Got this through a viral email.

I'm guessing this is legitimate?

If so... wow?

I'll let the text of the email do the talking...

CHECK OUT THESE TIRES !

 

These tires are made in South Carolina , USA .

 

SEE THROUGH TIRES.

Radical new tire design by Michelin.

The next generation of tires.

They had a pair at the Philadelphia car show.

Yes, those are 'spoke' like connections to the inner part of the tire from the outside tread 'wrap!' The next picture shows how odd it looks in motion....

Makes you wonder how the ride feels doesn't it?

These tires are airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon.

The bad news for law enforcement is that spike strips will not work on these.

Just think of the impact on existing technology:

A. no more air valves...

B. no more air compressors at gas stations...

C. no more repair kits...

D. no more flats...

These are actual pictures taken in the South Carolina plant of Michelin.

I'm not sure how I feel about this design. Oh, it's COOL-lookin'... it's nice there's no more "low air pressure" poop one has to worry about, no flats... but...

I dunno'. They look like things would be disastrous if the rubber spokes failed, like worse than having an air-filled tire fail.

At least with a flat, you still have a big, gushy THING there to act as a wheel, however lame.

My BIGGEST concern is temperature. What's it like driving cross-country in the summertime through 110 degrees fahrenheit days?

What's it like on a cold winter morning that's 30 degrees minus?

What happens when you have a tire sitting in one position over the course of a few months... does the oval shape alter the circular memory of the rubber?

Aren't those thin spokes just asking to be sabotaged by people who don't like you... I mean, you KNOW instantly when you have a flat... but snipping 2 or 3 of these spokes?

Questions, questions...

Whatever the case, they're aesthetically pleasing. About time we get an update to the ol' air bladders we've been staring at for like almost a hundred years lol.