The Michelin® Primacy™ MXM4® Luxury Touring Tire Now Available for Consumers Who 'Want It All'

GREENVILLE, S.C., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, luxury vehicle owners have a new tire choice with the MICHELIN Primacy™ MXM4® all-season tire now in market, offering increased safety by stopping up to 19 feet shorter than a leading competitor(1) and exceptional longevity with a 55,000-mile warranty for H/V speed rated sizes and a 45,000 mile warranty for W-rated sizes.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100701/CL29596 )

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100701/CL29596 )

"The right tire can make a difference in enhancing a luxury vehicle owner's driving experience," said Don Byrd, vice president, marketing, Michelin North America. "Providing a tire like the new Primacy™ MXM4® allows us to deliver exceptional performance to match their needs, without having to sacrifice what is important to them."

Contributing to the Primacy™ MXM4® tire's exceptional performance is the use of a new Helio Compound™ - made with natural sunflower oil - which is used for the first time in an all-season Michelin tire.  The Helio Compound™ delivers increased traction at low temperatures for braking and handling in wet conditions and better overall performance in the snow.

To learn more about the Primacy™ MXM4® tire's features and benefits, Michelin is providing consumers a new way to receive unique tire information in the palm of their hand. For the first time, Michelin is using Quick Response (QR) codes on Primacy™ MXM4® in-store retail materials to allow smart phone users a fast and easy way to view information and videos from Michelin.

Starting July 9th, consumers with smart phones may scan the QR code and see the MICHELIN PRIMACY™ MXM4® tire in action.  In some cases, it may be necessary to open a smart phone's browser to download a free reader app (upcode.mobi) or search for QR reader application. For full details on the UpCode reader visit upcode.com.

The Primacy™ MXM4® tire also meets the Michelin Green X® standard, guaranteeing a level of energy efficiency among the highest in the market and reduced CO2 emission while maintaining all the advantages of long wear, safety and handling.

Drawing on a history of proven performance with the Michelin Pilot® MXM4® tire, the new Primacy™ MXM4® tire raises the bar in the luxury touring tire segment and offers 12 replacement market sizes with rim diameters ranging from 16- to 19-inch.   In addition, the all-new Michelin Primacy™ MXM4® tire has seven original equipment fitments on the road and these sizes are also available.

• 2011 Infiniti M37
• 2011 Infiniti M56
• 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 Sedan
• 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Sedan
• 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupe
• 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Coupe
• 2009 Buick Lacrosse

For more information on specific sizing or tire details, please visit www.michelinman.com.

Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin (www.michelin.com) designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, maps and atlases covering Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America employs approximately 20,900 and operates 18 major manufacturing plants in 16 locations.

1 Based on wet braking test results versus Continental ContiProContact™

For more information, visit www.michelinmedia.com

SOURCE Michelin North America