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Aquatred 3 Punctuates Goodyear Tire Lineup

16 August 2000

    AKRON, Ohio - Goodyear's new premium Aquatred 3 passenger-car tire is the 
exclamation mark on the company's accelerated product plans.

    By the end of this year, 80 percent of the tiremaker's passenger tire
lines will be less than three years old.  However, with the addition of
Aquatred 3, in just two years, Goodyear has transformed its broad market line
of passenger car tires, simplifying retailer inventories and tire buying for
consumers.

    The Akron company has reduced its dealers' selection of family-car tire
lines from 11 to just four.  Goodyear's Aquatred 3 tire, with its dual water-
evacuating aquachannels, completes the lineup.  Other all-season radial tires
for the family car are the Regatta 2, Integrity and Club.

    The four tire lines replace the Aquatred II, Infinitred, Regatta, Conquest, 
Invicta, Intrepid, S4S, T-Metric and Decathlon.

    "Selection is what consumers demand; however, sometimes too much choice is
confusing.  That's why we have streamlined our broad market tire lineup," Bob
Toth, marketing manager for auto tires, said.

    In addition, marketing officials are focused on new product lines -- such
as Aquatred 3 and Regatta 2 -- with increased margins that translate into
improved product mix and market share gains, Toth said.

    Line simplification also offers retailers many benefits, including reduced
inventory costs and eliminated duplication.  It also helps retailers to
differentiate their products, Toth said.

    The four tire lines share touring-tire appearance and performance, yet
they are differentiated by treadlife warranties, handling/traction levels and
sidewall styling.  For example, the elite Aquatred 3 tire's performance offers
Goodyear's best wet traction and longest wear, carrying an 80,000-mile
treadlife limited warranty, Toth said.

    Aquatred 3 also features a directional tread design, dual aquachannels and
an elite black sidewall.

    The accelerated new product strategy also improves Goodyear's competitiveness 
in the world's largest tire market, North America.  "If you are innovative 
enough, you can have a sustainable competitive advantage," Toth said.  "Therefore, 
customer-driven innovation must rule our product plans."

    Aquatred 3 addresses a strong consumer segment interested in better
traction on wet roads.  The tire will retail at a 10 to 12 percent premium to
Regatta 2.

    "Innovation and new products are capturing the imagination of today's
consumer," he added.  Goodyear, the leader in brand loyalty in its home
market, has sales more than twice that of its nearest competitor in North
America.

    Last year, Goodyear used the same product simplification strategy in
winter tires.  The company eliminated seven old tire lines and introduced four
new tires to innovate and simplify its portfolio simultaneously.