Awesome Michelin

Bamford teamed up with Michelin to create this 133-piece limited-edition B347 chronograph. Its design is inspired by Michelin’s racing heritage, with a carbon fiber case, a black and white dial with a checkerboard bezel, and a strap made from recycled Pilot Sport 5 tires. You’ll find the Michelin Man on the caseback.

The Michelin Man, aka “Bibendum,” is one of the most iconic advertising mascots of all time. Awesome Restorations, got their hands on an antique metal sculpture of the rotund character and sandblasted away years of rust, then repainted it, restoring its former glory. He looked like a toasted marshmallow man before his makeover.

Everyday car tires are made mostly by machine, but the high-end tires used for racing are made by hand. In this clip from Street FX Motorsport TV, they take us inside Michelin Motorsport’s HQ in France for a look at the tire-making process, building up layer by layer of rubber, textiles, steel, and adhesive on spinning drums.

Our friends at Michelin recently sent us to the famed Sebring International Raceway to experience the 12 Hours of Sebring – America’s greatest endurance race. Rather than bore you with words, here’s a little taste of what we saw and heard on the track and in the pits.

We recently spent a day with the fine folks from Michelin and TireRack.com to see why winter tires are critical in colder climates. Those all-seasons your car came are okay down to about 44º F, but below that, you’ll be much safer and better controlled with true winter tires.