Dunlop Uses Tire 'Touch Technology' to Reach Drivers

AKRON, Ohio, March 2 -- Want to feel the quick response of a tire cornering on a country road? Want to experience tire grip at its peak? Want to sense lightning-fast turn-in when steering a sports car?

Dunlop is using sensory qualities -- which it calls Touch Technology -- in current and future tire development. The tire brand is offering motorists the chance to "get in touch" with their tires at the Geneva Motor Show today through March 12.

Andy Traicoff, director of the Dunlop brand in North America, said, "Touch Technology reflects Dunlop's product development approach. The technology enables drivers to savor an enhanced feel of the road, to be more in control of the drive and to have more fun on the roads.

"It's a sensitivity. . .to feel how the tire reacts to changes in the roadway," Traicoff said.

The technology, he added, allows drivers to push their boundaries further and achieve enhanced performance, quicker handling, more grip, braking power, more control and added enjoyment. This all comes from receiving better feedback from the road.

In conjunction with Dunlop's Geneva announcement, the world premiere of Rinspeed's concept car "zaZen" -- featured as a kind of "automotive enlightenment" on four wheels made with highly engineered plastics -- points to 20-inch Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires with Touch Technology as providing the necessary traction.

The Rinspeed concept at Geneva also offers a holographic brake lamp and transparent roof dome that marks "the beginning of a new era in lighting technology in vehicle design," Rinspeed engineers said. The dome appears to float above the car body.

Rinspeed said its zaZen is built with the most advanced materials and concepts -- down to its tires.

Touch Technology, Traicoff said, actually involves several tire advances, including:

   - Multi-Radius Tread technology, which ensures even pressure distribution
     in the contact patch and a larger tire footprint for outstanding dry
     handling without compromise in the rain.
   - JointLess Band technology that helps maintain the tire's smooth
     performance at highway speeds, uniformity and long treadwear.
   - Improved bead seat technology helps deliver a tighter fit between the
     tire and wheel for noticeably better handling.
   - Stiffer high-performance tread compounds help deliver outstanding tire
     response at highway speeds.
   - VersaLoad Technology optimizes the tire footprint on the roadway for
     consistent handling, ride comfort and treadwear under various loading
     conditions.
   - Improved bead construction helps deliver a noticeably better ride and
     enhanced driving response.
   - A stability rib in the tread design helps maintain constant road
     contact for consistent wheel response and driving feedback.
   - Solid shoulder construction helps provide a solid rib for enhanced
     handling in cornering.
   - Dimensionally Stable Polyester Technology helps maintain tire
     uniformity for a smooth, responsive drive.

"As Dunlop continues to develop tires for driving enthusiasts, Touch Technology becomes the deciding factor. Enthusiasts require road feedback to enhance the driving experience," Traicoff said.

Dunlop is a global tire brand with an excellent reputation among performance car enthusiasts. Well known for its prestigious original- equipment fitments and sports car racing heritage, Dunlop is also a key supplier to sport compact enthusiasts featuring "tuner" tire sizes and race series sponsorships.

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