Michelin boss: Most drivers don’t need winter tyres

Winter tyres have always been something of a non-issue with most British motorists, but for years our counterparts in Germany have diligently switched from summer to winter rubber every autumn and then back again in the spring. The head of Michelin considers this largely unnecessary.

In an interview published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung on 19 November, Jean-Dominique Senard recommended all-season tyres as the first choice for German motorists (specifically, the Michelin CrossClimate+). While the Michelin Group chief executive office conceded that winter tyres may be appropriate for those living in mountainous regions, he opined that “most drivers in Germany don’t need them.” Citing the example of his own company’s all-season product – other brands are available – Senard claimed that “with these you really can go anywhere, and save a lot of time and money as there’s no need to change tyres every half a year.”