SEMA Show, Day Four: enter the Nitto Motivo

Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc. has a new all-season tire designed to deliver excellent dry weather performance while maintaining a long lasting tread life: the Motivo.

The tire made its debut at the Global Tire Expo-Powered by TIA during Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week, Nov. 1-4, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nev. The exposition is part of the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show.

The all-weather, ultra-high performance tire is expected to launch in early 2012. Eventually, the Motivo will be available in 50 sizes, broken out as follows:

17-inch: 14 sizes, ranging from 215/55ZR17 101W to 275/40ZR17 98W.

18-inch: 14 sizes, ranging from 235/55ZR18 104W XL to 275/35ZR18 99Y XL.

19-inch: 13 sizes, ranging from 255/55ZR19 111W XL to 275/30ZR19 96W XL.

20-inch: nine sizes, ranging from 245/45ZR20 103Y XL to 315/35ZR20 110Y XL.

All sizes will be offered with a W- or Y-speed rating -- and backed by a 60,000-mile limited tread wear warranty.

Whereas Nitto's Neo Gen all-season UHP tire is designed for the import vehicle market, "vehicles that are lower with more negative camber," according to Alan Ngo, staff engineer, the Motivo "fits into a different segment. The Motivo is designed to be more of an OE replacement-type produc t."

The Motivo has an optimized tread pattern that features the following:

* large tread blocks on the outside of the pattern for dry performance;

* three-dimensional Multi-Wave sipes and fin sipes on the inside of the pattern for winter performance;

* four large circumferential grooves and connecting lateral grooves for wet performance.

Ngo adds that Nitto dealers had input on the design of the tire.