Michelin has become the first tyre brand in the passenger vehicle segment in India to be accredited with the newly introduced star labelling program by the Government of India. The company said in a statement that Michelin Latitude Sport 3 and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres receiving 5 Star rating is a real endorsement of its commitment to offering the best of global sustainable technology and state-of-the-art products to its Indian customers. Recently, Michelin became the first brand in India to receive 4 Star rating by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for its made in India commercial vehicle tyre Michelin X Multi Energy Z. 

Manish Pandey, Commercial Director B2C for India Region said, “At Michelin, we believe that for mobility to have a future, it will have to be increasingly eco-friendly, efficient, safe and accessible. After receiving the first 4-Star label for our commercial vehicle tyre recently, we are thrilled to be recognised once again with India’s first 5 Star rating for two of our most popular passenger car tyre-lines in India. For our brand, this first 5 Star rating will add greater confidence among our customers, where they will be better placed to select tyres that are fuel-efficient, safe and contribute to decreasing carbon footprint in the country. We are dedicated to offering our Indian customers the most advanced technology best tailored to keep them safe, comfortable, and efficient on Indian roads.” 

The government of India continues to make consistent efforts towards infrastructure development, with the pace of national highway (NH) construction in the country touching a record 37 km per day in 2020-21. To make these roads safer and drives more efficient, comfortable, and confident, the tyre industry has played a crucial role, with consistent efforts towards creating a more innovative contribution to the industry. As part of an ambitious road map by the Ministry of Power and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for a smooth transition towards green mobility, a final notification was published in 2021, proposing that the tyres of cars, buses, and trucks meet requirements of rolling resistance and wet grip as specified in BEE Schedule 30 based on Stage-I of the Automotive Industry Standards (AIS). Under this process, Michelin India is one of the first brands to register for both commercial vehicle as well as passenger car segment and was subsequently awarded India's first 5 Star rating for Michelin Latitude Sport 3 and Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres. 

The new regulations will demand that all tyres sold in India meet crucial performance and safety standards such as rolling resistance and wet grip. When this regulation becomes mandatory, all domestic and foreign manufacturer and importers of truck, bus and passenger car tyres will be required to attribute BEE star label to tyres sold in India. 

Michelin Latitude Sport 3 is the third generation of Latitude on-road SUV tyres from Michelin’s global line-up. 

The tyres are uniquely designed to offer the best in the segment, driving
experience, better performance in terms of fuel consumption and an outstanding grip on all types of terrains. It provides better road grip on wet roads with minimal roll resistance, adding to better fuel efficiency. The tyre's exceptional design offers a high level of comfort and maximum torque transfer while braking or accelerating, thus improving steering precision, the release said. 

Michelin said its Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyre is a high-performance, premium SUV tyre developed to deliver unlimited driving pleasure, excellent longevity, impressive braking performance, and dynamic handling. 

AIS conducts star labelling test on tyres on various aspects, such as testing of rolling resistance coefficient and wet grip index. The rolling resistance coefficient test is done on the rolling ratio to the tyre's load. In contrast, the wet grip Index test is done on parameters of the ratio between performance of the candidate tyre and the performance of the standard reference test tyre. Each test must meet the minimum threshold for each star rating band. 5 Star category has a lower limit of 0 kg/tonne and an upper limit of 8 kg/tonne. 

A 5 Star product, on average, consumes up to 9.5 per cent less fuel when compared to any other lower star-rated tyre, co-relating to lesser greenhouse gas emissions, a significant cause of global warming. On an average, there would be up to 750 kg less Co2 emissions when you switch to a 5-star product vs a lower-star rated tyre. As the fuel prices across the globe remain volatile, consumer can save a significant amount of money by switching to 5-star rated tyres, the release added. (TT)

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive tyre supplier for the FIA World Rally Championship, successfully demonstrated its high-performance racing technology at the demanding Central European Rally. As Round 12 of the 2025 season, the event concluded on 19th October in and around the Passau region of Bavaria, challenging participants with one of the calendar's most complex tarmac routes.

The rally's 18 special stages, spanning roughly 307 kilometres of asphalt, presented a severe test. The route wove from the high-speed sections on the rolling hills of the Czech Republic to the narrow, slippery and technical roads of the Bavarian Forest, with surface grip changing dramatically throughout. Unpredictable autumn conditions, including sudden showers, dense fog and sharp temperature swings, further intensified the challenge, pushing drivers and their equipment to the absolute limit.

In this variable environment, Hankook supported all crews with its dedicated tarmac rally tyres: the Ventus Z215 and Ventus Z210. The Ventus Z215 provided sharp handling and exceptional cornering stability on dry asphalt, while the Ventus Z210 was crucial for maintaining confident grip and dispersing water effectively during wet stages. The consistent performance of both tyre models amid rapidly shifting grip levels underscored Hankook’s technological advancement and reliability under extreme asphalt conditions.

The rally concluded with a victory for Kalle Rovanperä of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, who secured his third win of the season. This result elevated him to joint second in the Drivers' Championship standings. The event was also historically significant for Toyota, which clinched its ninth Manufacturers' Championship title, setting a new record for the team.

The championship now advances to the final round, FORUM8 Rally Japan, in November. Known for its narrow and treacherous mountain roads, the event will demand ultimate precision. Hankook's involvement as the exclusive tyre supplier is backed by extensive development, including over 2,000 kilometres of FIA-supervised testing across eight countries. This commitment forms the foundation for its continued role as the sole tyre supplier for all WRC categories for three consecutive seasons starting in 2025, a partnership that will further strengthen the premium value of the Hankook brand on the global stage.

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Steelastic LLC, part of the HEICO Companies, has officially announced a new strategic partnership with IBP for the territories of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. In this capacity, the company has welcomed John Powath as its official agent for these regions. Powath is a respected leader within the tyre industry, bringing a wealth of experience from his roles as a Partner at IBP and as a Co-Founder of Automoto. He is also recognised as an active contributor to global tyre and automotive industry events.

Operationally, Steelastic’s Business Development Manager Hemant Agrawal will work in close coordination with the IBP team. Their collective focus will be on strengthening the support infrastructure for customers and driving the growth of Steelastic’s business footprint across South Asia. The company has expressed considerable optimism regarding this collaboration and believes it will unlock substantial new opportunities for its valued customer base in the region, enhancing product access and technical service.

The company statement read: “We welcome John Powath as Steelastic’s official agent in these regions. Powath is a respected leader in the tyre industry, Partner at IBP, & Co-Founder at Automoto, as well as an active contributor to global tyre and automotive events. Moving forward, Steelastic Business Development Manager, Hemant Agrawal, along with the IBP team, will work closely to strengthen customer support and grow Steelastic’s business across South Asia. We are excited about this collaboration and the opportunities it will bring for our valued customers.”

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The Bridgestone Potenza Sport has been declared the definitive winner in EVO's 2025 Tyre Test, decisively outperforming eight rival products. Evaluated on a high-powered BMW 135i xDrive with 302 bhp in the size 235/35 R19, the tyre delivered six class-leading results.

The tyre’s dominance was particularly evident in wet conditions, where it achieved the shortest braking distance and top scores for cornering and aquaplaning resistance. The tyre also excelled in dry performance, recording the fastest lap time and a strong third-place finish in dry braking. Test editors praised it as an exceptional and emphatic winner, noting its superb on-road feel and capability in all conditions.

This assessment is further supported by independent TÜV SÜD testing, which confirms the Potenza Sport's superior dry braking, cornering and stability against other premium tyres. Its wet performance is also officially recognised with a top EU 'A' wet grip rating and leading results in wet cornering and handling, solidifying its status as a top-tier ultra-high-performance tyre.

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Michelin has announced the full deployment of its proprietary TreadEye technology across the Michelin Retread Technologies franchise network in the United States. TreadEye is a technology developed to enhance the retread process and deliver value to fleets.

The company stated that TreadEye is a tread depth assessment tool that helps fleets maximise their tyre investment. The system collects 1,200 measurement points accurately and consistently, providing insights into tread wear and casing condition.

Key benefits of the TreadEye technology include:

• Identification of pull points by fleet location.
• Maximisation of rubber on the road by helping to avoid early pulls.
• Helps in prevention of casing damage and helps reduce DOT violations.
• Helps reduce downtime from late pulls.
• Improved efficiency in the tyre removal process, directly affecting a fleet’s bottom line.

Nate Kirian, Vice-President of Sales and Distribution, Commercial Business Lines for Michelin North America, Inc, said, “TreadEye is a game-changer for our retread operations and for the fleets we serve. It’s a powerful example of how Michelin continues to innovate in ways that directly benefit our customers.”

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