What to Know About 2026 Michelin Tire Giveaway, Round 6—Congratulations, CertifiedPreownedLungs!
It’s time to announce the winner for the sixth round of our 2026 Michelin and BFGoodrich tire giveaway! Over 120 of you weighed in, and it was a photo finish between the gargantuan Ford Galaxie Country Squire wagon and the charming Volkswagen Karmann Ghia convertible. With the contest being this close, we’re exercising our Editorial Privilege this round and handing the win to the Karmann Ghia! Congratulations to its newest owner, @CertifiedPreownedLungs.
You can’t talk about the Karmann Ghia without mentioning famed Italian designer and former WWII soldier and OSS liaison Luigi Segre. By the early 1950s, Segre had hit it off with Wilhelm Karmann Jr., who proposed the idea of stylish Italian bodywork atop a Beetle floorpan. Soon after, Segre bought a Beetle and began working on the project in secrecy. In 1953, he unveiled the concept to Karmann and Volkswagen brass, and the rest was history.
This 1968 example remained under the care of its previous owner from 2005 until recently. In recent years, the seller took the Karmann Ghia to several shows around town on its flat-spotted mixed rubber, but its newest owner @CertifiedPreownedLungs will certainly breathe a lot easier with a fresh set of Michelins or BFGs underneath!
Congratulations once again to CertifiedPreownedLungs, and big thanks are due as always to Michelin USA, BFGoodrich, and everyone in the BaT community who voted. Your generous spirit gives us the opportunity to do big things like for BaT community members, and plays a part in keeping some fantastic vehicles on the road.
ORIGINAL POST:
Man, this year is flying. It’s already time for Round 6 of our monthly Michelin/BFGoodrich Tire Giveaway! Michelin USA has given us the ability to hand out brand new sets of Michelin, Michelin Classic, and BFGoodrich tires to select BaT auction winners, and because we take this task seriously, we’re soliciting the input of the entire BaT community in determining the vehicle most worthy of new rubber.
We’ve identified four candidates below, all no-reserve vehicles wearing older or mixed generic tires (or both). We want you to tell us which you’d like to see get a free set of new Michelin, Michelin Classic or BFGoodrich tires! Let us know your vote in the comments, and please vote for one car only. As with our Question of the Week contests, we heavily favor the People’s Choice—but on occasion, we reserve the right to hand the prize to the most appropriate candidate in our view. Since the auctions close over the course of a few days, voting will remain open until midnight Pacific time on Tuesday, July 21. That gives you time to think, and gives the auctions time to run their courses. We’ll tally the votes and announce the winner on Wednesday, July 22.
In no particular order, here are your candidates!
B21F-Powered 1981 Volvo Bertone Coupe
Three forward gears, three forward-facing rows of seating, and 390 cubic inches of FE V8—this big Country Squire is the kind of vehicle that can haul two families of four and their stuff, all the while towing a boat behind. Conversely, it could hold a weekend’s worth of beer and spares while towing a race car. That’s a more likely backstory for this vehicle, judging by the Southern California Timing Association sticker and history in Utah. Wagons like this are our Camelot, and the patina here is night unto perfect. We’d just want to swap out the mixed generic/outdated rubber currently wrapping the staggered-width Weld Racing hoops.
1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible
It’s hard to resist the charms of a Karmann Ghia, particularly a driver-quality, late-1960s convertible. The styling was not yet marred by the big bumpers and taillights of the ’70s, and in the later years of the the ’60s, the model received a larger 1,500cc motor, front disc brakes, high-back seats, a 12-volt electrical system, and revised suspension geometry. This one has been with its owner for 20 years, and was recently recommissioned with a tuneup, new brake lines, a reconditioned fuel tank, and other maintenance. The flat-spotted and worn-out tires have been left for the next owner to replace, making this a perfect candidate for some new Michelins.
The Escalade is one of those trucks that grows on you. We mean that literally—the latest Escalade IQL is 19′ long and weighs 9,000 lbs. But back in 2002, this Clydesdale of an SUV wasn’t bumping up against its GVWR simply by filling up with gas, and could do most of the things a GMT800 Tahoe could do, all while wearing a fancier suit. With stability controls and active suspension, this posh rig ought to ride much like a vehicle 20 years younger, even more so once its on a set of new Michelins or BFGs.
These are your nominees! Voting ends at midnight Pacific on July 21. Which vehicle should drive away on a new set of Michelin or BFGoodrich tires? Get into the comments and let us know what you think!
