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.
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.
