Latest News
Dunlop Direzza DZ101 Sweetens Sport Compact Tire Offering
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 31, 2004 - A new Dunlop ultra-performance tire has been formulated specifically for sport compact car performance.
The Dunlop Direzza DZ101 "is a performance tire with no manners. The benefits derived from Dunlop racing are built into this tire," said Warren Croyle, marketing manager for Dunlop consumer tires in North America.
The new tire targets the fast growing vehicle personalization segment, those who bolt on aftermarket parts to make a statement. "Sport compact starts small, but thinks big. That's what we had to achieve with the Direzza (duh' rettsa)," Croyle said.
From 1997 thru 2002, retail dollars spent on performance products used to modify sport compact cars skyrocketed 894 percent. According to Dunlop research, auto enthusiasts buy up to 10 percent of U.S. replacement tires - 22.5 million tires - to upgrade sport compacts.
Car bolt-ons include mufflers, stereos, lighting, wheels and tires. "Tires, such as the Direzza, are important to these drivers, but there's plenty of competition for their disposable income. We significantly improved the performance of our 'tuner' tires to deliver extreme value," Croyle said.
The Direzza complements Dunlop's other "tuner" tire - the SP Sport FM901 - and provides excellent dry and wet handling, quiet ride and even treadwear, according to Ben Hyder, Dunlop account engineer.
Cutting-edge tire technology - called Digital Rolling Simulation II - was used to reduce pattern noise and improve wear uniformity by optimizing the angle and distribution of grooves on the Direzza, Hyder said
The technology simulates driving a vehicle with tires while in early design stages, reproducing both tire behavior and road conditions digitally. Dunlop engineers repeatedly tested tires for all types of cars and road conditions, including how tires reacted when driving in wet conditions, he said.
"Digital Rolling Simulation reduced design and development lead time and made it possible to develop an excellent performer without tradeoffs in handling, comfort and wet performance. Ultimately, data from road tests on real vehicles were very close to simulation results," Hyder said.
Two wide tread panels with oblique grooves on a directional pattern help to evacuate water from under the tread for improved wet performance. A high-density silica tread compound and a reinforced lower sidewall delivers increased stability and high lateral grip, he added.
In addition to SP Sport FM901's 27 sizes, the 12 Direzza tire sizes offer the sport compact car enthusiasts "a wide selection of performance rubber for their tuned cars," Croyle said. "I believe they'll find Dunlop's 'tuner' tire lineup unmatched."
| SITE MAP | PRIVACY POLICY | Choose A Country>>> |
     |
