AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- In crowning Dunlop's Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec tire as the overall winner of a four-tire shootout, Tire Rack -- one of America's leading high-performance products distributors -- proclaimed: "A new Extreme Performance Summer star is born." In an extensive test that combined real-world ride evaluations with performance data collected at its test track in South Bend, Ind., Tire Rack gave the new Dunlop extreme-performance tire top billing over the Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R, Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 and Hankook Ventus R-S2 Z212 tires. The tires, 225/45R17 mounted on 17.0-inch-by-8.0-inch wheels, were fitted on a 2008 BMW 335i coupe, according to Tire Rack. The Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec garnered high praise from the Tire Rack test drivers. "We liked it all," they stated, "handling, dry grip and especially wet traction." The online retailer and largest independent tire tester even praised the road manners of this extreme performance tire, stating the Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec did "a good job minimizing the harshness of small to medium-sized impacts." Matt Neidert, performance tire brand manager for Dunlop in North America, said, "Tire Rack's recent test results, combined with several SCCA SOLO National Tour victories in 2008, validate the performance capabilities of the new 'Star Spec' tread compound, which helps initial dry grip during sanctioned amateur driving events." Direzza Sport Z1 "Star Spec" is a DOT-approved summer performance tire for hard-core driving enthusiasts and car-club members. The tire helps deliver superb dry traction and handling at regional car-club events like track days, driving schools, and autocross. A high-response directional tread pattern with circumferential grooves helps create a consistent contact patch on the pavement for a smooth feel and seamless transition. An "optimal mold shape" helps provide a consistent footprint shape and uniform pressure distribution across the footprint for enhanced cornering, Neidert said. The tire also features JointLess Band technology to help enable smooth performance at highway speeds, he added. Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec extreme-performance tires are available in 20 sizes with rim diameters from 15 to 18 inches. Dunlop is a global tire brand with an excellent reputation among performance car enthusiasts. Well known for its prestigious original-equipment fitments and sports car racing heritage, Dunlop is also a key supplier to sport compact enthusiasts featuring "tuner" tire sizes and race series sponsorships. For more information on Dunlop's performance tires, go to http://www.dunloptires.com/ . To read more about Tire Rack's test of extreme-performance summer tires, go to http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=107 . DATASOURCE: Dunlop Tires CONTACT: Dave Wilkins, +1-330-796-3758, , for Dunlop Tires Web site: http://www.dunloptires.com/

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