LAS VEGAS (Nov. 2, 2004) — Bridgestone/Firestone is resurrecting the Wide Oval name for a line of Firestone performance tires designed to evoke the competitive spirit of the original tire line from the 1960s.
The original Wide Oval was the industry's first low profile, bias-ply performance tire, BFS said, incorporating design features of Firestone's Indy 500 race-tire technology and fitted as original equipment on the Chevrolet Corvette of that era. It featured white lettering on a distinctive sidewall pattern.
“Just as the Wide Oval pushed the envelope in its time as the first true performance tire, we've incorporated our current technologies into the new Firestone Wide Oval ultra-high performance tire and hope to gain acceptance among current generation American car owners,” said John Gamauf, president of consumer replacement tire for Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire L.L.C.
The new Wide Oval is targeted for application on high-performance sports cars and is available in 16 popular 16- through 18-inch sizes. It carries a UTQG treadwear rating of 320, BFS said.