Michelin TRX Tyres

Michelin TRX Car Tyres

The Michelin TRX is one of the most significant performance tyres ever produced, marking a major step forward in tyre and wheel design when it was introduced in 1975.

As the world’s first metric dimension radial, the TRX allowed Michelin engineers to optimise the relationship between tyre and rim, improving stability, comfort, and highspeed performance. For owners of late1970s and 1980s European performance cars, the TRX remains essential for preserving the authentic look, feel, and behaviour of these machines.

Before the TRX, “lowprofile” tyres typically meant a sidewall height around seventy per cent of the tyre’s width. The TRX changed this completely. It was conceived as one half of a matched system, designed to work with a specially shaped metric rim to distribute stresses more evenly across the carcass. The name itself reflects this: TR stands for Tension Répartie — distributed tension — a construction principle that allowed Michelin to create much lowerprofile tyres (down to 45 per cent) without compromising stability or comfort. 

The TRX uses metric sizing and this often causes confusion. A quick example: in 190/55 VR340, the tyre is 190mm wide, the sidewall height is 55 per cent of that width, V is the speed rating, R denotes radial construction, and 340 is the rim diameter in millimetres.

The TRX became original equipment on performance models from BMW, Ferrari, Peugeot, Renault, Volvo, and Ford. It was famously fitted to the BMW E24 6Series, E28 M5, E30 M3, and Ferrari’s 308, Mondial, and 512 BBi, where its unique construction contributed to their precise steering and composed highspeed behaviour.

Michelin continues to manufacture the TRX using modern materials while preserving its authentic appearance and dynamic characteristics. Available in key metric sizes such as 190/65 R390, 220/55 R390, and 240/55 R415, it remains the definitive choice for cars engineered around this ground-breaking system.

At Vintage Tyres, we stock the full range of Michelin TRX tyres, all supplied fresh and stored correctly to maintain quality. Whether you’re restoring a classic BMW Mcar or preparing a cherished Ferrari for the road, the TRX delivers the authenticity, precision, and refined performance your car deserves.