Michelin says it is making its new CrossClimate tyre affordable, pricing the product between a summer and winter offer.
Revealing the new CrossClimate just ahead of the Geneva Motor Show opening this week, the French manufacturer says the new tyre complements its existing portfolio and marks a sea change in the segment.
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“This innovation maybe marks a turning point in the history of tyres,” said Michelin CEO, Jean-Dominique Senard. “The CrossClimate is the first summer tyre in the world with a winter certification. It offers the benefits of a Michelin summer tyre in terms of safety and longevity, but also offers the advantages of a winter tyre in terms of braking performance.
“Last weekend’s snow deposits just show how important it is to have tyres with this kind of performance. This [CrossClimate] was designed to enhance mobility for motorists in daily changing conditions.
“Most consumers see seasonal tyre changing as a burden – 65% of European motorists use their summer tyres throughout the year. They jeopardise their safety and the safety of other people. Those motorists – without even realising – are putting themselves in danger when winter arrives.”
Michelin says it put the CrossClimate through five million kilometres of testing, with an investment of EUR640m (US$712m), with some 150 engineers working on the design and industrialisation of the product.
Testing also saw the tyre subjected to temperatures ranging from -30°C to +40°C.
“It [CrossClimate] will cost between a summer and winter tyre, between the two, that is good news,” said Senard. “It is affordable.
“In France, 7% of motorists use winter tyres throughout the year. In Germany, it is low because regulation forces them to change, but we can get rid of that with this tyre.
“It [CrossClimate] will be produced throughout Europe and in France in 2016. Three hundred million tyres in Europe – winter tyres represent around 80m tyres so you can see the potential market for this kind of tyre.”
Michelin says it tested the CrossClimate tyre in Germany, Canada, Finland, France, Poland, Spain and Sweden.
