Calling it “the greatest standard passenger car tire the company has ever made,” Michelin North America marked the official availability of its new Michelin Defender passenger radial.
“The Defender is the best standard passenger car tire we at Michelin have ever made, delivering tremendous quality and value to our consumers,” said Pete Selleck, MNA chairman and president. “We listened to the marketplace and realized that American tire buyers are looking for a safe, fuel-efficient tire with long tread life and excellent value for the money. The Defender tire satisfies these primary consumer needs and enhances the already strong offering of products in the Michelin portfolio.”
MNA claims the Defender will last “up to 21,000 miles longer than a leading competitor…based on commissioned third-party wear test results” against the Continental Pro Contact Eco Plus in size 215/60R16.
The tire also stops 31 feet shorter than another leading competitor, this time in wet braking tests vs. the Goodyear Assurance ComforTred Touring in size 185/65R15. And the tire is said by MNA to deliver “greater fuel-efficiency and a potential savings of up to $250 in fuel (at $3.50/gallon) over the life of the tires when compared to the Yokohama Avid TRZ in size 215/60R16 over the warranted 90,000-mile treadlife” of the Defender.
Targeting standard passenger cars and minivans, the 13- though 18-inch size range of the Defender “covers 93% of the marketplace,” MNA added.
