LAS VEGAS — Private-brander Atturo Tire Corp. is broadening its product scope into the racing sector with the projected launch in 2022 of a radial tire for drag racing.
The company, which is active in the off-road and high-performance tire sectors for light trucks, Jeeps, crossovers and muscle cars, is developing a "DOT-compliant" radial drag tire, the AZ850DR, as a complement to the AZ850 for muscle cars it launched in 2020.
Atturo said its market research found that nearly 45% of the owners of the 1.8 million-plus muscle cars on the road today are likely to modify their vehicles, with the most likely modification being a set of performance tires.
To cater to this audience, Atturo is releasing initial sizes for the AZ850DR lineup in 18-, 19- and 20-inch rim diameter sizes with widths of 275 to 315mm that complement the current AZ850 in staggered fitments for popular vehicles such as the Dodge Challenger and Charger, Ford Mustang, and Chevy Camaro, Atturo said.
The new product is geared toward the "grass-roots" drag racing sector, Atturo said.
The AZ850DR will have one of the largest shoulder tread sections on the market, Atturo said, stating that this a drag tire's critical area to optimize grip at launch. The center tread channel takes over to maintain straight line stability through the run. A specially formulated tread compound provides "superior" grip for the street and strip.
"From the beginning, the Atturo brand has always been about three things," Atturo Tire President Michael Mathis said. "First, it's about performance. Whatever market we're in we want to make sure that our products perform the best.
"Second, we cater towards enthusiast markets. We look for segments where people really love their vehicles and want to do exciting things with their tires.
"And third, we focus on delivering value."