Yokohama’s new run-flat tire, the ADVAN Sport ZPS (Zero Pressure System), is hitting the marketplace on Aug. 1.
It is available in 13 sizes to fit vehicles such as the BMW 3 Series, Z4, 5 Series and 7 Series; the Lexus GS and SC; and the Mini Cooper and Cooper S.
The debut product “offers drivers ultra-high performance and security,” according to Shawn Denlein, Yokohama’s director of sales for consumer products.
“Consumers won’t have to worry about being stranded on the road because of a flat tire,” says Denlein. “The ADVAN Sport ZPS can be driven up to 50 miles at 50 miles per hour after the loss of air,” he adds. “And because the ZPS draws from the heritage of ADVAN Sport – Yokohama’s flagship ultra-high performance tire – consumers can rest assured their safety comes at no expense of handling and comfort.”
The debut tire provides strength from the inside, where it uses rigid sidewall reinforcement with a low heat-generating compound designed to support the weight of the vehicle during an air pressure loss, Denlein explains.
“An exclusive bead-filler delivers a comfortable ride during normal operations and high-rigidity under zero-pressure conditions, and an extra-thick bead wire placed in a hexagonal arrangement allows for easier fitting to the rim and reduces the risk of bead unseating after loss of air pressure,” he points out.
“Yokohama’s latest nanotechnology tread compound offers additional grip from the outside as well, according to Denlein. “It bonds super-fine, high-grade silica and polymers at the molecular level to increase flexibility, durability and contact area by approximately 10 percent for better wet and dry traction at an array of temperatures,” he says.
“Variable round grooves – cut in circular shapes at different widths and angles – prevent one-sided abrasion,” he continues. “Additionally, four wide circumferential grooves quickly evacuate water for enhanced wet traction and a groove-in-groove configuration controls stress to improve handling and promote even wear.”
For more information, visit www.yokohamatire.com.
