Colored rubber

PARIS: Michelin is putting some color and movement into tires.

The French tire manufacturer has just released a range of color-coordinated tires. Yes that's right, for "motorists who appreciate a total style that compliments their choice of car color".

The tires, called the Coraldo range, come in yellow Rio, red Etna and green Nordik for those conservation-conscious Volvo drivers.

According to Michelin, "the contrasting color bands are integrated into the tire and form a permanent visual reminder on both the sidewall and tread area without compromising the technical ability of the tire for roadholding and performance".

The color choice was decided after considerable research by Michelin and carmakers to establish market trends toward color and shading.

According to Michelin, traditional tires were black only because of the inclusion of carbon black in the tire-making process.

Being typically French, Michelin adopted an innovative approach to offering a choice of colors.

At present, the tires are only available on small and medium vehicles in Europe.

Michelin engineers claim there is no reduction in safety or performance levels in the Coraldo range, which is a one-direction tire featuring four wide and deep longitudinal grooves for stability and water dispersal.

The tread design with its 356 trade blocks also incorporates wide channels to disperse water from the road surface under the tread area.