Dunlop Previews SP Sport Maxx TT

Today Dunlop unveiled the new Kevlar-equipped Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT tyre at the Autosport International Show at Birmingham’s NEC exhibition centre. In an exclusive preview ahead of its official European launch (scheduled for March), Tyres & Accessories was given details of Dunlop’s latest ultra-high performance (UHP) offering and marketing strategy.

The Sport Maxx TT will initially be available in a small selection of 17 – 18-inch diameter sizes. Ranging from 205/50 to 235/35, the initial range will consist of just 15 stock keeping units (SKUs), that Dunlop has specially selected to cover 81 per cent of the fast-growing large UHP segment. ERMC Europool data shows that the 17-18-inch plus section of the UK market grew 26 per cent year-on-year in 2007.

Compared with direct competitors, the SP Sport Maxx TT is said to perform strongly in terms of dry braking and dry cornering. According to the company, this largely comes down to the inclusion of Kevlar in the bead apex. Company representatives are clearly hoping to that the new tyre will repeat the excellent magazine test performance of sister product, Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric.

The Sport Maxx TT preview represents the third Dunlop tyre release in 12 months (following the launch Dunlop SP FastResponse and SP Sportmaxx GT tyres in the first quarter of 2007), making the current Goodyear Dunlop passenger car product portfolio the youngest on the market.

In addition Dunlop announced that 10 new SP FastResponse and 17 new Sport Maxx GT sizes (a total of 69 new SKUs) are scheduled for release in February.