Latitude Sport (left) and Latitude Tour HP

Since the mid-1990s, the SUV market has been growing faster than other segments globally. Thanks to the Japanese manufacturers like Toyota and Honda, which introduced a new breed of dual-purpose vehicles that were pleasant to drive on highways, other manufacturers quickly made sure they too had a SUV in their line-up and this included the premium segment… right up to the German luxury carmakers.

Of course, the arrival of this new generation of dual-purpose vehicles also presented a new challenge to the tyre companies; traditionally, they only had to give attention to strength and durability in rough terrain for off-road vehicles but now, they also had to make the same tyres perform well on highways. It was an even greater challenge when a company like Porsche decided to make a SUV that was expected to have the driving dynamics of a Porsche and also taken the owner into the desert if he or she had the inclination.

For Michelin, this sort of challenge was welcome since the French company has decades of experience in making all kinds of tyres and is a world leader in the business. So it’s not surprising that Porsche spoke to Michelin to develop suitable dual-purpose tyres for their Cayenne SUV right from the start. The tyres which are fitted to the Cayenne are the Latitude range and these Michelin tyres have been specifically developed to provide high performance with high strength over rough terrain.

Latitude tyres are fitted to premium SUVs and can match the high performance of the vehicles

The tyres are designed to be resistant to damage in rough off-road conditions, thanks to a 'terrain-proof' compound adapted from earthmover tyres

Mr Sutardja noted that like SUV owners in other countries, Malaysian SUV drivers mainly use their vehicles for on-road motoring and said the Latitude tyres will offer the best handling capabilities for their vehicles.

The Latitude range comes in two versions – Tour HP and Sport – and the former is claimed to offer 35% longer service life than competitors. It is also said to be more comfortable as it is 5% quieter and has 5% less vibrations than its predecessor, the Michelin Energy MXV4+. The Latitude Tour HP is also good on wet roads and claimed to offer 5% better grip than the earlier tyre.

The 0-degree belt restrains the tyre crown area and significantly overlays the shoulder, minimising centrifugal deformation and assuring perfect control of the contact patch at very high speeds

The 0-degree belt has variable spacing to allow the varying centrifugal deformation to be opposed exactly where its needed

With prices starting from RM470 a tyre, the Latitude Tour HP is available in 24 sizes for rim sizes from 15 inches to 19 inches. The smallest size – 205/70 R15 – is suitable for SUVs like the Perodua Kembara and Honda CR-V while the largest size is 275/45 R19 which is meant for the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg.

The Latitude Sport is available in 7 sizes for rim diameters of 18 inches all the way to 23 inches. The larger sizes are meant for the customised versions of the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Range Rover Sport.

Mr Sutardja said that the tyres come from different Michelin factories around the globe, one of which is in Thailand. He clarified that Michelin has only one standard of construction for its tyres wherever they are made so those from the Thai factory will be as good as those from the French factory and have the same superior quality and performance. For this reason, the Latitudes also come with a 6-year warranty (subject to terms and conditions).

In conjunction with the launch of the new tyres, Michelin Malaysia also invites the public to participate in the ‘Michelin Dream Drive’ Contest. This is a nationwide online contest which will be run between July 2 and September 30 2007 and the Grand Prize winner gets to enjoy a drive in a SUV of his/her choice with a partner to go to a chosen destination for a 3-day/2-night stay at a luxury hotel. The SUV would be a premium model from DaimlerChrysler Malaysia, Auto Eurokars, Volvo Cars Malaysia or Auto Bavaria.

“The contest aims to provide one lucky contestant with the opportunity to explore one of the top driving routes in Malaysia by unleashing the SUV to its fullest potential through the high-performance capabilities of Michelin Latitude tyres,” said Elaine Tay, Marketing & Distribution Manager at Michelin Malaysia.

Supple construction allows the tyre to flex and guarantees maximum tread contact with the ground	Stabiligrip (on Latitude Tour HP) provides a self-locking function for greater tread pattern rigidity in the contact patch, and hence increased driving precision

Michelin Malaysia has also established an exclusive Michelin Latitude Owners Club, the only one of its type in the world. To join, you need to purchase four or more Latitude tyres at one go and as a member, you will be entitled to free services (wheel balancing, re-alignment and rotation) at 7,000 kms and 15,000 kms at an authorised Michelin dealer. You also get free certified tyre puncture repair, tyre care reminders by SMS and a RM300 cash voucher which can be redeemed for the next purchase of any Michelin tyres.

“Membership is for as long as the owner has the tyres and the membership will be renewed upon purchase of another set of four Latitude tyres,” said Ms Tay. She revealed that Michelin Malaysia has reviewed the pricing of its tyres in Malaysia to make them more competitive. They are premium tyres so they would cost a bit more but they are not as expensive as many motorists think, she said.