LAS VEGAS, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dunlop Sport Direzza Z1 has been awarded the European Car "Select Gear 2008" distinction in the magazine's December 2008 issue. "Each year, European Car selects the best of the best for its 'Select Gear' section, and we are pleased to have the editors select the Dunlop Sport Direzza Z1 for this honor," said Todd Hershberger, Dunlop brand director. "It has been recognized for its outstanding performance in wet and dry conditions, and real-world use on the road and at Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) competitions bear out this performance." According to the editors at European Car, "Of the thousands of new automotive components, services and accessories which come to our attention each year, only a handful stand out for their quality and soundness of operation." Each year, the staff chooses a select group of winners from the aftermarket parts, accessories and service arenas to receive this recognition. The Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 now features the Star Spec tread compound, which helps a performance car's initial dry grip during sanctioned amateur driving events, such as autocross and high-performance track-events hosted by regional car clubs. The Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec is available for use in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) national events, and the tire had excellent success in SCCA competition this year, including winning the overall 2008 Hawk Super Challenge, part of the Tire Rack ProSolo Series. 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, according to Hershberger. The tire also features JointLess Band Technology to help enable smooth performance at highway speeds. Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec is available in 20 sizes with rim diameters from 15 to 18 inches. European Car magazine is a monthly magazine that "showcases the best of European automobiles." It is a Source Interlink Media publication. 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 on Dunlop performance tires, go to http://www.dunloptires.com/ . DATASOURCE: Dunlop Tires CONTACT: Jim Davis, of Dunlop, +1-330-796-4114 Web site: http://www.dunloptires.com/

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