Touring tires

Touring tires: Low-rolling luxury

Manufacturers balance old comfort needs with new demands for greater fuel effi ciency

By Bob Bissler Part one of two

Touring tires fi t a unique category of consumer tires. While they combine a performance tire’s low-profi le handling with a premium tire’s soft er ride, they also have all-season capabilities. Because of this, they are oft en called performance touring tires. Today, manufacturers of touring tires are keeping busy. Five years ago the emphasis was on high speed ratings and

performance characteristics with no decrease in ride comfort. Today, high-speed, performance and comfort are still demanded. But so is low-rolling resistance and enhanced fuel mileage.

“Th e touring tire segment is actually made up of at least two sub-categories,” says Conal O’Neill, senior manager, pricing and administration at Falken Tire Corp. “Th e standard touring tires category (mostly made up of S- or T-rated, 60-, 65- and 70-series applications), has been active for a number of years and is relatively mature. Th e performance touring tires category mirrors the current high/ultra-high summer performance lines available in both size applications and performance ratings.”

O’Neill says in the coming years, touring tires will continue to grow in size applications available and number of units sold. And many tire manufacturers have seen growth in the area of tires with higher speed ratings.

“Current trends in the touring tire segment are: higher speed ratings – V and W; lower aspect ratio sizes; and, larger rim diameters,” says Rick Brennan, vice president of marketing for Kumho Tire USA. “An example is the Mazda 6 Touring model – 235/45R18. Th e trend is expanding the SKU counts of the touring category of tire lines.”

According to the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s Web site, the luxury touring segment has evolved within the premium passenger segment, and vehicle specifi cations have changed. H-speeds are becoming standard, while V-speed ratings have become increasingly popular. Goodyear says there is growth in the touring segment, defi ned as those tires with a design emphasis on driver comfort, ride and handling. Th e numbers appear to back that up.

“Th e luxury touring tire segment, where Michelin’s Primacy MXM4 is a strong competitor, saw signifi cant growth in 2010. Th rough May 2011, the segment continues to see strong growth, though it has slowed with the slower-than-expected overall economic recovery, concerns about energy prices and sensitivity to continued high unemployment,” says Martha Burwell, Michelin North America Inc.’s passenger car marketing manager. Whether or not the economy improves, the touring tire segment will likely evolve. As it does, manufacturers will keep pace with the changes.

“What once were two very distinct market segments have converged over the last few years,” says Tom Gravalos, Pirelli Tire North America’s vice president of marketing and original equipment. “Historically, touring tires had a smaller wheel diameter, bigger aspect ratio, narrower cross section and generally were S- and T-rated only. Today we are seeing bigger wheel diameters and everything from S- to V-rated tires in the category.”

In addition to size and speed rating evolution, Gravalos says Pirelli has seen performance improvements that provide bett er fuel economy, traction and durability.

Tiremakers serving this market must have the ability to develop and introduce these improvements, driven by consumer demands and the OEM’s need to improve fuel economy.

“Overall, the trend is looking like a continued slight decline due to the previous and ongoing push from the OEs for higher speed ratings and larger rim sizes,” explains Chet Plewacki, Yokohama Tire Corp.’s consumer product manager. “However, the segment is still large and is trending towards larger rim sizes that are showing up within the touring segment as well.”

But higher speed ratings and larger rim sizes are just the beginning. With the recent eco-friendly movement, tiremakers are being pushed to make fuel-effi cient tires with low-rolling resistance. Th at demand has migrated into the touring category as well.

“Th e current trend is fuel effi ciency,” says Julie Porter, product manager at Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC. “Consumers are looking for all the characteristics they expect in a traditional touring tire, plus the added benefi t of fuel savings.”

Th e awareness of fuel effi ciency isn’t focused only on the environment. Rising fuel prices push the demand for fuel-effi cient tires. Also, increasing tire prices are fueling the demand for tires that last longer.

“In the last several years, companies have started to push the envelope in the touring tire segment,” says Jay Spears, technical product manager, Continental Tires the Americas LLC. “With the increase in fuel prices, the awareness of fuel effi ciency has pushed tire manufacturers to provide low-rolling resistance tires specifi cally to the touring segment.”

Spears says most major brands have introduced some sort of eco tire line. Th e lines off er well-rounded performance with an emphasis on fuel effi ciency. Th at emphasis is expected to continue. In the next few years, the expectation is that the touring segment will slowly become the “eco” segment for most companies. Good fuel effi ciency will be the expectation for a lot of consumers.

“Th e current trend that we see in the touring tire segment is an increased focus on lower-rolling resistance and improved fuel economy,” says Henry Kopacz, Hankook Tire America Corp.’s public relations and product marketing specialist. Kopacz says consumers are becoming more aware of the economical and environmental benefi ts of low-rolling resistance tires.

Continuous improvements

Today’s touring tires off er improved rolling resistance and fuel efficiency, higher speed ratings and wet and dry performance. But consumers are demanding even more from this segment, and manufacturers are delivering.

“A trend that we are seeing is an increase in the blending of SUV and passenger sizes into a crossover utility segment,” says Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.’s Product Segment Manager Bruce Sanborn. “As vehicle manufacturers continue to develop new vehicles in the crossover segment, the lines of traditional SUV and passenger sizes become harder to defi ne. CUVs have the ride, comfort and tread design of a traditional touring tire but the sizing of an SUV.”

Sanborn says this trend has put an increased emphasis on 17-inch

and larger tires. It has also put a focus on fuel effi ciency through “Th is category will grow as the benefi ts of a blend between low-rolling resistance technology. performance, ride comfort and tire life grow in importance in

“Within the value arena, the touring segment continues to the view of tire purchasers.” focus on mileage longevity coupled with all-season performance,” says Joshua Simpson, vice president of marketing at What are the latest touring tires? Hercules Tire & Rubber Co. “Meeting the original equipment With all the trends in the touring tire market, manufi tments’ performance characteristics has become more of an facturers are challenged to keep up with consumer needs, expectation than an exception.” OE demands and technological

While consumer expectations continue to advances. The latest touring tires on place demands on tiremakers, some don’t see the market reflect these challenging great activity in this segment. requirements.

“Everybody seems to have their own defi nition on what a touring tire is. I think it’s a dying term. Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Most manufacturers have merged HP and UHP Bridgestone Americas Tire Operaproducts with T-rated to form a power line that tions LLC says the Ecopia EP422 is consists of 60 to 80 sizes,” says John Aben, vice one of its quietest tires. Compared president, sales and marketing for Nexen Tire to the conventional Bridgestone America Inc. “Consumers today are shopping Turanza EL400 it replaced, it has price and the speed rating is not as important.” improved its rolling effi ciency 36%.

As manufacturers track consumer trends in When developing the Ecopia EP422, touring tires, the changes continue to add up. As they do, there seems to be plenty of room for optimism in the market. The Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 features silica that improves traction in wet conditions by increasing fl exibility of the Bridgestone engineers created a balanced tire that maintained the features consumers expect, while improving

“Th is is a relatively new category for the tire tread compound. the fuel economy. industry with many manufacturers recently addContinuous ribs maintain traction ing lines that fi t into the performance touring designation,” and a quiet ride. Th e Fuel Saver Sidewall compound lowers rolling says Falken’s O’Neill. resistance by returning more energy back to the tire, instead of

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Achieva Rubber Corp. Acme Rubber Aeolus Tyre Aftersoft Network NA Alliance Tire Group AME International American Omni Trading Anhui Darui Tire Rubber API ASA Tire Systems ATEQ Corp. ATT Austyre AutoTool Balkrishna Industries (BKT) Bartec USA Bee Line Best Choice International Trade Branick Industries Bright Technology Cangzhou Flying Dragon Auto Parts CarCareONE Chadha Rubber China Manufacturers Alliance Chonche Auto Double Happiness

Tyre Corp. CIMS Tire Registration Continental Tire the Americas Cooper Tire & Rubber Corghi USA Counteract Balancing Beads Crowntyre Industrial Cub Elecparts Daeho Industry/Pacific Treads Deestone Ltd. Dill Air Controls Products Dong Ah Tire & Rubber Doublestar Tire Corp. Duro Tire & Wheel East Bay Tire Eastup Industrial Elgi Rubber (USA) Enjoy Tyre Essen Trade Shows Exactra Fairmount Tire Specialty Falken Tire Corp. First Tape and Label 50 Below Sales & Marketing Five Diamond Motors Foreign Tire Sales Freedomsoft Fullroad Rubber Fullrun Tyre Corp. Gaither Tool Goodtire Rubber Industrial GreatLakes Tire Co. Greenball Corp. Hangzhou Hamaton Tyre Valves Hangzhou Shunyuan

Tire Manufacture Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Hankook Tire America Corp. Hanksugi Japan Tyre International HATCO SAL Haweka USA/Allpart Supply Hennessy Industries Hercules Tire Hny Tires Horizon Tire Hunter Engineering Jiangyin Premier Autoparts Industry JK Tyre-Tornel JM Nault Wheel Weights JMK Computerized TDIS JOSN Electronic Kelsey Tire Kenda Tire USA Ken-Tool Lakin Tire West Liberty Tire Recycling LKQ Corp. Long March Tyre Lu Hai Industrial Corp. Lucy’s Tire MaddenCo Malhotra Rubbers (Tyres) India M&R Tire Products Martins Industries Maxxis International Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels Mighty Auto Parts Modern Tire Dealer ModuLube Morton Supplies Moving Targets Mov-it Tire Products Myers Tire Supply Nankang Rubber Tire Corp. Net Driven Nexen Corp. Nexen Tire America Niagara Lubricant Ningbo Able Rubber & Auto Parts Ningbo Blueocean Auto Parts Ningbo Fortune Auto

Parts Manufacture Ningbo Ouya-Daocheng Autoparts

Ind. Ningbo Zhongda Valve Wick NitroFill Odyking Tyre (Qingdao Odyking Tyre) Ohio Rack Omni United USA Orange Electronic OTR Wheel Engineering

Parker Hannifin Corp./Tiresaver Patch Rubber Co./Myers Tire Supply PCL Air Technology PC Products International Perfect Equipment Pirelli Tire Plastic Advanced Recycling Corp. Plombco Point S Prema Products Prestige Tires Qingdao Free Trade Zone Full-World

International Trading Qingdao Free Trade

Zone Hongtyre Industrial and

Commercial Qingdao Milestone Tyres Qingdao Nama Industrial Qingdao Poplar Tire Qingdao Qihang Tyre Qingdao Rhino International Qingdao Toptour Tyre Corp. Qingdao Victor Tire Import & Export Qingdao Yongdao International

Trade QMI Ravaglioli Spa REDI-Sensor Rema Tip Top/North America RightPSI RSC Sales Rubber King Tyres India Pvt. Rud-Chain Safety Seal by North Shore Labs Sailun Tire Samik Corp. Schrader International Sentaida Group Shandong Dawang

Jintai Group Shandong Deruibao Tire Shandong Hengfeng

Rubber & Plastic Shandong Hengyu Rubber Shandong Hongsheng Rubber Shandong Jinyu Tire Shandong Linglong Tyre Shandong O’ Green Tyres Shandong Transtone Tyre Shandong Wanda Boto Tyre Shandong Yongsheng

Rubber Group Shandong Yongtai

Chemical Group Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corp. Shanghai Durotyre International

Trading Shengtai Group Shifeng Juxing Tire Shuma Tyre International (Dingdao) Sicam USA/GRP Enterprises Signal Extraprise Snap-On Solideal Sonny Tyres South China Tire & Rubber Speedways Rubber Superking Manufacturers (Tyre) Pvt. Sutong China Tire Resources TBB Tires TCS Software Tech International Techking Tires TECO Automotive Equipment 31 Inc. Tianjin Century Rubber Tianjin Goodrun International Trading Tianjin United Tire & Rubber

International Tier-Rack Tire Business/Crain Communications Tire Group International Tire Group of Factories Tire Industry Association Tire Profiles Tire Review Magazine Tire Service Equipment

Manufacturing Tireco Tiremetrix TM Tyres Toho Kogyo Toyo Tires Tredtech Triangle Tire Tru Align Tube & Solid Tire Tweak Digital Marketing Tyres International Unicorn Tire Corp. Universal Tire International Vee Rubber Corp. Voxx Wheels Western States Manufacturing Wheel Products by McCourt Xingyuan Tire Group ZTI Tires

Partial list as of July 10, 2011.

For the full exhibitor list or to register, visit SEMAshow.com/MTD