New tire products are strong and are busy grabbing the market

Michelin BFGoodrich
Michelin North America has introduced its BFGoodrich g-Force Phenom T/A tire, an ultra-high-performance summer tire. The new tire features stiff sidewalls, shallow shoulder blocks and offset shoulder grooves for cornering stability. It also features a dual-zone tread design for optimized wet driving and a dry zone for road contact, as well as a new summer silica-infused compound for wet grip.

“We are excited to introduce the g-Force Phenom T/A tire, which is designed to be the easiest upgrade an enthusiast can make to improve the performance and appearance of their car,” said Andrew Besancon, senior director of Michelin’s recreational brands.

"For more than 150 years, BFGoodrich has been designing category-defining tires. With this new tire, we are offering consumers strong performance and smart value from a race-proven brand."

Michelin will launch the BFGoodrich g-Force Phenom T/A in 50 sizes over the next two months, with 20 sizes launching on February 14 and another 30 sizes launching in April.

The phased rollout will continue with additional sizes later in 2025 and spring 2026. The g-Force Phenom T/A tire is the latest addition to BFGoodrich's g-Force family of tires and comes with a 60-day consumer satisfaction guarantee.

Continental Tires
Continental has introduced two new tires - the EcoContact 7 and EcoContact 7 S, both of which focus on reducing rolling noise and handling. Designed primarily for electric vehicles, the tires are rated A for rolling resistance and A and B for wet braking and rolling noise.

The new tires use the new Green Chili 3.0 rubber compound and Smart Energy Casing technology that Continental has implemented in the AllSeasonContact 2 tire.

The EcoContact 7 and EcoContact 7 S also use new materials in the tire carcass, inner layer and tire wall. These reduce friction inside the tire, thereby reducing rolling resistance and improving energy efficiency. The tire's sidewall and Aero Dimple structure are inspired by golf balls. Dimple dimples embedded in the sidewall reduce air turbulence behind the tire, so the vehicle uses less energy to move the tire.

Continental has also developed a new Silent Pattern tread pattern specifically for the EcoContact 7 and EcoContact 7 S to help reduce road noise. The spacing of the tread blocks and the angle of the blocks have been optimized at the same time.

The resulting tread design perfectly matches the frequencies that typically occur at speeds of around 50 km/h, helping to provide a more comfortable perception of noise for passers-by and residents. The focus of the EcoContact 7 is mainly on low rolling resistance, while the EcoContact 7 S The tread compound ensures improved wet grip and handling.

The 7S also promises better steering precision and greater grip. The EcoContact 7 and EcoContact 7 S have been approved as original equipment tires by manufacturers such as BYD, Mercedes and Volkswagen.

Hankook Tire Launches New Brand
Hankook Tire has launched a new sub-brand of tires in Europe, Optimo. Optimo complements Hankook Tire's existing brands, focusing on all-season passenger car tires. The range aims to provide better market coverage with basic products.

Its strategic goal is to increase Hankook Tire's market share in Europe and meet customer needs with a diversified product portfolio. The name Optimo is inspired by one of Hankook Tire's very successful traditional all-season tires.

It represents Optimo's reliability and ability to meet needs, with a product portfolio covering all seasons and a wide range of customer requirements. "Hankook Tire has achieved tremendous growth in the European market in recent years," said Jongho Park, Chief Operating Officer of Hankook Tire Europe. “With the launch of Optimo, we are now preparing to continue this success story in the future.

” As competition intensifies, Optimo will help Hankook secure market share and provide new opportunities in regions with greater potential. The brand will launch with a clear product range, including summer, all-season and winter tires, with a focus on performance and reliability.

Hankook will also provide online and offline sales support for Optimo. As Optimo will be endorsed by Hankook, customers will recognize it as a brand produced by a trusted and reputable manufacturer. This endorsement will appear in all marketing and sales materials, reinforcing Optimo’s credibility.

The new brand will expand to additional markets outside Europe in the second quarter of 2025. In 2015, Hankook launched its second brand, Laufenn, which is now well established in the European market with a complete product line for passenger cars, SUVs, vans, buses and trucks.

Hankook is a leading player in the tire industry and is an OE supplier to automakers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen.