Goodyear Z-Rated Performance Tire Gets an 'A' on Price

25 August 1999
Goodyear Z-Rated Performance Tire Gets an 'A' on Price
    AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 25 -- Goodyear's latest Z-rated tire should
receive an "A" on price from tire buyers this fall.
    Eagle HP Ultra Plus is designed for the automotive enthusiast who demands
ultra performance but also insists on value, according to Bob Toth, marketing
manager for high-performance tires.  The ultra-high-performance tire is
Z-rated for sustained speeds exceeding 149 mph.
    The new tire also is part of Goodyear's continued emphasis on the rapidly
growing high-performance automotive "tuner" market.  According to the
Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA), this market niche continues
to grow at twice the rate of the total automotive aftermarket.
    Retail sales of specialty automotive products climbed to $19.3 billion
last year, according to SEMA.  Since 1988, the market has grown nearly
8 percent annually, compared to 3.4 percent for the overall automotive
aftermarket.
    Eagle HP Ultra Plus replaces the popular Eagle GS-C ultra performance
radial, which made its debut on the 1992 Chevrolet Corvette.  The two tires
deliver nearly identical performance capabilities, but the longer-wearing tire
carries a manufacturer recommended price that is 15 percent lower.
    Toth said the new tire is aimed at specialty equipment customers who
specifically purchase sporty tires and other aftermarket performance equipment
to enhance the performance and appearance of their vehicles.
    "Although the demand for premium, exotic ultra-performance tires for
supercars and late model sports cars remains steady," he said, "the real
growth opportunity in the ultra performance segment is with automotive
aftermarket 'customizers' or 'tuners' and with the growing number of sports
cars that are more than 3 years old."
    Toth said the Z-speed-rated replacement market will exceed 1.6 million
tires in 1999, up 16.6 percent versus 1996.
    "Eagle HP Ultra Plus is the ideal product for the auto enthusiast tuner,"
he said, "and plays a vital role in completing our ultra performance product
offering, joining our hybrid and highly specialized Eagle F1 lines."
    Initially, Eagle HP Ultra Plus will be offered in 10 ultra performance
sizes, delivering more than 57 percent market coverage for Z-speed-rated
tires, Toth said.
    Eagle HP Ultra Plus, to be produced in Goodyear's plant in Union City,
Tenn., will be available in October in the following sizes:  205/55ZR16,
225/50ZR16, 225/55ZR16, 245/45ZR16, 245/45ZR17, P245/50ZR16, P255/45ZR17,
P255/50ZR16, P275/40ZR17 and P285/40ZR17.