October 15, 2007
Vehicles Used
2008 Audi TT 3.2 quattro
2007 BMW Z4 Roadster 3.0i
2008 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG
2007 Porsche Cayman S
As an addition to Goodyear’s family of Eagle F1 performance tires developed for sports cars, sporty coupes and performance sedans, the European-developed Eagle F1 Asymmetric Max Performance Summer tires are for drivers who want to combine responsive dry road handling, wet-road traction and cabin comfort. Adding the Eagle F1 Asymmetric to the ongoing Eagle F1 GS-D3 (tuned for wet road hydroplaning resistance and traction) and the Eagle F1 All Season (capable of delivering year-round performance, including cold weather handling and light snow traction) means that Goodyear now offers Eagle F1 performance tires for all seasons and all reasons!
Because the Eagle F1 Asymmetric tire’s unveiling to members of the media would precede the tire’s availability to North American tire dealers, Goodyear conducted an introductory event in Los Angeles, CA. In addition to offering insight into the Eagle F1 Asymmetric tire’s development and technology from Goodyear’s American and European representatives, the event included the opportunity for the journalists to experience Eagle F1 Asymmetric tires on a variety of cars while driving on L.A.’s freeways and carving the canyons of the Angeles Crest Highway, as well as to make comparison runs on an autocross course.
Goodyear provided Eagle F1 Asymmetric-equipped sports cars (Porsche Cayman S), sporty coupes (Audi TT 3.2 quattro), and performance sedans (Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG) with Original Equipment-sized tires inflated to the vehicle manufacturers’ recommended cold tire inflation pressures at the beginning of the day. The Eagle F1 Asymmetric tires provided competent and capable handling on the canyon road’s twists and turns that was entirely appropriate for tires in the Max Performance Summer tire category along with noise levels that were unusually quiet and ride qualities that were favorably comfortable.
Goodyear also provided rear-wheel drive BMW Z4 Roadster 3.0is for participants to compare tires on a traffic cone-defined autocross course. Half of the Z4 Roadsters were equipped with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric tires and the other half were on Bridgestone’s Potenza RE050A Pole Position tires. While the autocross experiences weren’t timed, subjectively the new Eagle F1 Asymmetric quickly showed it offered competitive traction and handling compared to one of the Max Performance Summer tire category’s popular products.
The Tire Rack team will run the Eagle F1 Asymmetric through our normal Real World Road Ride and Performance Test Track Drive to see how it compares to other popular Max Performance Summer tires when it becomes available to the public.