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TPMS Cadillac XT5 – 2022

By

Joy Kopcha

Long gone are the days where performance tires — and performance-minded consumers — are only tuned into speed and steady handling.

Original equipment (OE) vehicle manufacturers are demanding more out of the high performance (HP) and ultra-high performance (UHP) tires they out t on their vehicles and those widening demands are trickling down to the replacement market.

e result is a diverse assortment of performance-minded products. ere are summer performance tires, all-season performance tires and all-weather performance tires. And as the car parc has evolved, all of these tires have to t a wider assortment of vehicles, too. We turned to tire manufacturers to ask what’s happening at the OE level today and what’s coming down the pike tomorrow. Tiremakers also provided tips to help dealers increase their share of the HP and UHP tire markets.

MTD: What are original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) asking for in the next generation of performance tires?

Brandon Stotsenburg, vice president, automotive division, American Kenda Rubber Co. Ltd.: OEMs’ volumes are trending toward CUV/small SUV and electric vehicle (EV) applications for performance tires as vehicles in North America continue to shi away from traditional performance sedans, minivans and sports cars. Tire performance needs will vary by speci c application, but key issues will be for lower weights while enhancing carcass construction for higher torques.

ere will also be an ongoing need for maintaining speci c criteria around dry/wet handling and dry/wet braking, while meeting additional targets for both noise and rolling resistance. One of the additional trends which will continue is the push for higher rim diameters with increased volumes going to 19, 20 and 21 inches, depending on the platform, with some of the CUV/SUV vehicles requiring 22-inch (tires).

Ian McKinney, senior product manager, Bridgestone Americas Inc.: OEMs are continuing to ask for improved levels of wet and dry traction, steering precision and stopping distance from performance tires. Also as automakers continue to produce more luxury cars and sports sedans tted with performance tires, there has been a desire for improved levels of ride comfort and noise.

Current trends like vehicle electri cation and overall sustainability require that performance improvements don’t trade o tire rolling resistance capability.

In addition, OEMs are continuing to increase the speed rating requirements of their tments. Performance tires that top out at a V speed rating are becoming less common, while a W or higher speed rating is now the norm.

Nate Dodds, performance tire product manager, Continental Tire the Americas LLC: While performance requirements vary from OEM to OEM, manufacturers are o en asking for increased grip in both dry and wet, as well as improved e ciency in terms of tire rolling resistance.

David Poling, director of tire development and product marketing, Giti Tire (USA) Ltd.: When we talk about performance tires, we need to properly clarify exactly what we are talking about. Performance tires can be generally broken down into HP and UHP. We would de ne HP being H- and V- speed rated and UHP being W-, Y- and Z-rated.

Beyond that initial separation, we have both summer and all-season products, with each of the products existing on a continuum. Summer tires can be generally divided into regular summer performance and