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Phil's Shadow Knows: Goodyear Winter Tires Required

2 February 2000

Phil's Shadow Knows: Goodyear Winter Tires Required

    AKRON, Ohio, Feb. 2 -- No winter tires on your car yet, and
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning?
    If there's snow on the roads where you live, that means six more weeks of
slipping and sliding, if you believe the buck-toothed prognosticator.
    Despite a winter that arrived late in North America, Goodyear said today
that it might not be too late to think about winter tires.  The tiremaker
already has shipped more than 80 percent more winter tires this year than
last.
    "Most people should have winter tires on their vehicles by Groundhog Day,"
said Bob Toth, Goodyear marketing manager for auto tires.  "But for those who
thought they could get by, six more weeks of winter without the traction that
winter tires offer might seem like an eternity.
    "Retailers and consumers have responded to our drive for improved winter
traction," Toth said.  "Despite this tremendous response, we feel we've only
scratched the surface with our Ultra Grip line."
    The tiremaker is expanding its winter tire lineup with more sizes for the
2000-1 winter season, including eight new sizes of its popular Ultra Grip Ice
winter radial.
    Last year, Goodyear introduced an all-new winter tire lineup that featured
directional tread designs that are better equipped for all possible winter
road conditions, particularly when the snow and ice turn to slush, Toth said.
    A new mid-priced winter tire called the Ultra Grip even replaced the
company's best selling winter tire of all time, the F32.  It joined the Ultra
Grip Ice, high-performance Eagle Ultra Grip and Wrangler Ultra Grip winter
tires.
    Toth said the new tires contributed to the selling surge as did television
advertising and celebrity spokesman and former hockey great Wayne Gretzky.  "I
believe we made some inroads into educating consumers on the need for winter
tires.  There's no substitute for the traction that winter tires offer," Toth
said.
    The studless Ultra Grip Ice tire delivers about 25 percent improved ice
traction, compared to a conventional winter tire.  For further comparison, a
winter tire provides about 25 percent better snow traction than an all-season
tire.  The Ultra Grip Ice tire's excellent ice traction is achieved through an
advanced IceLoc silica-based tread compound and a directional, highly bladed
tread pattern, Toth said.
    Ultra Grip Ice, manufactured at Goodyear's tire facility in Valleyfield,
Quebec, Canada, is available now in 14 sizes.