Goodyear Tires Star on Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Tomb Raider

AKRON, Ohio, July 23 -- Goodyear wasn't playing games when it designed tires for the limited edition 2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Tomb Raider.

Inspired by the popular video game and new movie "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life," the collector vehicle comes equipped with some serious treads. The movie sequel is based on virtual game heroine Lara Croft, played by actress Angelina Jolie.

Goodyear's most durable off-road tire, the Wrangler MT/R, was selected by Jeep to outfit its radical Tomb Raider edition. In fact, according to Dave Bair, Goodyear engineering team leader for Jeep vehicles, the beefy Wrangler MT/R tires are a "step up from those that appear in the movie."

Bair said the imposing LT245/75R16 Wrangler MT/R "fits the stop-at- nothing action-adventure of Tomb Raider and is Rubicon-proven. Our tire fits Jeep's engineered off-road package well. Together, they can tackle the most extreme trails, and then drive it on home."

The off-road tire has conquered Northern California's Rubicon Trail, the most demanding 22 miles of off-highway driving in the United States. A 40- inch version of the tire also won a Goodyear/Skyjacker Extreme Rock Crawling Nationals event in early July in Cedar City, Utah.

Bair said the Tomb Raider's 31-inch-tall tire features an aggressive tread pattern that wraps around the sidewall to gain traction on the rocks. The tire features Durawall technology - a three-ply sidewall and advanced silica compounds for excellent abrasion- and puncture-resistance.

The Jeep's suspension complements the tire's traction capabilities, as well. Wrangler MT/R also is standard equipment on the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and Hummer H1 civilian and military models. The tire is manufactured at Goodyear facilities in Fayetteville, N.C.; Topeka, Kan.; and Union City, Tenn.

Jeep is promoting its Tomb Raider limited edition vehicle, just in time for the movie's Friday (July 25) release. Just more than 1,000 vehicles are available at dealerships across the United States. Base price is $28,815, including destination.