[manson]

Crossovers and SUVs are the current trend setting segments in most developing markets around the globe. It is no secret that these vehicles barely see the muck or rocky terrains they were visually designed for. Fact is, most of these vehicles are only doing the well-paved urban surfaces.

Goodyear has brought in an upgraded performance variant of their EfficientGrip (EG) tyre series known as the EfficientGrip Performance (EGP). Team-BHP was invited for the Asia Pacific launch of the EGP series at Buriram, Thailand. The launch was followed by a track day highlighting the features & tech that went into the development of the EGP tyre.

At the time of launch, Goodyear reportedly had tyre sizes suitable for the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Mercedes GLA, Mercedes GLC, BMW X1 and BMW X3. The EGP series would be replacing the EG series gradually, as and when tyres of various sizes for different vehicles will be made available. Until then, both the series will continue to run simultaneously to cater to the needs of the fairly wide Crossover & SUV markets across the region.

[manson]

I’d be lying if I told you that I had even heard of Buriram prior to the Goodyear invitation for the launch event. A quick google search revealed that it is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand thriving on agricultural activity - a major chunk being rice exports. Buriram in the local language means ‘City of Happiness’ and with the relatively new Chang International Circuit & I-Mobile Football Stadium, there was no doubting that .

Buriram is a bit off the regular tourist circuit and implied flying into Bangkok, taking a local transfer from the current Suvarnabhumi International Airport Terminal to the old Bangkok Don Mueang Airport from where we would board a domestic AirAsia flight to Buriram. Nok Air with their cutely painted aircrafts is the other airline that covers the 'Buriram – Bangkok' sector which we used for our return to Bangkok:


Exit the Suvarnabhumi Terminal and it does not take long for half an auto enthusiast to understand that the Thai folk like their Toyotas:


They love their tints…


…and their rims:


For most auto enthusiasts, being in a new place implies keeping an eye out for the local automobile culture. This is a default setting in the brain and for this reason, the approximately 90-minute local transfer between the two airport terminals was a boon.

Noticeably, many of the commercial buildings had their names put up only in the local Central Thai language. A clear sign of locals being proud of their culture. As a mark of respect, many buildings have huge picture boards of their deceased King Bhumibol Adulyadej:


The urban jungle is like any other major city with its fair share of jams, but it is never a big deal when you’re not at the wheel and have lots of catching up to do with the fellow auto enthusiast brethren. Quick group check in, a short flight and we arrive at the Buriram airport:


Pickups are a common sight in and around Buriram. Literally, every second 4-wheeler was a pickup:


Shortly we’re transferred to our hotel in this funk mobile among others which were going to be our means of local transport for the next 24 hours:


Touchdown at the hotel and we were greeted by the average racer’s wet dream!


We were put up at the X2 Vibe Buriram Hotel for the night. The decor of the hotel is centered around motorcycles and racing; this only added to our excitement for the following day:








Despite an all-night commute, the crew is sorted and fresh for the launch event scheduled for the evening. Trust me, it was all in anticipation of the following (track) day!

[manson]

Upon arrival at the hotel, we completed our registration for the track outing scheduled for the following morning. Quick lunch followed by a much needed power nap, and we took off for the launch of the Goodyear EGP Series tyres:


The milestone hall leading to the launch event showcased the major achievements of Goodyear Tyres since their inception in 1898:


Some concept tyres were on display as well. Here is the triple tube concept which was showcased at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show (more information here):


The Urban Crossover concept tyre. See how the wheel spoke design continues onto the tyre:


The main launch event was hosted by Mr. Mike Rytokoski - Goodyear Consumer PBU Vice President, Mr. Jenner Powell - Consumer Product Director and Mr. David Zanzig - Product Development & Quality Vice President. The event was also attended by Mr. P.K. Walia, Vice President, Consumer Tyre Business, Goodyear India among other senior Goodyear officials:


It was going to be a very early start for a very long day. So, after a fun evening, it was time to retire.

[manson]

Notwithstanding multiple early morning alarms, I managed that extra dollop of sleep for what was going to be a hot & long day in and out of Buriram. Just made it in time to get onto the funk mobile coach to be transferred to the venue of the day, the Chang International Circuit:


A closer view of the circuit's entrance area:


Between the media teams from China, Philippines and India, we managed to be quite a crowd to be hosted by Goodyear:


Strictly urban Crossovers & SUVs for the day!




The unsung heroes of the event . I always wonder when we'll see more of these XL-sized vans in India:


After the initial track pictures, we were briefed for the day’s outing at the circuit and divided into 5 groups:


Following a few group and contingent pictures in the pitlane and main straight, it was time to proceed for the main show:


Somewhere in between all that, I took the liberty to improve on my panoramic alignment:


I was part of group 4 which mainly comprised of media members from India:


The activities lined up for the day were as follows:

• Pass by noise demonstration
• Wet braking demonstration
• High speed handling experience
• Wet and dry slalom experience
• Scenic Drive experience
• Noise technology workshop
• Wet grip experience
• Group discussion with Goodyear officials

[manson]

Pass-By-Noise Demonstration

Goodyear claims that their QuietTred technology reduces tyre noise. The tyres use a dampening tread design for a quieter ride. It includes an increased number of pitches, closed grooves and different shoulder design.

People generally associate low noise levels with a relatively soft compound performance tyre. Goodyear took it upon themselves to prove how quiet the EGP series tyres are even from a bystander's point of view...errrr hearing in this case :

https://youtu.be/aeLzUQMSW6o

A Mercedes GLA was used for this demonstration:


We were to compare noise levels emitted by the EGP series and a similarly-sized Continental tyre. We took our positions in the pitlane whilst the GLA passed us on the same line thrice:


The tyre noise between the three runs on the Goodyear EGP series was averaged at 74.1 dB.

Then, the tyres on the GLA were swapped to Continentals to draw a direct reference, keeping all other factors constant (car, road surface, distance between car and volunteers, etc.):


Notably, the Continentals may/may not be of similar wear or vintage; at best, we can think of the Goodyear crew picking up these Continentals just as they would a tyre from any other manufacturer:


I'd picked up one of these monsters on my way to the briefing hall . The Mercedes W08 F1 car wasn't in the pitlane and nor was the Mercedes pit crew anywhere in sight. The tyre swapping was going to take a few minutes which would have felt longer on what was already starting to become a hot sunny morning:


A little later, the GLA was ready to go on the Continental tyres and between the 3 runs (same as for the EGP series), the sound keeper recorded an average noise level of 76.3 dB. This implied a ~3% lower noise level on the EGP tyres:

[manson]

Wet Braking Demonstration

FlexContact Tech in the EGP series tyres implies the use of a new polymer tread compound for better grip in wet road conditions:

https://youtu.be/NVFIJi0AM5A

For demonstration, we again had a GLA shod with Goodyear EGP tyres. The car would do three runs on the main straight and brake to a halt on an artificially created wet patch. After each run and subsequent halt, the braking distance was recorded. The braking distances between the 3 runs on the Goodyear tyres were averaged to 24.5 meters from point of braking to an absolute halt:


Thereafter, the EGP tyres were swapped for a set of Continentals to do 3 identical runs in order to draw a direct reference point:


Care was taken to maintain the wet patch in identical conditions by making use of mobile mini-tankers parked along the track:


Panoramic alignment gone bad!


Soon enough, we had the GLA ready to take on the wet braking test with the Continental tyres. The car averaged a braking distance of 25.5 meters from point of braking to an absolute halt:

[manson]

High-Speed Handling Experience

Next up was going to be the high-speed handling station. The experience would help us gauge the performance side of the EGP series tyres with regards to urban conditions. This part was easily going to be the most thrilling of the day:


The team at the high-speed handling station quickly briefed us on the activity. I say quickly because there cannot be too many don'ts at a high-speed section for fairly seasoned drivers . So, after some basic track etiquette & safety instructions, we took a seat and waited for our turns to have a go at the track!

The route to be followed:


Two previous-generation BMW X1s were going to be used. Initially, I wasn’t so sure that the entry spec engines were going to make us happy:


However, the Goodyear team had outlined a neat layout for the experience and my heart only yearned for a few more laps around the same:

https://youtu.be/pG-1BFTmrJE

Wet & Dry Slalom

We moved on to the wet & dry slalom experience which had outgoing BMW X3s parked. The weather was starting to go from nicely warm to slightly hot already, and we were glad that the trackside crew had chilled bottles of water, sunscreen, lotions etc. at each experience station:


We were briefed of the track to be followed for the wet & dry slalom experience, along with points for slowing down and the speeds to be maintained through the slalom:


At most stations, we got to ride with the participant before us. This orientation gave us that required margin to know what to do in order to maximize the fun & depth of the experience:

https://youtu.be/reYg4OrHzuQ

Whilst riding as a passenger before my turn to take on the slaloms, the instructor mentioned that we could drive as fast as we wanted on the approach route to the slaloms, after which we would need to drive the car at the prescribed pace. Rest assured, I made the most out of the ‘go as fast as you can’ allowance:

https://youtu.be/MT3lcYBdegk

We had a few minutes left from the time assigned to our group for the slalom experience. Following this, we were asked if any of us would like to have another go at the slaloms. Guess who was standing 2nd in queue for a second round of the go as fast as you can allowance :

On Thailand's Public Roads

The track experience was fun, but the scenic drive experience is what I’d rate as my favourite. This is me being slightly partial because of the exponentially higher seat time at the wheel:


Enjoying the tint experience while it lasted!!!


We drove in a convoy of X1s on the outskirts of Buriram, passing through beautiful rice fields on extremely well-paved roads for a rural setup. The civic sense in such a remote place was terrific - high level of lane discipline, zero 45-degree approach coasting at crossings, etc.:


The ride quality from these tyres was excellent, my direct reference being the Michelin XM2s on our Skoda Laura. Then again, NVH levels of the BMW X1, road surface in Buriram, suspension setup differences and some other factors would have a lot of implying differences. Most of this drive was slowly cruising at 40 - 60 km/h, passing through a semi-urban setup:


On our way back to the track, we passed Buriram’s other claim to fame, the I-Mobile football stadium!

[manson]

Noise Technology

Back from the scenic drive experience (which I wished was longer), it was time to go back to the classroom for a workshop on noise technology. After the initial understanding of noise, the workshop mainly focused upon variables causing undesirable sounds and technologies/techniques used in the EGP series to counter the same:


Different markets have different regulations:


Obvious ear opener, eh!


The main sources of noise in a car are shown on the left. The graphs show the contribution of driveline and tyre to the noise at different speeds. The driveline noise (components mentioned on the left of the slide) reduces at higher speeds. Tyre noise however, keeps on increasing and is the main source of noise at cruising speeds (along with wind noise in some cars):


Different footprints of tyres are shown in this slide. The tyres are claimed to have a rib shift designed to lower tyre noise:


The pitch of a tyre is basically the total number of tread blocks on the circumference. The grooves on the EGP series tyres aren’t connected to each other and the pitch is also high (80):


The components used on a tyre carcass are important to filter noise and vibration. Hence, the appropriate components need to be used to reduce crown & sidewall vibrations:


The workshop touched upon the basics that all of us have probably studied in school, but most have forgotten by now:


After the slideshow, we were shown different forms + layers of carcasses and polymers that go into the manufacturing of each tyre surface:


A closer look on the 'interiors' . Notice the three different shades of grey and marked stripped surface on the insides of the EGP tyres:


When you look at the straight-faced exterior of a tyre, you don't realise the complicated structure it houses underneath!

[manson]

Wet Handling Experience

After the workshop, it was time to get behind the wheel again. Next up was our group’s final activity, namely the wet handling experience station:


We were greeted by a pair of GLCs at the wet handling station. One car was shod with the EGP series tyres, whilst the second one with Continentals. This was done to draw a sense of comparison with a standard tyre from the same segment:


This was all about precise steering inputs:


Zooming in:


A couple of us noticed that the car shod with EGP tyres was equipped with cross-drilled brake rotors as compared to the regular brake rotors on the car shod with Continental tyres:



However, the wet handling experience personnel confirmed there would be no brakes used for this experience. No real advantage was going to be gained by any mechanical differences in the brakes:


First, we would have a go in the car shod with EGP tyres. We had to drive through a very wet right hand corner at a speed of 60 km/h without using the brakes, and then slowly come back to the station after which we would immediately get into the car with Continental tyres to draw somewhat of an immediate comparison. Both the cars were electronically limited to 60 km/h, thereby minimising any chance of deviation of speed between the two drives.

Slowly, we ventured out to the starting point of the track. The wet patch was managed using mobile tankers and the track was prepared to be wet after each drive. After receiving a proceed signal, we accelerated to 60 km/h and took the right-hand corner without any drama (locking or skidding) and got back into the station just like that:

https://youtu.be/xKTvnck7DZc

We then headed out in the GLC with the Continental tyres. We ventured towards the right hander at 60 km/h again and everything was going fine until the front end had a brief slide. This was where the difference in tyre performance was highlighted:

https://youtu.be/XcQ3ugETpRc

Once again, there might be multiple variables which affected their performance (even something as simple as different rates of suspension wear between the cars). The best tyre reviews are long-term ownership posts by BHPians .

[manson]

Group Discussion

We then had a group discussion with Goodyear Tyre officials.

• Target audience for the EGP series are owners of big / luxury SUVs.
• EGP tyres will be imported from Thailand or China for the time being.
• Old EfficientGrip (EG) series will continue to sell in sizes not offered in the EfficientGrip Performance (EGP) series.
• Pricing for the EGP series is yet to be decided.
• The EGP series is still to be certified by Indian authorities for sale in the country.
• The certification time for tyres used to be very long in the past. Of late, the timeline for certification has come down to 2 - 3 months.
• Apparently, 1 out of 5 cars in India comes equipped with OEM Goodyear tyres.
• Goodyear’s Indian management doesn’t see economies of scale in stocking enthusiast-driven tyres for the entry & mid-level segments in India.

Disclaimer: Goodyear invited Team-BHP for the track experience. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Tyre Section. Thanks for sharing!

[speedguy]

Interesting! But one thing crossed my mind. What about side wall thickness & rubber strength? These parameters are main difference between good handling & excellent handling. Have Good year mentioned those values?

[rajathv8]

Originally Posted by manson

The tyre noise between the three runs on the Goodyear EGP series was averaged at 74.1 dB.
...
A little later, the GLA was ready to go on the Continental tyres and between the 3 runs (same as for the EGP series), the sound keeper recorded an average noise level of 76.3 dB. This implied a ~3% lower noise level on the EGP tyres:

Although it is ~3% dB over dB, considering that 3dB corresponds to 2x loudness, the reduction may be more significant than what the number suggests.

[rageshgr]

Hi Manson!

Great review! Never knew a tyre launch could be this exciting. Great details.

Originally Posted by manson

74.1 dB.

76.3 dB.

This implied a ~3% lower noise level on the EGP tyres:

Originally Posted by rajathv8

Although it is ~3% dB over dB, considering that 3dB corresponds to 2x loudness, the reduction may be more significant than what the number suggests.

Yes since it is logarithmic scale, so 76.3 dB is 1.66 times as loud as 74.1 dB. That is quite a quiet tyre then

Not sure why they didn't choose Michellin or Bridgestones, either they didn't agree, or these two tyres might be equally good/superior.

[Jaggu]

Hey manson nice report. I liked the technical detailing you have subtly included, was quiet interesting to go through and informative at that. In a low band width situation, so get to the video once home.

cheers!