New Cooper CS5 a seamless descendant of CS4 sibling

SAN ANTONIO (Sept. 30, 2014) — Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.'s been messing with success — and that's probably not a bad thing.

The country's fifth-largest tire maker, celebrating its 100th year in business, recently introduced a new generation premium all-season touring tire, the CS5 Grand Touring and Ultra Touring.

Originally coming on the market in 2007, the outgoing CS4 has been a huge hit for the Findlay, Ohio-based company. In fact, one dealer told Tire Business that he had some trepidation when Cooper shared plans for a new-and-improved version.

“The CS4 was very important. It's been our best-selling line and sales have always been strong,” said Jeffrey Short, vice president of sales for K&W Tire. “In fact, CS4 sales were up 15 percent year-over-year. So when we heard the CS5 was coming, we were concerned.

“But you know what? Every new product Cooper's had in recent years has been a home run.”

K&W Tire Co. Inc., a wholesaler based in Lancaster, Pa., distributes Cooper tires to dealers in 13 states and the District of Columbia and has a relationship with Cooper that spans more than six decades.

“Our dealers tell us that they make a fair profit when selling these, and they're more than happy with the performance and value for their customers,” Mr. Short said. “The tires are so well-tested. We have had a few surprises before, but the CS5s have had over 1 million actual test miles — we're not the ones doing the R&D.

“The CS4 was such a great tire and, frankly, after driving the CS5 in the wet, it sort of blows it away!”

Some of the CS5's key selling points, according to Cooper:

• Reduced rolling resistance, less heat generation and better wet handling and braking, thanks to Cooper's second-generation silica tread compound, which the company said is being used for the first time in the CS5. “It's not about just dumping more chocolate in the batter,” is how Bruce Sanborn, Cooper's passenger tire product manager, described the mix. “It's about finding the right amount. In fact, using less of something may be more expensive, but that may get you some weight reduction.”    

• A visual tread-wear indicator built into the tire that Cooper calls the “Wear Square.” As the tire piles on miles, the square signifying a new tire actually transforms: When 75 percent tread is left, it's a “U,” when half worn, it's an “L,” and when the tread's down to the last 25 percent, the consumer sees an “I.” If the tread gets to the point where there's only 2/32 of an inch left, the indicator shows an exclamation mark.

• In addition, the CS5 sports Wear Squares on both the inner and outer portion of the tread face. Cooper points out that if the wear patterns don't match, that's a tip off to motorists and tire technicians that there may be potential wheel misalignment or other suspension issues.
• The tire maker claims the CS5 will deliver stable performance longer due to plenty of siping — 85 percent more than the CS4 when half-worn. The benefit, Cooper said, is that even with half the tread used up, the tire won't appear worn out thanks to the sipes going deep, extending all the way to 2/32 of an inch. The CS5 also features Cooper's “Stabiledge” technology, which are small “bumpers” designed into the edge of the tread elements. When the tire rolls, these edges act to keep the tire's grooves open.
• The CS5 offers some confidence-boosting features both at the time of sale and down the road: a 45-day satisfaction road test warranty and longer tread-life warranties.
• The CS5 has an asymmetrical tread design — where the inside of the tire is optimized for wet traction while the outside zone is tailored for handling — for both the T-rated CS5 Grand Touring line and the CS5 Ultra Touring tires, which carry H, V and W speed ratings.
• The T-rated CS5 Grand Touring, offered in 30 sizes, has a UTQG of 780 A A and an 80,000-mile warranty. The H-rated CS5 Ultra Touring, available in 23 fitments, has a UTQG of 620 A A and a 60,000-mile warranty. V-rated CS5s are also covered for 60,000 miles and have a 580 A A UTQG. Cooper is offering 20 V-rated sizes. The W-rated CS5, offered in five sizes, has a 50,000-mile warranty and UTQG of 500 AA.

According to Cooper, the 73 fitments in the T, H and V speed categories mean the CS5 line covers about 75 percent of the U.S. market, as outlined by the Rubber Manufacturers Association. That's the kind of sweet spot Cooper enjoys. Mr. Sanborn noted that Cooper's sales represent about 14 percent of the light-vehicle replacement tires in the U.S. (The CS5's W-rated fitments apply to about 20 percent of the ultra-high-performance — up to 168 mph — market, the tire maker said.)

Mr. Short reported that at K&W, sales have taken off.

“Our dealers are great judges of tire quality and salability…. I think the tire is very easy for our dealers to sell,” he said. “Cooper has built so many features into the tire that if a dealer wants to, he can really show a customer why this is the right tire for them.”

Kauffman Tire Inc. is another long-time Cooper partner.  

Brian Rose, director of purchasing and pricing for the Atlanta-based distributor, told Tire Business that when the new tire began arriving on the market, the initial feedback the company received on the CS5 was “extremely positive. The CS4/CS5 is a power line for us. The breadth of sizes that are offered and the warranty behind them definitely make it a go-to tire.”

Mr. Rose also appreciated that not only has Cooper ensured that the CS5 is very competitively priced — prices have stayed the same or, in some cases, actually been reduced, according to the tire maker — but Cooper's team “did an outstanding job of connecting all the dots throughout the product launch, whether it was the product side or the marketing side or sale side.

“It was truly an integrated launch, which made it a seamless transition for us.”

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Jeff Yip is a Texas-based freelance writer and frequent contributor to Tire Business.