The iconic Michelin man, who’s been around in some form since 1898, has become synonymous with the company’s guidebook. In fact, he even has an actual name – Bibendum (or Bib for short).

But early photographs of Bibendum, as the Michelin Man is also called, are nothing short of terrifying. Bibendum was conceived by Edouard and André Michelin, the brothers who founded the company.

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Trying to understand the scope of the 2011 Challenge Bibendum – Michelin's multi-day, mindblowingly comprehensive sustainability mobility event held this year in Berlin, Germany – is not easy.

Represented by Bibendum (the Michelin Man) licking his lips, this award recognizes the restaurants with the best quality-price ratio in the country and is presented annually along with the classic ...

points us up to the dining room with its famous stained-glass windows – our favorite shows the Michelin Man cycling along, waving a fat cigar; for a motoring mascot, he’s quite the bon viveur.