. The character, of whom French children were at one time reportedly frightened, is today one of the best recognized and most characteristic advertising symbols in the world. He has featured in songs (for example by the French reggae group Tryo), in comic books (including Asterix in Switzerland from 1970), and even in literature (as in William Gibson’s sci-fi novel Pattern Recognition). In 2000 the Michelin Man won his company the title of best logo in history. Legend says that the idea was born by accident, when the firm’s founders, the brothers André and Eduard Michelin, noticed how a pile of tyres resembled a human in shape. Arms and a characteristic smile were added on paper.
The first poster featuring the Michelin Man was produced in 1898 by the artist Marius Rossillon. At a banqueting ...
more