New Michelin winter tire performs well.(Focus on: Dealers)(Arctic Alpin)(Product Announcement)

Michelin is making a serious run at becoming "the leader in winter tire performance" with the introduction of its new Arctic Alpin tire at a time when other tire-makers are also taking a look at a segment of the market that has not received a great deal of attention in recent years.

The French tiremaker showed off its new tire during a ride-and-drive event at a testing facility in Level near Montreal, Quebec.

The tire will be available to dealers in August and company officials say its design gives it several advantages in bad weather driving.

One is torque-locking zig-zag sipes that provide nearly 180 feet of flexible, snow-grabbing edges per …