Dayton Upgrades Range D110 General-Use Range

It replaces the D100, which is being phased out across Europe from January 2006.

Designed and manufactured with Bridgestone technology, Dayton is aimed at value-conscious buyers. According to the company, the Dayton D100, launched in 2000, has performed well, but the new product gave Bridgestone engineers the opportunity to retain D100’s wet and dry performance, while extending wear life, a key feature in this segment.

In Bridgestone’s words, the new D110 has a “robust, modern-looking tread,” which provides a balance of wet and dry handling. Circumferential grooves in the centre and outer areas ensure fast water evacuation from the road contact patch, while high-angle slots clear water away from the lateral sides. The slots and sipes are also deeper, maintaining improved wet performance throughout the tyre life.

At the same time, durability has been extended by a new tread compound with silica and an optimised rubber-to-void ratio that puts more rubber on the road.

Internal fleet tests have shown that the new Dayton D110 provides higher mileage than major competitors and 12 per cent more wear than the D100 it replaces. Evaluations on a VW Lupo (175/70 R13 82 T) at Bridgestone’s Technical Center Europe and new European Proving Ground in Italy have also verified its high-level balanced performance: in the key safety area of braking, the D110 has shown itself superior to competitors on both dry and wet.

The new Dayton D110 is available in 18 T-rated sizes from 60 to 80 series and joins the high-performance H and V rated D210 and ultra high-performance D300 Sprint (W speed rating) to complete the Dayton range.

If you’re a shop looking to sell summer tires, it’s important to know that customers looking for these tires have very specific needs. Let’s talk about why, before recommending summer tires, you need to fully understand customer performance requirements.

Unlike all-season or all-terrain tires built for diverse driving conditions, UHP summer tires are designed with one priority: dry and wet traction for performance driving. Lateral and longitudinal grip in dry and wet conditions are also important, which is achieved through optimized contact patches, high silica tread compounds and circumferential grooves to channel water. Generally, UHP summer tire tread design features large blocks and fewer grooves for more road contact on dry surfaces. The grooves are designed to channel water away from the tire, reducing the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.