Yokohama Tire Corp. will debut the latest member of the Avid family at the upcoming SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show in Las Vegas -- the Avid W4s.
The Avid W4s is the first tire in the Avid line to achieve a W-speed rating and is ideal for sport sedans such as the BMW 5-Series, Subaru WRX, Cadillac CTS, Lexus LS430 and Mercedes Benz E-Class, according to Dan King, Yokohama's director of sales, consumer products. Sports cars such as the BMW Z4, Mazda RX-8, Nissan 350Z, Pontiac GTO and others also are good candidates.
"The Avid W4s was engineered to deliver balance on a variety of requirements," he says. "Today's vehicles place a lot of emphasis on safety, environmental efficiency, power, handling and ride comfort. Yokohama engineers designed the Avid W4s to meet these demands while keeping with the popular Avid series pricing.
"Our engineers utilized the A-tech tread compound in the Avid W4s, which delivers long mileage and high traction grip, giving the driver the confidence needed for wet, dry or snow-covered roads. The tire features a durable tread wear rating of 400, which is made possible by the A-tech tread compound and the even-wear tread design."
According to King, the large shoulder blocks provide more rubber-to-road contact, resulting in enhanced cornering grip. The shoulders also feature varying channels that are designed to cancel road noise. The continuous center rib generates responsiveness and enhances stability.
"Because passenger safety is our main concern," says King, "the Avid W4s all-season tire provides traction due to its four, wide circumferential grooves that ensure efficient water evacuation and improve lateral traction in the snow. The staggered block design and multiple cross grooves work with the four circumferential grooves to improve both lateral stability and snow traction."
Sizes for the Avid W4s line range from 205/40R17 to a 255/35R20. The tire also comes with Yokohama's 30-day performance promise.
