Michelin North America Inc. will add 14 sizes to its BFGoodrich g-Force Sport line in 2005 as part of its national distribution strategy.
The g-Force Sport is an entry-level, ultra-high performance tire developed for the sport-compact vehicle owner "looking for maximum performance at an affordable price," according to John Hampson, performance category manager for BFGoodrich tires. It is available in 21 15- to 18-inch sizes.
Michelin initially launched the tire in June with limited regional availability. "The popularity of the new g-Force Sport tire has developed beyond our initial expectations," says Hampson. "Our sales reps continue to get questions from dealers looking for a lower-priced ultra-high performance tire.
"With the additional interest generated from the launch earlier this summer, we want to make sure that we are meeting our customer’s needs."
The new sizes in 2005 will include three additional 16-inch sizes, seven 17-inch sizes and four 18-inch sizes. "When we initially launched the tire in June, we specifically targeted the most popular sizes in the market," says Hampson. "It was our intention to launch these 14 new sizes once the market grew."
