Yokohama Tire Corp. will introduce the S.drive high performance tire at the 2006 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show.
The S.drive is designed with nanotechnology to provide "extraordinary grip and handling" in sizes to fit the broadest range of sport sedans and coupes from Europe, Asia and North America, according to the company. Sizes range from 15 to 20 inches, up to 285/30R20 99Y, with aspect ratios from 30 to 55. A total of 71 different sizes will available in 2007.
Sizes are available to fit such popular vehicles as the BMW 3-series, Honda Civic and the Ford Mustang.
Using nanotechnology, Yokohama engineers created a silica-based compound to conform to the road surface, maximizing grip in wet and dry conditions. Tiny scores within the tire groove walls, similar to sipes on the tire's surface, effectively distribute stress loads and further reduce uneven wear.
"According to tire testing, the S.drive performs better in both wet and dry conditions than the ES-100 it replaces...," says Dan King, Yokohama's director of sales, consumer products. "The S.drive is quieter, features more even wear and is available in a much greater range of sizes than the ES-100 and others in its class."
The double jointless belt cover on the S.drive allows 75% of the sizes to receive a Y speed rating. An unbroken center rib helps the tire maintain continuous road contact, improves lateral stability and minimizes uneven wear while enhancing comfort.
The S.drive is equipped with four wide circumferential grooves for enhanced wet traction, while angled groove walls are designed to optimize road surface contact and provide enhanced cornering traction. It carries a tread wear rating of 300.
The tire also features Yokohama's 30-day performance promise. Consumers can test drive on S.drives for 30 days and return them, if not completely satisfied, to receive a full refund.
