Michelin North America Inc. has launched the next member of the Premier family, the Premier LTX.
The company says the new Premier LTX fitments significantly expand its innovative tread technology, EverGrip, to include light trucks, SUVs and crossovers.
Available in 47 sizes ranging from 16-inch to 22-inch diameter rim sizes, the Michelin Premier LTX provides exceptional levels of safety even as tires wear down, making them safe when new and safe when worn, according to the company.
Michelin says a second roll out of LTX tires — for larger SUVs — is likely in the second quarter of 2016.
The Michelin Premier tire combines hidden grooves that emerge as the tire wears, expanding rain grooves that widen over time to continue to evacuate water and a unique rubber compound for increased wet grip. The result is prolonged safety and performance for vehicle owners in a range of weather conditions, Michelin says.
“The availability of the Michelin Premier LTX with EverGrip gives light truck and SUV drivers a new choice in safety for their automobiles,” says Scott Clark, chief operating officer of Michelin North America’s passenger and light truck tire division.
“While other tires lose significant wet grip over time, the Michelin Premier features breakthrough technology that prolongs wet traction over time, giving drivers greater peace of mind and improved control.”
Eventually, the Premier line will replace Michelin's Latitude line. Latitude tires without original equipment fitments will phase into Premier tire products in 2015 and 2016. The Latitude OE skus will remain throughout Michelin's obligations to the OEMs, the tire manufacturer says.
Michelin's Greenville and Lexington, S.C. manufacturing facilities will produce a majority of the Premier LTX tires, but tires also will be made in the company's Ardmore, Okla., Dothan, Ala. and Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
Michelin initially announced it would expand its Premier line during the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Read about it here.
