SEMA Show 2006: Dunlop Muscles Up

(Las Vegas/Tire Review) Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. introduced a new Dunlop-branded line, an “extreme sports performance tyre with race-like characteristics for drifting, on-track and autocross motorsports.” The street-legal Direzza Sport Z1 is “Dunlop’s new halo tyre for enthusiasts who want maximum dry-weather traction on the street or at the track,” said Silvana Valencic, Dunlop’s segment marketing manager. The tyre unveiled on the opening day of the 2006 SEMA Show.

“Extreme sports performance is a growing niche – very specialized and focused,” Valencic said. “It’s for enthusiasts who require max dry traction at the expense of ride comfort and wet traction. Its flat-out performance credentials also carry over into our other ultra-performance lines, such as the Direzza DZ101 and SP Sport Maxx tyres.

“Enthusiasts who use the Direzza Sport Z1 on weekends will turn to its milder Dunlop ‘cousins’ during the week,” Valencic said. “They crave the Z1’s race-like performance for fun, but need the DZ101 or SP Sport Maxx for driving in the rain and through puddles. For enthusiasts, these tyres all belong under Dunlop’s performance umbrella.”

Direzza Sport Z1 will be available in 17 sizes, beginning in 2007’s second quarter. The new tyre joins the Direzza drag slick, Direzza GRP street-legal drag race tyre and Direzza DZ101 ultra-performance tyre for sport compacts in the brand’s North America tyre lineup.