European Release for New Firestone Touring Tyre

A new passenger car touring tyre has been added to the Firestone line-up. Targeted at what the manufacturer calls ‘family drivers’ – saloon and compact vehicle drivers who enjoy a peaceful and relaxing experience behind the wheel – the new TZ300α is designed to offer robust and reliable performance, along with safety, comfort and a quiet ride. The TZ300α range is initially available in 14 sizes for 14 to 16-inch rims and will progressively replace the TZ200, which was first introduced in 2002.

When designing the TZ300α, the performance target was to give family drivers all the comfort and quietness they expect, while maintaining good handling performance and an easy-to-drive feel. To achieve this, Firestone reports that its engineers tuned the radial stiffness for a high degree of shock damping, giving a smooth, relaxing ride even on bumpy roads. The block pitch sequence has also been tuned to keep rolling noise low, adding to the peaceful experience at all speeds. The environmental performance of the TZ300α is further enhanced, says Firestone, by a reduction in pass-by noise.

The end result of the design process, says Firestone, is a tyre that gives drivers a confident, safe-to-drive feeling in all weather conditions. The manufacturer states that, with the TZ300α, performance is reassuring in the wet, with improved braking and outstanding front-rear vehicle balance. The dynamic shaped blocks and longitudinal grooves on the symmetrical, non-directional tread pattern are designed provide smooth water evacuation and high resistance to hydroplaning.

On dry surfaces, the high-traction shoulder blocks are intended to deliver maximum biting edge effect and provide safe, confident braking. The shoulder tie bar design increases block stiffness, while further reducing noise levels as well as providing more resistance to heel and toe wear. The overall result, says Firestone, is a highly predictable ride with excellent road stability and a comfortable easy-to-drive feel.