Computer Models vs. Real-World Tire Scenarios
Sometimes the best-sounding ideas don’t work well in the real world. For tires, this is especially true when designers have elaborate computer models to support their fledgling ideas.One of the ideas that sells well, but doesn’t work so well when driven at racetrack pace, is the “multiple-compound-across-the-tread,” or MCATT, tire. (If you have a better
Is There Help for the ‘Accidental Performance Buyer?’
Accidental performance buyers almost always identify themselves, especially by the time they get to the tire store. Accidental performance buyers will complain about the performance of their all-wheel-drive sports car in the snow. They’ll moan about the rough ride of their 22-inch-wheel-shod vehicle. They’ll complain about bent wheels, and wonder why their tire blew out,
With Economic Rebound, Off-Road Light Truck Tire Sales Begin to Climb
Tire manufacturers agree that the off-road light truck tire segment was hit particularly hard during the recession – after all, what enthusiasts could afford extra sets of tires and related accessories for hobby vehicles, while fuel prices for their every day rides skyrocketed and household budgets became stretched? But after a strong 2011 and with
Updated Goodyear Assurance Gets 16-City Launch Demo Tour
Goodyear’s new Assurance TripleTred All-Season is hitting the road – literally – by embarking on a grueling 16-city tour to support its official launch.First shown at January’s Goodyear national dealer meeting in Dallas, the Assurance TripleTred All-Season will take center stage at a dealer-centric roadshow that kicked off in late July with a special event
Driving Tires on the Edge? Or Does It Just Feel That Way?
62.JPG” border=”0″ ” align=”right” alt=”uhptires that excel in wet handling may give unprofessional drivers the false feeling that they are about to lose grip when cornering in the dry. this is due to a lack of soft lateral firmness, rather than shortcomings in dry handling. “/>That doesn’t make them bad tires. Far from it, as
Tiremakers Offer Fuel-Saving Rubber – But Compared to What?
The green movement and the desire to save money at the gas pump have driven motorists to welcome fuel-efficient tires with open arms. Even in these penny-pinching times of slow economic recovery, if a set of tires can deliver real fuel savings, consumers are generally willing to spend a little extra up-front.
Tools and Tips For Selling More Winter Tires
he connections – and the budget – to rent out a local ice rink, that wouldn’t provide a true, real-world experience, according to Nokian Tyres’ Bob Hepp, vice president of strategic planning. “You can go to a hockey rink to simulate a frozen surface, but that surface is polished and not what you would find
Tire Size Allowances: All 242/43R17s Are Not Created Alike
Pick a car tire size, any auto tire dimension. Then choose a couple of different performance categories (ultra-high performance and touring work nicely for my example) from three or four manufacturers. Mount, inflate and measure the circumference and tread width – don’t get picky, just use the same point on all the tires. Or just
CTA Redefines General Brand With New G-Max UHP Offering
Continental Tire the Americas offered up Infineon Raceway as the center stage upon which to introduce the new General G-Max AS-03 to both tire and automotive journalists and its dealers in back-to-back events. “This is a tire that seems to offer a wide range of our dealers the opportunity to sell a very complete package,
Cooper Begins Record-Breaking Year With Four Product Launches
In a year in which Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. will introduce the most new products to the North American market in the company’s history, the tiremaker is starting things off with a bang.
Michelin Adds New BFGoodrich T/A for Work and Play
More than a year in the making, Michelin North America finally took the wraps off of the BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain T/A, the latest BFG-brand light truck/SUV radial. And this new tire, said MNA, is all work and all play. The tire was originally slated for a 2010 introduction, but production was rescheduled when demand increases
Weighing Summer vs. All-Season UHP Tires
Swapping UHP summer (or, better said, “three-season”) tires for all-season UHP rubber is trading something you want for something you will probably never need. Consumers – and a shockingly high number of tire company sales staff – are under the mistaken belief that all-season tires offer better damp-road grip than summer tires. The truth: All-season