The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. has launched the Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar, a premium on/off road truck tire aimed at consumers who drive mostly on the highway but want an off-road capable tire.
Introduced in January at Goodyear's annual dealer meeting, the All-Terrain Adventure was officially launched at a ride-and-drive event in Colorado Springs, Colo. The setting offered dealers and media an opportunity to drive the tire in mountain conditions as well as a wet-dry handling course.
The All-Terrain Adventure is the perfect fit for consumers who spend 80% of their driving time on the highway, says Sara Vacha, Goodyear brand marketing manager. "The tire meets their needs for versatility. They live for the weekend and want to get off road for hiking, fishing and other activities. This tire helps them go at a moment's notice."
A layer of DuPont Kevlar provides rugged toughness over pavement, gravel and dirt, plus superior traction through rain and snow, according to Goodyear. The company has an exclusive agreement with E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company to use Kevlar in its tires.
Goodyear says it placed special emphasis on the tire's tread life performance. Open shoulder blocks in the tread help clear mud and snow for versatile off-road traction, and traction ridges provide traction on soft road surfaces. Biting edges and a rubber compound also contribute to the traction capabilities on wet and icy roads. The new tread pattern adds traction but not noise. "The geometry elements of the tread pattern are designed to be quiet," says Marc Nowacki, project manager.
Goodyear's exclusive Durawall Technology helps resist cuts in the sidewall area.
The tire carries a 60,000-mile/96,000-kilometer tread life limited warranty on standard load and LT sizes. The warranty is 20% longer than other Wrangler lines.
The All-Terrain Adventure is available in 44 sizes: 24 metric and 20 LT. The LT sizes are designated as Pro-Grade fitments, which are Load Range E tires with two layers of Kevlar, belts with 30% more steel compared to standard load sizes, and are certified for use in severe snow conditions.
Dave Griffin, category planning manager for all terrain tires for Goodyear, says consumers will want to know the tire is an all-new line. "It has new tread compounds, a new tread pattern and the internal design of the tire is different from any other tire we've sold. We've been working on it well over two years so we feel confident it will deliver on its promise.
"It's gone through a lot of testing and prototypes. It's a premium on/off road truck tire. When we've used Kevlar in our tires before it seems to be a feature people respond to in the truck segment. They understand it; it makes sense for rugged toughness."
The company plans to phase out the Wrangler Silent Armor line.
"Light truck enthusiasts are always looking for something new and different," says Shawn Mackenzie, general manager of Benson Tire Group in Ontario, Canada. "The typical four-wheel driver is always pushing the limits. No question it will be accepted by the public from a durability and performance standpoint."
Goodyear began shipping the tires July 15. About 70% of all sizes are available now, and all sizes will be available in September. The company says it expects to ship launch kits to dealers in mid-August. The All-Terrain Adventure will be promoted via print, television, and digital media in the fall.
