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GMC and Cadillac Concept Vehicles Debuted With Bridgestone Customs at NAIASGMC Granite wins best concept award fitted in Dueler™ tires

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 21, 2010) - Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO), in cooperation with General Motors (GM), debuted two new fitments on GMC and Cadillac concept vehicles at the 2010 North American International Auto Show, which started Jan. 11 in Detroit.

The GMC Granite sports concept Dueler™ 245/40R20 tires. The Granite is a small, highly versatile, premium four-door crossover. The U.S. designed and produced Dueler tires feature a unique asymmetrical tread pattern that provides excellent traction while also complimenting the vehicle’s ultramodern style. The Granite won the EyesOn Design Award for Best Concept Vehicle during the show’s opening media days.

The Cadillac XTS Platinum concept car is fitted with custom-made Potenza™ 245/40R20 tires. The XTS is a premium luxury sedan fitted with ultra high performance Potenza tires that feature an aggressive, angular tread pattern that mimics the dynamic lines of the Cadillac design while complimenting the vehicle’s performance ability.

“Conceptual programs allow our designers to extend beyond the boundaries of contemporary thinking and express our brand as it relates to a specific vehicle in a dynamic new way,” said Michael Martini, President of Consumer OE Tire Sales at BATO. “Working with the best and brightest minds at GM to bring these tires to fruition was a particularly rewarding experience. The Granite concept is a ‘no-doubt-about-it’ show stopper and an exceptional vehicle to showcase the Dueler family of light truck tires. The Cadillac XTS concept represents the future of luxury sedans and is a great fit for the Potenza family of high-performance tires.”

Martini explained that GM chose to work with BATO on the Granite and XTS concept vehicles due to past conceptual program collaborations. BATO is also a primary original equipment supplier to GM with Bridgestone and Firestone tire fitments on many current production vehicles.

About Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) is a business unit of Bridgestone Americas, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. Reporting into the BATO business unit are the company's Latin American tire operations, the U.S. and Canadian consumer tire businesses and the U.S. and Canadian commercial tire businesses. BATO develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The business unit is focused on retail, wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in the Americas. In addition, through its Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions unit, retreading customers have access to industry-leading research and development, manufacturing, marketing and sales expertise, providing them with a total tire solution.