Everything you've ever googled about Michelin, answered by Top Gear

Where do Michelin tyres come from?

From the sap of the Pará rubber tree – also known as Hevea brasiliensis, sharing a tree or rubber plant – which grow over 40 metres tall and can be tapped after... oh, you mean where in the world? In which case, the city Clermont-Ferrand in France: not an area – so far as Top Gear is aware – in which Pará rubber trees grow naturally or indeed at all, on account of not being a South American rainforest. But let’s not get hung up on that: after all, when did you last see a tea plantation in Yorkshire?

Why does Michelin do stars?

Fair question. Why does a company that produces grippy wrappers for your car wheels also hand out coveted stars to the world’s fanciest restaurants? You certainly don’t see Kwik Fit dishing out gongs for fine champagne.

The answer? Marketing. At the dawn of the 20th century, Michelin’s founding brothers figured they could increase demand for their bold new car tyre venture by publishing a guide to the best national eating establishments: establishments best visited with the help of a ‘car’, which ran best with the fitment of some ‘tyres’. Genius!

Little could the brothers have known that, a century later, the Michelin name would become a byword for teeny tiny portions of insanely expensive food, mostly served in an opal encrusted egg cup or child’s ballet shoe.

Do Michelin stars expire?

No, Michelin stars do not expire, but they can become worn over time, reducing their effectiveness. We suggest you should please regularly check your Michelin stars for signs of wear and tear, and replace them if they have less than 1.6mm of tread remaining.

Why does the Michelin Man look like that?

Because he’s here to haunt your dreams. Warning: if you find today’s Michelin Man a little... unsettling to behold, Top Gear strongly advises not searching online for images of the 19th century original. Makes Pennywise look like Paddington Bear.

Does the Michelin Man give Michelin stars?

Really hung up on the Michelin Man, huh? Reasonable. Well, Michelin has long maintained its stars are awarded by a team of anonymous human inspectors. Which may be true, but we all know the Michelin Man himself is the brains of the operation, gorging as he does upon the crushed hopes and dreams of innocent restaurateurs.

What is the Michelin Man’s real name?

TG applauds the suspicion inherent in this question. Yeah, why should we let that dude hide behind his stage name? Let’s see a birth certificate! And why not rake through his tax returns while we’re at it? Anyhow, turns out the Michelin Man does have a real name, and it is... Bibendum. Which, of course, is Latin for ‘ghostly creepy pillow-demon’.