WAUKEGAN, Ill. — Private brand marketer Atturo Tire Corp. is adding a portfolio of low-profile, 19- and 20-inch rim-diameter sizes to its AZ850 ultra-high-performance tire line to appeal to owners of American "Muscle" cars — Chevy Camaro, Dodge Challenger and Charger and Ford Mustang.
Atturo decided to broaden the AZ850's size offering in response to feedback from dealers that Mopar enthusiasts had started using the AZ850 on the Challenger and Charger and discovering the tire performed well on both the street and drag strip.
"People who own muscle cars … are enthusiasts about their vehicle," Atturo Tire President Michael Mathis Mathis said, noting these customers' comments that the AZ850 was delivering "great value compared to the overpriced original equipment tires that they normally had on their vehicles."
Atturo discovered the muscle-car market to be similar to the Jeep segment, Mr. Mathis said.
"Both are full of enthusiasts who love their vehicle and are highly likely to modify it," he said.
With the addition of 13 new sizes, the AZ850 — part of Atturo's lineup since 2014 — expands the tire's availability to 50 sizes, ranging from 245/50ZR18 to 335/25R22. The range includes six run-flat sizes.
The AZ850 — produced by Taiwan's Federal Corp. — features an asymmetric tread design for optimum balance across the tread face that helps distribute the pressure of the contact surface to enhance traction and handling, Atturo said.
Atturo's market research shows there are over 1.8 million muscle cars on U.S. roads today, with nearly 45% of owners stating they are likely to modify the vehicles, including adding a set of performance tires.
The new AZ850 sizes are:
- 19-inch — 305/30R19; 285/35R19; 275/40R19; and
- 20-inch — 255/35R20; 285/30R20; 305/30R20; 265/35R20; 315/30R20; 265/35R20; 245/40R20; 285/35R20; 245/45R20; and 265/45R20.
These sizes allow for staggered applications for certain Challenger, Charger, Mustang or Camaro models, Atturo said.
This is the second size expansion for the AZ850 line in the past few months. In September Atturo has added four sizes — 255/40R21, 265/45R20, 285/40R22 and 285/30R22 — to appeal to the owners of a growing subset of new-generation SUVs, crossovers and sport trucks.
