PHOENIX (March 3, 2015) — Michelin North America Inc. has rolled out the BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S all-season ultra-high-performance tire line as the successor to the brand's g-Force Super Sport A/S's stable of Z-rated tires.
The UHP line will comprise 59 W- and Z-rated sizes, with the first 33 available in April, 24 more between July and October, and the final sizes coming out in the first quarter of 2016, Michelin said at a ride-and-drive event in Phoenix.
The sizes, ranging from 16 to 22 inches in rim diameter, represent 89-percent market coverage. Half the sizes are new ones in the auto market.
“If it's cool, we have the size to fit it,” company officials boasted.
The g-Force COMP-2 — which is being manufactured in Michelin's Tuscaloosa, Ala., tire plant — replaces the g-Force Super Sport A/S's stable of Z-rated tires. The Super Sport A/S just recently was named a top pick by Consumer Reports.
H- and V-rated Super Sport sizes will continue to be available until the launch of the next-generation Advantage line in 2016, company officials said.
Michelin is touting the new line as BFGoodrich's “best ultra-high-performance tire ever” that offers best-in-class market coverage for Z-rated tires, along with improved snow traction, wet/dry traction and braking.
The g-Force COMP-2 features optimized rubber-to-road contact for dry grip, according to the tire maker, along with large rigid tread blocks, the BFG ETEC (equal tension containment) system for enhanced traction at high speeds.
The tire also incorporates the company's Dynamic Suspension system — a reinforced internal structure that helps the tire increase control while maintaining ride comfort, Michelin said. UltiGrip technology, an all-season high silica all-weather flexing compound, and a pronounced directional tread design help improve the tire's all-season traction.
The tire's g-Control sidewall inserts help the tire resist deflection for immediate turning response while maintaining ride comfort, the company said. The tire also features a directional tread design with v-shaped angled lateral and longitudinal grooves.
The g-Force COMP-2 carries a 45,000-mile treadwear warranty.
Pricing information has not yet been disclosed.
BFG has posted a video summary of the tire's characteristics on its website.
_______________________________________________
To reach this reporter: [email protected]; or @will_schertz