Tuesday 15th June 2004

Smooth Tyres

Dunlop hack off the lettering on the SP30 to improve airflow

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Car companies spend a fortune when it comes to making their designs aerodynamic but Dunlop has now applied a bit of lateral thinking to reducing turbulence with the new SP 30 tyre.

Dunlop claims that changing your tyres to the SP 30 will have the same effect as removing your side mirrors.

They've achieved this by having no lettering in the upper sidewall region of the tyre and a smooth buttress area, which allows the tyre to cut through the air with more efficiency reducing the drag.

Geraldine McGovern, brand manager for Dunlop said: “As well as the increased aerodynamic performance the SP 30 has everything you would want in a tyre and expect from Dunlop. Our research has shown that over 70 per cent of consumers want tyres that perform particularly well in the wet and experience very short braking distances. Furthermore, over 50 per cent of you won’t compromise on comfort to get the driving experience that you expect .

“That’s why the Dunlop SP 30 is a tyre that ensures superior braking on wet and dry surfaces with reassuring aquaplaning resistance. It also offers a considerably quieter ride .”

Links

• www.dunloptyres.co.uk
• www.driveradviser.com

[britten_mark]

Can 2mm of raised lettering make that much difference?? Any aerodynamicists out there?

[nano2nd]

does that also mean your tyres become more aero-dynamic as they ware out?

[m-five]

So all that kerbing I do to my tyres and wheels is actually helping the environment?

It will make as much difference as ensuring all the dead flies are removed from the car!

[DustyC]

They arent the first to do it. My Michelin energies on the golf have a blank side wall.
I bought them a couple of months ago.

[wedgepilot]

I did aerodynamics as part of my Aeronautical Engineering degree, and I can't see the lettering making that much difference, TBH. That whacking great hole in the bodywork that the wheel fits into (wheelarch) will generate more turbulence.

[ultimasimon]

General Grabber should have said:

"In reponse to Dunlop's claim, we acknowlege that our range of 4 x 4 tyres has lettering that sticks out so far, it actually helps stop the vehicle from travelling at speed"

[John Nowak]

Truly silly.

[cptsideways]

That's what I do anyway, scrub all the letters off within a few roundabouts & slideabout days.

No wonder the car goes so much faster......

[FestivAli]

Yes! Just the thing to shave a second off the 1/4 mile time in my Festiva...