Tires

If you track your car on a regular basis, or spend weekends killing cones in autocross competition, you know how important a component tires are in your overall car setup. Choosing the right ultra-high performance tire can shave seconds off your lap time, or mean the difference between a...

When it comes to increasing fuel economy, the obvious steps are decreasing engine size (and, often, performance), shaving pounds, refining aerodynamics and possibly implementing hybrid technology. Significant gains, however, can also be found in other areas. Tire design can contribute up to...

Under-inflated tires wear quicker, consume more gasoline and pose a potential blow-out risk as the tire heats up or comes unseated from the rim of the wheel. Despite the risks, Goodyear says that most drivers (without TPMS technology) only check tire pressure about once per year. In 2011, Goodyear...

Over the years, experience has taught us one thing time and time again: when something sounds too good to be true, chances are good that it won’t deliver as promised. That’s why we’re somewhat skeptical about a new tire-coating process, described in The Detroit News, that promises...

Consider this: every tire on the market today is a compromise. Do you want the ultimate in adhesion, for cornering in warm and dry conditions? Done, but don’t try to drive on the tire in winter months, especially if there’s snow on the ground. Want off-road traction, capable of getting...

In his first video for YouTube's Drive Channel, Chris Harris explores the handling limits of a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG coupe, fitted with temporary spare tires.

With the winter months now upon us in the northern hemisphere it’s now more important than ever for readers experiencing sub-zero temperatures to ensure their vehicles are properly equipped to handle the harsher conditioners. If you happen to live in areas where winter usually means driving...

Forget about limited mileage run-flat tires; Japanese tire giant Bridgestone has unveiled a new non-pneumatic tire concept that’s completely puncture-proof. The key is its non-pneumatic design that does away with air entirely, with the tire instead relying on a structure of spokes for its...

Although it'd be unfair to say that tires are one of the more old-fashioned aspects of your modern car - since tire manufacturers spend millions constantly developing them - they do have their flaws. Your typical pneumatic tire is liable to suffer punctures, which can either be inconvenient or...

Last winter Bentley set a world land speed record for driving on ice with its Continental Supersports managing to reach a top speed of 205.48 mph on the hazardous frozen waters of the Baltic Sea near Finland. Not only was this a cool way to show off the prowess of the Bentley coupe’s...

The project has been in the works for a while now, but it should be on the streets by 2013.

The ContiSportContact 5P is the latest generation high-performance tire from Continental and has been designed for optimal performance in both dry and wet conditions. To achieve this balance, Continental’s tire developers found new solutions for the composition of the tread compound and the...

Michelin has launched the new Pilot Sport 3 to replace part of its Pilot Exalto and Pilot Sport 2 ranges, the latter being the tire of choice for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 supercar and recently revealed Cadillac CTS-V Coupe. According to Michelin’s own test results, the new Pilot Sport 3...

Bridgestone has scrapped its policy of leaving a gap between the two types of tire compounds supplied to formula one teams in 2009. At the remaining rounds of the season following next Sunday's German grand prix, the sport's official tire supplier will instead revert to supplying consecutive...

Three famous Italian automotive firms have joined forces to bring a new “Cyber Tire” to the market. While tire pressure monitoring systems have become commonplace on all but the most entry-level cars, these companies are working on a self-powered microchip-based system that reports...

American carmakers are putting a heavy emphasis on the 2008 SEMA show starting in Las Vegas today. Bringing a dozen or more cars and trucks of varying types, companies such as Ford and GM will have plenty to see, but neither will have the single-model impact that Nissan will make with its fleet of...

Over-the-top customization is the hallmark of the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show, held in Las Vegas every year. In just about a month's time, Toyo Tires will be featuring a special Nissan GT-R, shod in a set of 20-inch Proxes R888 racing tires - the first set of the gigantic...