Michelin Challenge Design Issued

DETROIT, Jan. 8 -- Attention designers worldwide: today at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Michelin North America announces a challenge to create aesthetically pleasing vehicles that encourage the freedom and joy of travel. It's called the Michelin Challenge Design.

``Michelin Challenge Design celebrates creative thinking and design,'' said Bob Carroll, vice president of marketing, Michelin Automotive Industry Division. ``By embracing design, Michelin aims to establish a closer relationship with the design community -- combining technical innovation with transportation design to create vehicles that consumers want to buy and enjoy driving.''

Michelin challenges the international design community -- from individuals to large companies -- to enthusiastically create innovative vehicles with aesthetically pleasing designs. The annual competition was developed by Michelin to encourage design innovation and bring forward design work that normally would not be seen.

Each year at NAIAS, Michelin will introduce a new theme for Michelin Challenge Design around which designers will be asked to submit work. For example, the 2003 Challenge requests vehicle and vehicle designs that reflect the unique and special characteristics of French design, for France and other world markets in past, present and future forms. The 2004 Challenge focuses on meeting the accelerating demand of the emerging Chinese auto market.

To launch Michelin Challenge Design this year, the company is saluting designs and designers from Italy. Pininfarina S.p.A., Carrozzeria Bertone S.p.A. and Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A. are showcasing their concept vehicles in the Michelin booth. In future years, Michelin will base its booth design on entrants from Michelin Challenge Design. Therefore, in 2003, Michelin's NAIAS booth will reflect the impact of and latest design concepts from France.

``Michelin wants to assist designers everywhere show their creative ideas to the world,'' said Don Baldwin, director, technical marketing, Michelin Automotive Industry Division. ``Through Michelin Challenge Design, we hope to showcase these innovations while increasing support of the automotive creative process. Design is at the very heart of sustainable mobility and to be truly sustainable, the vehicles of the future will have to be beautiful, efficient, economical and fun. It all begins with design.''

For more information regarding Michelin Challenge Design, including specific requirements for entry, entry process and theme details visit www.michelinchallengedesign.com .