Michelin Improves its Best-Selling Regional Truck Tire

XZE2 ™ tire offers longer wear with enhanced traction and stability

ORLANDO, Fla . (Feb. 4, 2008) – Michelin Americas Truck Tires has taken its best-selling, industry-leading regional tire, the all-position Michelin ® XZE ® tire, and made it better. The new Michelin XZE2 tire was unveiled today to industry leaders at the Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) show.

“Michelin continues to raise the bar for truck tire technology through continued innovations that improve tire life and durability,” said Marc Laferriere, vice president of marketing, Michelin Americas Truck Tires. “This in turn helps regional fleets and operators reduce their total cost of operation over the long run. The Michelin XZE tire has been the leading tire of choice for regional fleets. With the new XZE2 tire, the best just got better.”

The all-position XZE2 tire improves on Michelin's existing XZE tire in a number of characteristics:

•  A 15 percent increase in overall tread life—meaning more miles of operation without compromising other performance attributes.

•  An optimized tire profile, incorporating Michelin's siping technology and four-groove design, protects the tire against irregular wear.

•  A 6 percent wider tread area that delivers enhanced traction and stability, improving handling and maneuverability for the driver.

•  An enhanced chip and cut resistant tread compound for all load ranges. This compound was previously only in LRH tires, and combined with the 22/32nds of original tread depth allows the XZE2 tire to deliver the best wear in high-scrub applications.

•  A 5 percent reduction in rolling resistance, providing increased fuel efficiency.

The XZE2 tire will be available beginning March 1, 2008, in sizes 11R22.5, 275/80R22.5 and 11R24.5, with a 275/80R24.5 size becoming available in April 2008. The XZE tire will remain available through the end of the year.

Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin 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, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville , S.C. , Michelin North America ( www.michelin-us.com ) employs more than 22,500 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations.