since 1976
since 1976
GOODYEAR prides itself on its active involvement in motor sports and its current engagement is in the American Nascar, Le Mans 24-hour World Endurance Championship and British Touring Car Championship. By being involved in such events, Goodyear could tap on the cutting-edge technology applied in racing tyres to its road and track range of tyres.
Its Eagle F1 range represents that high level of race tyre development where limits are often pushed to achieve winning results. This comes in the form of technology transfer that is applied selectively to the tyre model that consumers would pick for the type of performance driving that they intend to put the Eagle F1 through.
Yes, they have a choice and Goodyear Malaysia has unveiled the latest additions to the Eagle F1 family, the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 and Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 SUV. The existing models in the Eagle F1 range are the SuperSport RS, SuperSport R and SuperSport. While these UHP (Ultra High Performance) tyres fetch premium prices, since they are targeted at highly premium cars anyway, there is good news for those wanting a more affordable option for the not-so-premium range.
Goodyear Malaysia intends to add such an Eagle F1 model that is specifically targeted for thrill seeking drivers and enthusiasts in this particular bracket at less heady but competitive prices. However, they would have to wait till the end of the second quarter in 2020 for this Eagle F1 tyre to come along.
While the Eagle F1 SuperSport RS is a race track tyre and Eagle F1 SuperSport R is a track and road tyre, the Eagle F1 SuperSport is the tyre that is of greater interest to premium sports car owners. Goodyear says while this tyre is designed for comfort, control and ‘superior wet grip’ performance, it was also developed for better grip and handling on the road.
With an innovative U-shaped compound, the Eagle F1 SuperSport series is said to have specialised ‘power zones’ that creates pockets of control for superior wet and dry handling. This tyre also comes with a tread deformation protector that helps to maintain its shape and allow better footprint preservation for high-speed stability. For better grip through corners, Goodyear applies a closed outside tread pattern that allows more agile performance. The sidewall is also stiffer to improve handling and stability.
The new Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5, meanwhile, is more suited to wet conditions, offering ‘luxurious’ comfort and superior wet breaking. This comes from a specialised tread design and Impulse Control Compound Technology, which Goodyear defines as a highly refined silica compound, which allows the tyre to endure the force of high-speed braking and shorten braking distance.
Goodyear says this compound also allows a patch extension through its ActiveBraking Technology that allows the tyre to slightly expand when braking to create more grip using its walls. This tyre also excels in dry handling as its Power Cushion Technology (the stiff coupling of carcass and pattern) leads to ‘precise power transmission’ on dry road surfaces.
For larger cars and SUVs (sport utility vehicles), Goodyear says the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 SUV is designed to be sturdy while promoting better fuel consumption due to its low rolling resistance. This tyre is also capable of shortening braking distance through the ActiveBraking Technology under any conditions. Other performance qualities include enforcing stronger grip to make this tyre easier for handling and braking.
Goodyear says the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 SUV has its own specialised compound, called the Grip Booster compound, which increases the tyre’s stickiness with the road surface. This allows the tyre to be comfortable while maintaining handling when travelling at higher speeds, thus giving the driver total control.
At the recent introduction of these two new additions to the Eagle F1 family, Goodyear Malaysia says it is still working on the tyre price. The reason for the delay in fixing the price was that the tyre maker would like to position the newcomers positively in the Malaysian market at competitive prices.
As it were, the Goodyear Eagle F1 family is supported by a wide range of competitively priced tyres down the line that pander to a broad section of car and vehicle owners. They include the Goodyear Assurance TripleMax 2 and Assurance DuraPlus 2; the Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance SUV and the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac and Wrangler AT Silenttrac, among others.
