CAREFREE, Ariz. (March 1, 2011) – Designed to take drivers to their next adventure, BFGoodrich Tires introduces the Rugged Terrain T/A tire, the newest entry in BFGoodrich Tires’ broad light truck tire lineup.

Available for purchase on May 1, the BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain T/A tire is designed for light truck and sport utility vehicle drivers looking to upgrade to a tire with aggressive off-road looks combined with low rolling resistance, reduced noise and year-round traction.  The tire is offered in 36 sizes ranging from 15 to 20 inches in diameter, including LRE-rated sizes to provide drivers with additional load-carrying capacity.

As BFGoodrich Tires continues to push the limits in both off-road and on-road performance categories, the “hybrid” tire category – a tire with off-road looks and a smooth ride on-road – has continued to grow and evolve.  The addition of the Rugged Terrain T/A tire fills this void in the brand’s portfolio and increases the BFGoodrich brand’s light truck market coverage to 97 percent in the P-metric and 95 percent in the LT-metric categories.

The BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain T/A was introduced to Off-Road.com today. Check back for more detailed information.

“At BFGoodrich Tires, our goal is to create quality products that appeal to every kind of driver,” said Marcus Baffoe-Bonnie, country marketing manager for BFGoodrich Tires.  “The BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain T/A tire fits distinctly between the Long Trail T/A® Tour tire, which is designed for pure on-road driving, and the All Terrain T/A®KO tire, which can go as far off-road as you want.  The Rugged Terrain T/A tire is for drivers who want a versatile tire to go to work during the week as well as on a weekend adventure.”

The tread pattern on the new BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain is designed to provide great on-road characteristic in wet or dry conditions while still providing off-road capability.

Years of development went into the design of the Rugged Terrain T/A tire, with lessons learned from engineering sessions at a variety of proving grounds and tracks, hundreds of off-road races and closed testing sessions conducted with motorsports teams.  A combination of tread design and compound development resulted in a 30 percent improvement over the Rugged Trail T/A® in wet weather performance.

The BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain T/A tire is also loaded with innovative tread design features that make it one of the most capable and versatile tires available.  Super high-tensile steel cables and stiff tread blocks allow a 50,000-mile Manufacturer’s Limited Tread Life Warranty*.

Additional performance features for the BFGoodrich Rugged Terrain T/A tire include:

  • Noise reducing tread design features: Enables a quiet and comfortable ride.
  • Two large circumferential grooves: Evacuates water for increased hydroplaning resistance.
  • An aggressive tread design: New BFGoodrich tire mold technology allows the tread to wrap around and continue down the tire sidewall, resulting in a bold look with enhanced off-road traction.
  • Tread-clearing elements: Ejects gravel and mud in light off-road environments.
  • Equal TEnsion Containment System (ETEC System™): A proprietary BFGoodrich Tires technology that delivers toughness for all terrains.

BFGoodrich launches this tire to the media this week in Carefree, Arizona. Check back in with Off-Road.com for a full report on the new Rugged Terrain T/A tire.