SUV sizes join Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 range

With the launch of the Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV, Dunlop has built upon its UHP car tyre range and extended it to 4×4 and SUV sizes.

Dunlop says the Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV has been specifically designed for SUV owners who are looking for sporty performance. The tyre maker speaks of “superior grip on dry and wet roads, and provides excellent handling, cornering and steering at higher speeds” as well as “excellent grip and road contact during heavy handling and cornering.”

The team behind the Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV’s development optimised the tyre shape for SUVs, and Dunlop comments that this resulted in a balanced pressure distribution across the footprint of the tyre that “ensures constant and even contact with the road” and “optimises handling cornering and steering performance at higher speeds.”

A new generation of tread compound was developed specifically for the Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV. This compound contains traction resin that facilitates improved friction between the tyre and road, thereby increasing the tyre’s surface grip on dry and wet roads.

A reinforced tread pattern, with high-angled, V-shaped grooves, was selected in order to reduce the movement of the tread and to make it sturdier in all directions. The aim of this is to enhance grip and road contact during heavy handling and cornering.

“Dunlop’s winning motorsport experience is a fundamental asset used to design and develop ultra high-performance tyres,” said Mike Rytokoski, chief marketing officer at Goodyear Dunlop Europe. “Motorsport represents the ultimate test and proving ground as it enables us to collect substantial amounts of data and feedback from drivers and allows direct comparison with other tire brands, to push forward the boundaries of innovation.”

The first Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 SUV tyre size was released in February, and by the opening quarter of 2019 a total of 23 dimensions for 17- to 21-inch rim diameters will be available.