Michelin Celebrates Clean Sweep at North American International Auto Show

Top achievements on the track and the highway

DETROIT, Jan. 8 -- Michelin moves into the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) showcasing the results of one of the best records in the car business for customer satisfaction-not only on the street but also on the racetrack.

Side-by-side, Michelin presents championship trophies from its partner teams in the most demanding international motorsports series alongside four trophies from JD Power & Associates for the highest customer satisfaction in original equipment tires.

In an unprecedented year of motorsports victories, Michelin equipped teams won:

  --  Formula One Driver and Constructor championships with Fernando Alonso
      and Renault

  --  World Rally Championship Driver and Constructor championships with
      Sebastien Loeb and Citroen

  --  MotoGP Rider and Manufacturer championships with Valentino Rossi and
      Yamaha

  --  24 Hours of Le Mans overall victory with Team ADT Champion Audi, the
      first win by an American team in 38 years

  --  Their eighth consecutive overall 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking the top
      six places and victories in three classes

  --  American Le Mans Series Manufacturer and Driver titles for Audi in
      LMP1, Corvette in GT1 and Porsche in GT2.

  Clean Sweep For Racers, Automakers, Consumers

"Our accomplishments were unprecedented in 2005, with a clean sweep in motorsports and from JD Power and Associates," said Win Wall, chief operating officer for Michelin Automotive Industry Division. "This phenomenal clean sweep in 2005 speaks to the enduring quality and performance of Michelin tires in every application."

Michelin topped the rankings in all four areas of the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study(SM): luxury/sport tire; mass-market/non-luxury tire; pickup/full-size van tire and SUV tire. The latest awards bring Michelin's total to 44 for J.D. Power and Associates Original Equipment and Replacement Tire Awards in the United States, four times more than the combined total of all other competitors.

Michelin's booth in Wayne Hall will also feature Formula One Champion Fernando Alonso's winning Renault race car, Team ADT Champion Racing's winning Audi sports car from the 24 Hours of Le Mans and MotoGP Champion Valentino Rossi's Yamaha motorcycle.

The world's largest tire maker, Michelin ( www.michelin.com ) 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 more than 23,000 and operates 20 plants in 16 locations.

For more information, visit www.michelinmedia.com