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Kevlar, carbon wear well on new Goodyears
Materials lend a smoother ride, offer great grip for performance tires, which could be offered as factory option.
Anita Lienert / Special to The Detroit News
When Goodyear surveyed owners of Cadillacs, BMWs and Audis last year, the Akron-based tire manufacturer found a hole in the market.
If a consumer bought a performance tire, he or she got improved handling, but typically sacrificed a quiet ride. Those unhappy consumers should be intrigued by Goodyear's latest creation, a high-performance Eagle tire with so-called "ResponsEdge" technology.
This tire blends two unusual ingredients -- carbon fiber and Kevlar, the material used to make bulletproof vests. The Kevlar helps reduce noise and vibration, while the carbon fiber adds stiffness for improved handling, so you get the best of both worlds.
The new tire goes on sale later this spring, ranging from $101 to $210 each, depending on size and application. They are suitable for a large number of vehicles, including the Toyota Avalon, the Nissan Altima, the Audi A4 and the Scion tC.
I had the chance to spend the day driving a BMW 325i and a Cadillac CTS equipped with Goodyear's latest offering on public roads and in autocross/skidpad tests at the Bob Bondurant School of Performance Driving in Phoenix.
I heard virtually no tire noise during these exercises and found the new Eagles to be grippy and confidence-inspiring in more extreme situations, such as swerving to avoid an accident. Goodyear wisely is offering consumers a 30-day no-obligation trial, along with roadside assistance. The company says a run-flat version of this tire is in the pipeline, and it will eventually be offered as a factory-installed option, not just as a replacement tire.
One of the cleverest things about the new Eagle tire is a built-in "rim protector," a little rubber lip that hits the curb first and helps to keep your fancy wheels from getting scratched.
One thing you can't get with the Eagle with ResponsEdge technology are white sidewalls. This surprised me since sales of the company's Assurance ComforTred -- favored by Lincoln Town Car owners -- jumped 30 percent recently when whitewalls were added to the lineup.
But affluent owners of high-performance touring sedans think whitewalls are tacky.
So for now, the new Goodyears only come in simple, tasteful black.
You can reach Anita Lienert at conseye@aol.com.
Materials lend a smoother ride, offer great grip for performance tires, which could be offered as factory option.
Anita Lienert / Special to The Detroit News
When Goodyear surveyed owners of Cadillacs, BMWs and Audis last year, the Akron-based tire manufacturer found a hole in the market.
If a consumer bought a performance tire, he or she got improved handling, but typically sacrificed a quiet ride. Those unhappy consumers should be intrigued by Goodyear's latest creation, a high-performance Eagle tire with so-called "ResponsEdge" technology.
This tire blends two unusual ingredients -- carbon fiber and Kevlar, the material used to make bulletproof vests. The Kevlar helps reduce noise and vibration, while the carbon fiber adds stiffness for improved handling, so you get the best of both worlds.
The new tire goes on sale later this spring, ranging from $101 to $210 each, depending on size and application. They are suitable for a large number of vehicles, including the Toyota Avalon, the Nissan Altima, the Audi A4 and the Scion tC.
I had the chance to spend the day driving a BMW 325i and a Cadillac CTS equipped with Goodyear's latest offering on public roads and in autocross/skidpad tests at the Bob Bondurant School of Performance Driving in Phoenix.
I heard virtually no tire noise during these exercises and found the new Eagles to be grippy and confidence-inspiring in more extreme situations, such as swerving to avoid an accident. Goodyear wisely is offering consumers a 30-day no-obligation trial, along with roadside assistance. The company says a run-flat version of this tire is in the pipeline, and it will eventually be offered as a factory-installed option, not just as a replacement tire.
One of the cleverest things about the new Eagle tire is a built-in "rim protector," a little rubber lip that hits the curb first and helps to keep your fancy wheels from getting scratched.
One thing you can't get with the Eagle with ResponsEdge technology are white sidewalls. This surprised me since sales of the company's Assurance ComforTred -- favored by Lincoln Town Car owners -- jumped 30 percent recently when whitewalls were added to the lineup.
But affluent owners of high-performance touring sedans think whitewalls are tacky.
So for now, the new Goodyears only come in simple, tasteful black.
You can reach Anita Lienert at conseye@aol.com.
