Falken Looks to the Future with New Products

This year there was one single goal that Sumitomo Rubber Industries or rather Falken wanted to achieve at the Reifen show in Essen: promoting the new flagship tyre – Falken FK-452. In particular there is now a new unique Falken size which was developed together with O·Z as a wheel manufacturer and aimed at SUV drivers, explains Isamu Ishida.

The general manager of Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. responsible for the European market says that the FK-452 in 255/45 R20 would fit the Hyundai Santa Fe. German Tuner Brabus has also already asked for this size in order to put the new Chrysler 310 on new tyres, Mr Ishida explains in an interview with Tyres & Accessories. Currently there are 74 different dimensions of the new FK-452 have been made available since it was launched last year in Europe. The new flagship tyre now covers more than just one single segment. However, about a dozen further dimensions will be brought onto the European market soon. They will most definitely all be 19 or 20 inch tyres thus placing them in the profitable UHP tyre segment.

Isamu Ishida also points out that there will be more new products from the Japanese tyre manufacturer in the near future. In autumn 2007 Falken will launch a successor of the Ziex ZE-512. This middle market segment asymmetrical passenger car tyre will be sold on the European replacement markets from 2008 onwards in 82 (!) different dimensions from 12 to 18 inches and in 65 to 30 series. Speed indexes will be up to W (270 km/h). The first curing moulds for this new “ultimate all-day tyre” have already been delivered; the tyre will be placed beneath the FK-452.
By January 2008 the company’s current winter tyre (Eurowinter HS-437) will be replaced by a new tyre with an asymmetrical tread pattern, explains the general manager. About 40 dimensions are scheduled.