Tire wars are nothing new. We've seen companies go head-to-head in everything from Formula One to our very own Ultimate Street Car Challenge. But the latest battle is not being fought on the racetrack. It's happening on rainy highways, in the new ultra-high performance all-season tire segment.
Traditionally, 'ultra-high performance' and 'all-season' have been at opposite ends of the spectrum. Tires designed for dry performance have just enough grooves to pass DOT certification. They have monstrous, heat-dissipating contact patches in the dry, but hydroplane in the shallowest water. In contrast, tires that maintain traction in the snow have a web of channels designed to pump out water and dig down to pavement. But their tiny tread blocks squirm and grease up when pushed hard in the dry.
Demands from drivers wanting to push the limits in the dry, yet still make it to work in the rain, have forced tire companies to step up their game. In the last few months, several manufacturers have released new models trying to capture this segment. We haven't done much wet-tire testing since Coleman stuffed the Cobb Tuning WRX into a water truck a few years back. But with all these new models coming out, we may need to have another go at it soon.
Goodyear recently launched its ultra-high performance Eagle F1 All Season tire. It's the first all-season tire produced under the Eagle name and incorporates much of the company's latest technology. This includes carbon fiber reinforced sidewalls to reduce deflection under load. A DuPont Kevlar belt is layered beneath the tread for sound deadening and puncture resistance. To maintain appearances, the tire has a rim flange protector and a special compound called PermaBlack on the sidewall.
One of the more interesting features is Goodyear's TreadLock technology. This is a series of cups and domes cast vertically between the smaller tread grooves. Under load, claims Goodyear, these smaller tread blocks lock together for greater stability.
We acquired some driving impressions at Daytona International Speedway. The all-season Eagle F1 performed well in both wet and dry conditions. Where the tire really excelled was in the transition from dry to wet surfaces. After putting some heat into the rubber, the compound seemed to soften and really hook up through brief wet patches