General Tire intros UHP, truck tires

UVALDE, Texas — Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C.'s General Tire brand has upgraded its G-MAX all-season UHP tire line and is introducing a heavy-duty all-season tire for the rapidly growing commercial light truck and van sector.

General Tire is introducing both products — the G-Max AS-05 and Grabber HD — to customers, dealers and the media at a series of “drive-and-learn” over the coming six weeks at Conti's 5,000-acre tire proving grounds near Uvalde.

The Grabber HD is a new product category for the Fort Mill, S.C.-based company, and is created for the new generation of commercial vans — the Chevrolet Express, Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Nissan NV/NV200, Ram ProMaster, etc. It is designed to deliver long, even tread life as well as durability, confident traction and handling.

General said the tire features: Duragen casing technology for durability and a flatter footprint for longer wear; and sidewall curb guards to help protect the tire from potential sidewall abrasions.

“The Grabber HD will fill a void that we have had for light trucks and vans used by small businesses and fleets,” Travis Roffler, director of marketing for General Tire, said in a news release. “Our dealers have needed another choice in that category for a long time….”

The tire launches with 11 sizes, including eight 16- and 17-inch rim LT-Metric sizes and three 15- and 16-inch Euro Van metric sizes. Among the competitors' products targeted in this sector is the Firestone Transforce HT.

Sales of these style vans are in the 400,000-unit range in the U.S, according to Automotive News data.

The G-Max AS-05 is the successor to the AS-03 that features an asymmetric tread pattern and is offered with a 50,000-mile limited tread wear warranty and 45-day trial period.

The AS-05 launches with 54 Z-rated sizes in 16- to 22-inch rim diameters, which General said covers 90 percent of the target market for this tire. Sizes start at 195/50ZR16 and range up to 265/40ZR22.

The AS-05 features: Smart Grip technology for sporty performance on dry roads and sure grip in wet and snow conditions; StabiliTread casing technology for a flatter and larger contact patch, which promotes more even wear and longer tread life; and Smart Monitor indicators that alert the driver when the vehicle is misaligned.