Michelin Starts India Production of Passenger Car Tyres With Primacy 5

Michelin India on Monday launched the Primacy 5, its first passenger car tyre to be manufactured in the country, as the company looks to expand its presence in India’s premium tyre market.

The tyre, produced at Michelin’s Chennai plant, has been developed for sedans and SUVs and is compatible with internal combustion engine, hybrid and electric vehicles, according to the management. It will be available from August through Michelin Tyres & Service stores and around 800 authorised dealers nationwide. 

Michelin will initially focus on the replacement market and plans to explore supplying passenger vehicle manufacturers as production and volumes grow, Shantanu Deshpande, Managing Director, Michelin India, said during a media interaction. “We will start and focus on getting our share together in the replacement market. As we grow and as we have opportunities, the OEM segment will also happen.”

The Primacy 5 will be offered in sizes ranging from 16 inches to 22 inches, with prices starting at around ₹10,000, depending on the tyre size. 

Deshpande said the start of production fulfilled Michelin's commitment made about 18 months ago to manufacture passenger car tyres locally. “It is no longer a promise. It is actually happening. The tyres are being manufactured as we speak now in our factory in Chennai,” he said.

Shorter Braking Distance

Michelin is positioning safety as one of the main selling points of the Primacy 5. The company claims the tyre has been developed and tested on vehicles commonly used in India. It uses an optimised tread pattern, next-generation rubber compounds and Michelin’s EverGrip and EverTread technologies.

According to the company, the tyre offers a wet braking distance up to eight metres shorter than the average of competing tyres when new. The difference increases to nine metres when the tyres are worn. Michelin also claims a four-metre shorter braking distance in dry conditions.

The tests were conducted by Applus+ IDIADA at NATRAX in Indore during May and June 2026. A Hyundai Creta equipped with 205/65 R16 tyres was used for the tests.

In the wet braking test from 80 kmph to 20 kmph, the new Primacy 5 stopped in an average distance of 30.5 metres. The competing tyres recorded an average of 38.6 metres. When worn to a remaining tread depth of 2 mm, the Primacy 5 stopped in 37.6 metres, against the competitors’ average of 46.5 metres.

In the dry braking test from 100 kmph to a complete stop, the Primacy 5 recorded 38.1 metres, compared with the competing tyres’ average of 42.2 metres. These are Michelin’s claims based on tests commissioned by the company.

Comfort and Life

The company claims the Primacy 5 recorded a 9% better comfort score than the average of the rival tyres tested. Its new tread design is intended to reduce road noise and vibrations without weakening the tyre’s ability to handle rough roads.

Michelin also claims that the new tyre can last 8% longer than its predecessor, the Primacy 4ST. The mileage test was conducted on Indian roads using the same Hyundai Creta and tyre size.

The locally manufactured tyre uses the same basic compounds, machinery and quality standards as Michelin tyres produced elsewhere. However, additional material has been used to strengthen the tyre against road hazards in India. This makes the Indian version slightly heavier, said Jean-François RENE, Executive Director, Michelin Chennai.

The Primacy 5 has been designed to handle the additional weight, higher torque and different wear characteristics of electric vehicles. 
Its rolling resistance is 6.5% lower than that of the Primacy 4ST. Lower rolling resistance can help reduce fuel consumption in combustion-engine vehicles and support a longer driving range in EVs.

“Primacy 5 is going to be good for ICE and it is going to be great for EV as well,” Deshpande said.

Competition in Premium Tyre Market

The Primacy 5 will compete with premium touring tyres such as the Bridgestone Turanza 6i, Continental UltraContact UC6 and Yokohama BluEarth-GT Max AE51. These were also the products Michelin used for its braking and comfort comparisons.

Bridgestone positions the Turanza 6i as a comfort-focused tyre for premium hatchbacks, sedans, crossovers and SUVs. It is offered in 36 variants ranging from 14 inches to 20 inches. Yokohama markets the BluEarth-GT Max on grip, fuel efficiency, comfort and durability.

Depending on tyre size and vehicle fitment, the Primacy 5 will also face competition from Indian premium products such as the CEAT SportDrive, Apollo Aspire 4G+ and MRF Perfinza. CEAT and Apollo position their products around low noise, grip and high-speed performance, while MRF offers the Perfinza range for premium cars and SUVs. 

Larger Vehicles Drive Tyre Demand

The local launch comes as Indian buyers continue to move towards larger and more expensive passenger vehicles. The change is increasing demand for tyres of 16 inches and above, the segment that Michelin is targeting.

According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), utility vehicles accounted for about 68% of domestic passenger vehicle sales during the first quarter of FY2026-27. UV sales grew 28.6% year on year during the quarter, helping overall passenger vehicle sales rise 25.9% to a record 1.27 million units. 

The premium trend is also visible at the top end of the market. Mercedes-Benz India’s top-end vehicle sales grew 16% in FY2025-26 and accounted for 27% of its total sales. BMW India’s overall sales rose 14% to 17,299 units during the year, while India’s luxury electric vehicle sales increased 61% to 5,404 units. 

Michelin said improved highways, longer road journeys and higher average speeds were encouraging customers to buy larger, safer and more comfortable vehicles. These customers were also becoming more willing to pay for premium tyres offering better braking, comfort and longevity.

Chennai Plant to Add More Products

Michelin also plans to manufacture products such as the Pilot Sport 5 and LTX Trail in Chennai. The plant will gradually add more tyre sizes and product lines as it ramps up passenger car tyre production through the end of 2027.

The Chennai factory has a combined capacity of around 54,000 tonnes for truck, bus and passenger car tyres. Michelin said all the major investments required for the first phase had been completed, while further investments would be made in line with demand.

The domestic market will remain the priority for the company. However, it could also export passenger car tyres from Chennai. Michelin already exports truck tyres made at the plant to markets including North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

On the retail sales network front, Michelin currently has around 150 Michelin Tyres & Service outlets in India. These are multi-brand stores that follow the company’s standards for product display, tyre fitment and customer experience. It plans to expand the network further in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.