Turbo Wholesale debuts 4 new products, first EV tires

IRWINDALE, Calif. — Private-brand and wholesale tire distributor Turbo Wholesale Tires is refreshing and expanding the scope of its Lexani, Lionheart and RBP brands, including the company's first run-flat and electric-vehicle (EV) lines.

The company, backed by private equity firm Kingswood Capital Management since October 2022, rolled out the expanded range of products at a June 24 fashion-runway-type event that also celebrated the firm's 40th anniversary and its recent business amalgamation with Tire Wholesalers Inc.

In all, Turbo Wholesale announced eight new tire lines and over 300 new SKUs that will be available before year-end.

Four of the tires — the Lexani Voltec EV in UHP and touring sizes and RFX run-flat; and rugged-terrain (R/T) and mud-terrain (M/T) iterations of the RBP brand — are on sale now, with four others set to debut at the 2023 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

In addition to the launches expected at SEMA — re-engineered S/T and H/T tires in the RBP brand and a first-ever A/T RBP product — Turbo Wholesale is in the process of upgrading its entire RBP truck/bus tire lineup, with 50 "premium" SKUs to be available by year-end

Phillip Kane, the former former Goodyear and Pirelli Tire executive hired nine months ago to be Turbo's CEO, delivered a message of a "differentiated strategy" that draws on the company's roots — when founder Sarkis Sepetjian started out selling tires from back of a red Toyota Corolla — and connects that with the current emphasis on "creating greater brand value – value that translates to higher prices and higher margins in your stores."

"We believe that differentiation drives separation, and the ability for Turbo Tires and our dealers to collect more for the products we sell," Paul Sepetjian, head of private brands and son of Sarkis Sepetjian, said.

"Lexani Tire and RBP Tire are moving up the value tier because we are the first or only brands to offer certain sizes and types. And we're not slowing down anytime soon," he added.

In his remarks to those attending, Kane lauded the Turbo Tires team for the rapid pace of development that has taken place since the acquisition of the business by Kingswood Capital Management last October.

"I am extraordinarily proud of what this team has accomplished in a very short period of time. To develop and launch 300 sizes in less than one year is a pace of innovation that's unheard of in our industry.

"We are creating tremendous space between ourselves and our competitors, and it's showing in our results."

Besides Kane and the Sepetjians, the program also featured Turbo executive Avo Kopalian and video appearances by Ryan Friedinghaus of West Coast Customs (a Turbo Wholesale partner) and brand ambassador, Cooper Kupp, the 2022 Super Bowl MVP as a member of the Los Angeles Ram.

In addition to introducing the new products, the event served as a platform for the company to introduce a revised Lexani Tire logo.

The executive team did not comment on the new products' manufacturers and/or countries of origin.