Michelin Delivers Ultra-High Performance SUV Tire for the Porsche Cayenne

        Michelin and Porsche team up for excellent customer experience

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 19 -- The soul of a performance tire
with the brute strength of a 4x4 truck tire -- that is what the Michelin(R)
20-inch Diamaris(R) tire delivers for the Porsche Cayenne S and Turbo.  The
first SUV offering from Porsche, the Cayenne is a true high performance
vehicle.
    The Porsche Cayenne is the first SUV that can go 165 mph.  And, the
Michelin Diamaris tire is rated to 180 mph, with superior handling and
excellent traction as well as the load carrying capacity demanded by an SUV
tire.  Approached from the perspective of a sports car, rather than a truck,
the Porsche Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo will deliver the performance Porsche
owners and drivers have come to expect, but in the shape of an SUV.
    "The Michelin Diamaris tires are some very, very serious rubber," said Tom
Chubb, vice president of marketing, Michelin Automotive Industry Division.
"We've used the same tread compound strategy as our Michelin(R) Pilot(R) Sport
2 tires that will outfit the upcoming Carerra GT.  The result is an unheard of
performance capability for an SUV tire."
    Michelin and Porsche worked closely together to develop the perfect tire
fit for the unique demands of the Cayenne.  The tires are a rare and powerful
blend of cornering power, high-speed capability and load carrying capacity.
The Michelin 4x4 Diamaris tires also combine awe-inspiring dry road
performance with excellent wet cornering and braking characteristics.  In
addition, the tires are tuned for the Cayenne to deliver maximum ride comfort
while minimizing road noise.
    The Michelin(R) Diamaris(R) tires work hand-in-hand with the Cayenne's
suspension system to deliver comfort and performance.  The Porsche Cayenne
uses Porsche Traction Management (PTM), a permanent all-wheel drive capability
that balances the power delivered between the front and rear wheels.
Continuously adapting to changing road conditions, PTM ensures optimum
traction and driving dynamics.  The Porsche Active Suspension Management
(PASM) system continuously modifies the damping force on all four wheels to
compensate for steering inputs and the nature of the road.
    The Michelin and Porsche Cayenne partnership is an extension of a
relationship that Michelin and Porsche have developed for street and
competition tires.  This formal, international technical and marketing
partnership is one of only two such partnerships that Porsche has forged (the
second is Mobil Oil).  It includes programs such as production vehicle tires
and joint international motorsports programs including the American LeMans
Series (ALMS) and the Porsche Michelin SuperCup (PMSC).
    "Michelin and Porsche have a shared passion for ultra-high performance,"
Chubb said.  "By working together our goal is to make the Porsche ownership
experience better than ever."
    Other Porsche vehicles fitted with Michelin tires include the Porsche 911,
GT2, GT3 and Boxster, which ride on Michelin(R) Pilot(R) Sport performance
street tires.  The Porsche 911, 928, 968, 944 and Boxster also are fitted with
Michelin Pilot SX MXX3 tires for the ultimate in wet and dry performance.
    The leader in customer satisfaction with more J.D. Power & Associates
Awards than all other tire manufacturers combined, Michelin manufactures and
sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles,
bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks 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 (http://www.michelin.com ) employs 25,900 and operates 22
plants in 18 locations.