Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. hit the road with its “All or Nothing Road Tour” to train its top dealers on the features and benefits of two new Toyo tires, the Open Country R/T for light trucks and the premium, all-season Versado Noir for sedans and coupes.
The company will be visiting 19 cities and making 20 dealer stops. A specially outfitted truck will log 8,106 miles to bring targeted information on the tires to approximately 800 direct dealer employees and associate dealers, according to Roy Bromfield, Toyo’s chief operating officer.
The company is averaging two 90-minute training sessions per stop with 20 to 25 participants each.
Bringing the tour to the dealers adds impact and gives the tour attendees hands-on experience with the new tires, which will be available beginning this month, the company notes.
Toyo Open Country R/T terrain tire
The Open Country R/T is an on-/off-road rugged terrain tire that offers a blend of off-road traction, durable construction and aggressive styling. It features low on-road noise and a long lasting tread.
“Our market research revealed many truck, Jeep and SUV owners are looking for a combination of performance and features not available in current mud-terrain or all-terrain tires,” says Bromfield. “What these owners really want is the Toyo Open Country R/T — a premium tire that handles exceptionally well off-road and looks aggressive, but is also quiet and long-lasting enough for everyday driving.”
The Open Country R/T features a high turn-up, three-ply polyester casing for strength and optimum handling, durability and tread life. It has two spiral cap plies, contributing to high speed endurance and uniformity.
Additional features include wide shoulder grooves, mud-biting blocks and stone and mud ejectors. In addition to resisting impact, the durable sidewall compound is molded into two distinct designs so owners can customize their look, the company points out.
On-road comfort and longer tire life come from features inside and out including a special tread compound, an optimized pattern arrangement and interlocking tread blocks.
Eight initial launch sizes range from 17 to 20 inches in wheel diameter. The company plans to release additional sizes in early 2015. Metric widths are 285 mm in 65- and 70-series profiles. Flotation sizes are 12 to 50 inches, with diameters ranging from 33 to 37 inches.
Some of the target vehicles include the Jeep Wrangler, Chevy Silverado, Toyota Tundra and the Ford F-150.
It has a Q speed rating a load rating of 114 (2,601 pounds) to 126 (3,748 pounds); 10-ply rated/load range. The tire is backed by a 45,000-mile tread wear warranty and is made at the company’s factory in White, Ga.
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Toyo Versado Noir luxury touring all-season
The company’s new Versado Noir luxury touring all-season passenger tire is available in 47 15- through 18-inch rim diameters. Widths range from 195 mm to 245 mm with 70- down to 40-series profiles. Target vehicles include the Lexus LS 460, BMW 3 Series and the Audi A6.
The Versado Noir features a quiet, comfortable ride, long tread life and fuel efficiency. It comes with up to a 75,000-mile tread wear warranty and has an H, V or W speed rating. It also is eligible for Toyo’s No Regrets 45-day/500-mile trial offer.
Toyo’s Silent Wall technology in the tread grooves reduces pipe resonance, the audible whirring sound caused by air rushing through the tread channels while a tire travels along the road, says Toyo.
The asymmetric tread pattern of the Versado Noir has rigid outside tread blocks which act both as a “sound wall” for a quieter ride, and to stabilize tread for improved wear while being tuned for responsiveness. Sipes also extend into the main grooves on the outside of the tread to improve performance in the snow. The inner portion of the tread has a higher sipe density to further improve traction in both the rain and snow.
Multi-wave, interlocking sipes decrease tread block movement and keep more of the tire tread in contact with the road surface for improved wet and dry performance as well as reduced irregular wear. ■
