More in Store For the Joy of Driving-Participants at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum Demonstrate Clean, Green Driving Pleasure
FONTANA, Calif., Oct. 27 -- In a test of driving skill and vehicle performance, participants in the Michelin Challenge Bibendum have proven that environmentally positive vehicles do not have to sacrifice driving pleasure or responsive performance.
Based on the slalom test procedures used by the Automobile Club of Southern California, competitors in today's event tackled a 360 ft. (110 m) long course where any disruption of the 10 cones automatically resulted in an invalid run. The object of the trial was for drivers to cleanly negotiate the cones and complete two good runs out of a possible three tries.
``This procedure is designed to evaluate the handling of any four-wheeled vehicle, as well as the driver's skill to get the best out the vehicle's chassis, suspension and tires'', said Alexandre Papadatos, the event's technical director. ``It's really fun for the drivers to perform and for the spectators to watch and, when you think about it, that's the heart of motor sports.''
For more information on how the test was performed and evaluated, log on to www.challengebibendum.com and click on the Rules and Procedures, or take a moment now to ...
Ask Bibendum about the slalom test
Q. What does the slalom test measure?
A. The slalom test measures the time it takes the vehicle to go from the start to the finish of the 360 ft. (110 m) course. This, in turn, provides some information about the vehicle's handling capability and the driver's skill. As with all events at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum, the vehicles compete against predetermined performance thresholds and not against each other.
Q. How was the test developed?
A. The test was developed for the Target Car program of the Automobile Club of Southern California and is based on a slalom testing procedure used by Motor Trend Magazine. The slalom course used by Motor Trend was shortened to reduce speeds (a safety consideration) and to permit the handling test to be conducted in a smaller space. For the Michelin Challenge Bibendum 2001, the test course required a flat area, 800 feet (244 m) in length and 100 feet (30.5 m) in width.
Q. How was the test conducted?
A. Participants, traveling at a speed of approximately 30 miles per hour (48 km/h), entered the course to the right of a center line, driving as close to the cones as possible. Any disruption of the cones would automatically terminate and invalidate the test run. When the front wheels of the test vehicle cross the start line, the starting line photoelectric transmitter/receiver automatically starts the timer. When the vehicle's front wheels cross the finish line, the finish line photoelectric transmitter/receiver automatically stops the timer.
Q. What do the classifications A, B, C and D represent?
A. Depending on the category vehicle, test results where compared against threshold values, not against other vehicles or drivers. For instance, a sports car (compact and sub-compact category) in the hands of a skilled driver, which would perform the runs at an average of 8.7s or less, would get an A. Runs averaging times between 8.7s and 9.0s will result in a B, between 9 and 10 seconds a C, and more than 10 seconds a D. It is very important to remember that the resulting time is the combination of both the car's ability to go around those corners and the driver's skill to get the best out of his vehicle.
Michelin manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America ( www.michelin.com ) employs 27,000 people and operates 23 plants in 21 locations.
