Remember when the only performance tire categories were high performance, performance and cosmetic? Like tire sizes, performance passenger tire definitions have proliferated. To help you keep track of them all, we “borrowed” the following list from The Tire Rack, with permission, of course. The performance passenger tire categories and their definitions also can be found on the company’s Web site (www.tirerack.com).
Category: Summer Passenger Peformance
Extreme Performance: For customers who want extreme dry street performance and are willing to trade some comfort and hydroplaning resistance to get it.
Max Performance: For customers who want an unsurpassed blend of dry and wet street traction and handling and only the finest will do.
Ultra-High Performance: For customers who want an outstanding blend of dry and wet street traction and handling.
High Performance: For customers who want a good blend of dry and wet street performance when “re-tiring” their sports coupes or sedans.
Grand Touring: For customers who want a good blend of dry and wet street performance along with responsive handling and noise and ride comfort.
Track & Competition DOT: For customers who want D.O.T.-legal street tires for autocross, racetrack or rally performance.
Category: All-Season Passenger Performance
Ultra-High Performance: For your customers who want all-season versatility (including light snow traction) and are willing to trade some dry and wet traction and handling to get it.
High Performance: For customers who want all-season versatility (including light snow traction) to drive their sports coupes or sedans in all weather conditions.
Performance: For customers who want all-season versatility (including light snow traction) with a mixture of performance and appearance at a reasonable price.
Grand Touring: For customers who want all-season versatility (including light snow traction) and responsive handling along with noise and ride comfort.
Standard Touring: For customers who want all-season versatility (including light snow traction) along with enhanced handling and tread wear, as well as good noise and ride comfort.
Performance Winter/Snow: For your customers who want enhanced dry road handling from their winter/snow tires and are willing to trade some snow and ice traction to get it. ■
Light truck tire performance for summer, winter and all seasons
The Tire Rack divides performance light truck and SUV tires into three categories.
Summer Street/Sport Truck: For customers who want their pickup or sport utility vehicle to be a little bit more of a “street machine.”
All-Season Street/Sport Truck: For customers who want their pickup or sport utility vehicle to be a little bit more of a “street machine,” yet need all-season capabilities.
Performance Light Truck/SUV Winter/Snow: For customers who are willing to trade some snow and ice traction for enhanced dry road handling.
