AKRON, Ohio, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Dunlop tires normally are reserved for the world's finest automobiles or concept cars, and they are often featured at car shows, such as the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
In the case of Dunlop's revolutionary new Direzza DZ101 ultra-performance tire, no ordinary car would do. The Direzza is so special that Dunlop created its own car.
The carbon-fiber Dunlop Stinger, featured on an 18-by-24-inch poster, is available free on the brand's web site. Enthusiasts who want to order the poster at http://www.dunloptires.com/catalog/stinger/index.html will be charged $4.95 for shipping and handling.
The Screaming Yellow sports car was designed by Dunlop's Akron marketing communications agency, Hitchcock Fleming and Associates Inc. Dunlop is a signature brand of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company .
Andy Traicoff, director for Dunlop consumer tire marketing, said the Direzza DZ101 tires "are a perfect fit for the Dunlop Stinger and many of the highly modified sports cars on the roads today. They are designed to accentuate the positives of tuned vehicles - both in style, high performance and quietness."
The Stinger and Direzza DZ101 share a common heritage. Traicoff said the inspiration for both the car and tire was derived from "tuners" who customize their sports compacts to reflect their personalities and attitudes.
HFA worked on the sports car for a month - from concept drawings to modeling to texturing, rendering and post-production.
"Every material on the car needed to be made to replicate the real materials on a car. The paint was glossy; the metal took on a metallic cast; the carbon fiber was made to appear woven. Even minor imperfections were added to 'sell' the car as being real," said Mike Mickley, HFA art director.
Although created in three dimensions on a computer, the Stinger's headlight lens flares and road-hugging ground effects look very realistic as it speeds across a bridge. For sure, it appears very different from other sports cars on the road.
But one look at the Dunlop Stinger reveals its DNA, Mickley said. Wide- body kits, ground effects, carbon fiber hoods, custom lights and all types of wheels are so popular today that they all factored into the final design.
"We wanted to avoid making the car look too much like a Japanese, German or American car, so it has elements of each to create an amalgam that looks familiar but unique and believable," Mickley said.
Traicoff said the Direzza DZ101 "is a performance tire with no manners. The benefits derived from Dunlop racing are built into this tire."
The new tire targets the fast growing vehicle personalization segment, those who bolt on aftermarket parts to make a statement. "Sport compact starts small, but thinks big. That's what we had to achieve with the Direzza," he added.
Just don't look for the Dunlop Stinger at the Detroit show. The virtual car comes only in poster form. But the best part is it's free, he said.
Dunlop Tires
In the case of Dunlop's revolutionary new Direzza DZ101 ultra-performance tire, no ordinary car would do. The Direzza is so special that Dunlop created its own car.
The carbon-fiber Dunlop Stinger, featured on an 18-by-24-inch poster, is available free on the brand's web site. Enthusiasts who want to order the poster at http://www.dunloptires.com/catalog/stinger/index.html will be charged $4.95 for shipping and handling.
The Screaming Yellow sports car was designed by Dunlop's Akron marketing communications agency, Hitchcock Fleming and Associates Inc. Dunlop is a signature brand of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company .
Andy Traicoff, director for Dunlop consumer tire marketing, said the Direzza DZ101 tires "are a perfect fit for the Dunlop Stinger and many of the highly modified sports cars on the roads today. They are designed to accentuate the positives of tuned vehicles - both in style, high performance and quietness."
The Stinger and Direzza DZ101 share a common heritage. Traicoff said the inspiration for both the car and tire was derived from "tuners" who customize their sports compacts to reflect their personalities and attitudes.
HFA worked on the sports car for a month - from concept drawings to modeling to texturing, rendering and post-production.
"Every material on the car needed to be made to replicate the real materials on a car. The paint was glossy; the metal took on a metallic cast; the carbon fiber was made to appear woven. Even minor imperfections were added to 'sell' the car as being real," said Mike Mickley, HFA art director.
Although created in three dimensions on a computer, the Stinger's headlight lens flares and road-hugging ground effects look very realistic as it speeds across a bridge. For sure, it appears very different from other sports cars on the road.
But one look at the Dunlop Stinger reveals its DNA, Mickley said. Wide- body kits, ground effects, carbon fiber hoods, custom lights and all types of wheels are so popular today that they all factored into the final design.
"We wanted to avoid making the car look too much like a Japanese, German or American car, so it has elements of each to create an amalgam that looks familiar but unique and believable," Mickley said.
Traicoff said the Direzza DZ101 "is a performance tire with no manners. The benefits derived from Dunlop racing are built into this tire."
The new tire targets the fast growing vehicle personalization segment, those who bolt on aftermarket parts to make a statement. "Sport compact starts small, but thinks big. That's what we had to achieve with the Direzza," he added.
Just don't look for the Dunlop Stinger at the Detroit show. The virtual car comes only in poster form. But the best part is it's free, he said.
Dunlop Tires
© 2005 PR Newswire
