You might think of fancy restaurants when you hear the word “Michelin”, but the company that awards the prestigious stars still produces its original product: tyres.
The iconic Michelin man, who’s been around in some form since 1898, has become synonymous with the company’s guidebook.
In fact, he even has an actual name – Bibendum (or Bib for short).
There’s also a section of the Michelin handbook called Bib Gourmand in his honour. This category includes great value-for-money spots.
Bibendum, as many of us know, is supposed to be made of tyres to represent the Michelin company.
But if that’s the case, why is he white when tyres are black?
He’s actually completely accurate
Remember when we said the first Michelin Man figure came to be in 1898? Well, that’s only a couple of years after the invention of the first car in around 1895.
Even vehicles made as recently as the 1950s and 1960s look remarkably different to the cars we’re used to today.
And Michelin’s site says that one such difference was seen in their tyres.
“Tyres weren’t coloured black until 1912, thus, Bibendum is white,” the company (and Bib’s dad, I guess?) shared.
“Prior to 1912, tyres were either grey-white or had a light translucent beige hue,” they added.
“Carbon was subsequently added to the rubber formula as a preservative and a strengthened.” This is why they’re now black.
In other words, Bib isn’t wrong. It’s tyres that are the problem (well, not the problem, but they changed, while the Michelin Man stayed the same).
Anything else?
Yes ― the Michelin man once had a tiny tyre dog named Bubbles.
Bibendum has also had a London restaurant named after him called the Bibendum Restaurant and Oyster Bar in the Michelin House building that was the former UK Michelin headquarters.
Opened in 1986, the restaurant is still up and running today. And yes, it still has a window featuring a stained glass Bibendum.
As it happens, the Bibendum restaurant has landed itself two Michelin stars.