NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 4, 2006) – Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) is looking ahead to the winter months with a number of new offerings to its highly acclaimed Bridgestone® Blizzak™ tire line-up.
“The Bridgestone Blizzak has an impeccable reputation in the industry. From its introduction in the U.S. market in 1992, the Blizzak continues to offer an incredible array of sizes and options for drivers anywhere to maximize their vehicle’s winter capabilities,” said Phil Pacsi, vice president, consumer tire marketing, BFNT.
The Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25™ 4×4 is a brand new entry into the Bridgestone Blizzak lineup and is designed specifically for high-performance, luxury sport utility and cross-over vehicles. The H-speed rated tire features a unidirectional tread design and three-dimensional sipes in a parallel pattern to increase the mobility of sport utility vehicles and crossover utility vehicles in harsh winter conditions. The Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 4×4 will be offered in seven popular sizes:
Size—
235/65R17 108H XL
255/60R17 110H XL
275/55R17 109H
255/55R18 109H XL
255/55R19 103H
255/50R19 103H
285/45R19 107H
Bridgestone is also welcoming several size additions to the Blizzak brand family of tires this year, including six new Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25™ sizes. The Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25, with UNI-T technology, is a directional, studless H- and V-speed rated winter tire, which delivers excellent snow and ice traction for high-performance vehicles. The new sizes are:
Size—
205/45R16 83H
P225/60R18 99H
255/45R18 99H
225/50R18 95H
245/45R19 98V
P245/50R20 102H
Using a patented Multicell compound, the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3™ delivers winning performances in ice and snow conditions. The Multicell compound improves control on ice by cutting through thin layers of surface water while the tire’s three-dimensional sipes enhance dry performance. Eight new Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 sizes are now available:
Size—
P235/75R17 108Q
P245/70R17 108Q
P265/70R18 114Q
265/60R18 110Q
275/60R18 113Q
285/60R18 116Q
235/55R18 100Q
About Bridgestone brand Blizzak tires:
The Bridgestone Blizzak is a studless snow tire originally developed in the 1980s for the Japanese market due to environmental concerns over studded snow tires.
Much of the Blizzak tire line uses a dual compound (cap and base) tire. The cap features the Multicell compound, and the base is comprised of a winter compound, allowing use as a basic winter tire. The Multicell compound is comprised of thousands of microscopic cells or pores, which resemble the consistency of Swiss cheese when examined through a microscope. The pores are uniformly distributed throughout the compound, so as the tire wears, new pores are constantly being exposed around the tire tread surface, creating thousands of biting edges that grip the road.
In addition to the biting action, the exposed pores remove the thin layer of surface water, which often develops on top of icy roads, allowing the biting edges to adhere to the surface with less interference. The result is enhanced resistance to hydroplaning and greater driving and braking force on ice- and snow- covered surfaces. When the Blizzak is 50 percent worn, a tread depth indicator on the tire tread lets the motorist know that only 10 percent of the remaining tread is the Multicell compound.