CS3 Touring Tire: Cooper Mid-Range

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has launched its new CS3 Touring, which the company said is a mid-range tire ideal for “accidental performance” consumers looking to spend less on replacement tires for their H-, V- or T-rated vehicles. Scott Jamieson, director of product management (left), and Bruce Sanborn, product segment manager, show off the features of Coopers new CS3 Touring tire.

The tire will be available in its full 48-size lineup covering 14- through 18-inch wheel diameters by the end of August. Currently, the line’s 16 H speed-rated and 21 T-rated sizes are available for order; the remaining 11 V-rated sizes will follow in August. The CS3 Touring, produced in Cooper’s Tupelo, Miss., manufacturing facility, comes with a 65,000-mile U.S. warranty for T-rated sizes and a 50,000-mile U.S. warranty for H- and V-rated sizes.

The CS3 Touring – which replaces the GLS, introduced in 2005 for T-rated sizes and 2007 for H- and V-rated sizes – stands out from other mid-range offerings because it boasts several premium features, according to Scott Jamieson, Cooper director of product management.

These premium features include the tiremaker’s StabilEdge technology and 3D Micro-Gauge Siping. StabilEdge provides added dry traction due to additional stability to the tire’s center and intermediate ribs for crisper response; it also enables better soft handling and on-center response, according to Bruce Sanborn, Cooper product segment manager. 3D Micro Gauge Siping offers variable sipe density and maximized full-depth siping, with additional sipes appearing as the tire’s tread wears. According to Cooper, a brand new CS3 offers 30% more sipe length versus typical tire construction; when the CS3 is half-worn, it offers 125% more sipe length compared to typical tire construction.

In addition, the tire offers a new touring tread compound; a tread pattern that offers four wide, circumferential grooves for hydroplaning resistance; and a newly developed pitch sequence for lower in-vehicle noise. While low rolling resistance was not a main focus, advancements in the construction of the CS3 Touring, and the resulting 2 pounds on average weight savings, lead to a 6% improvement in rolling resistance over the GLS, according to Jamieson.

“The CS3 Touring stands out as a mid-tier tire because we’ve added tangible benefits that dealers can show consumers,” he said.

Bridgestone Americas will debut the Bandag Virtual Plant Tour at WasteExpo 2024, taking place May 7-9 in Las Vegas, NV. The company said this virtual experience will transport viewers inside a Bandag manufacturing plant to demonstrate the safety, reliability and positive environmental characteristics of retreaded tires.

“The waste and recycling industry has long been a leader in innovation and a space to promote and advance sustainability-focused technologies,” Brian Goldstine, president of retread solutions, Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, said. “Through our new virtual experience, Bridgestone is able to demonstrate the technology, testing and time that goes into producing every Bandag retreaded tire and educate fleets on the importance of more cost-effective and eco-friendly tire solutions, regardless of their location.”