Kumho Tire announced last week that it would provide original-equipment tires for the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR by U.S. supercar company Dodge, a brand under the world-leading Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles.
The Dodge Viper is a sports car with one of the industry’s largest displacements at 8,400cc, and has achieved one of the fastest records in Germany’s Nurburgring lap time competitions. The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR is said to be the fastest Viper model to date.
The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR (Kumho Tire)
Kumho Tire was selected as Chrysler’s sole supplier in 2014, and began supplying its products to Chrysler this month after receiving approval on production, performance and technology.
The 2016 Dodge Viper will be equipped with Kumho’s Ecsta V720 tires, with 295/25ZR19 on the front and 355/30ZR19 on the rear.
The Ecsta V720 is optimized for circuit lovers, made with rubber that is specialized for racing and offers quality ground contact even when driving in high speeds on regular roads.
It has also reinforced the outside blocks to provide driving stability, and has asymmetric patterns on the exterior to maximize surface contact and increase control safety when cornering.
The side of the tire has the ACR logo and a Viper snake pattern to highlight its unique design.
Closeup of the Ecsta V720 tire (Kumho Tire)
The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR will be manufactured at Detroit’s Conner Avenue Assembly plant while Kumho Tire products are manufactured in their Gwangju plant and shipped to the United States.
“It is a feat to supply OE to the Dodge Viper and having Kumho Tire recognized for its technology in the global sports car market,” said Kim Hyun-ho, managing director of OE technology development. “It is especially meaningful as the Ecsta V720 has applied technology on racing through years of motor sports activities Kumho held at home and abroad.”
Since its first contract with Chrysler in 2006, Kumho Tire has supplied tires for a number of their automobiles such as the Chrysler 200, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Compass and Dodge Journey.
(
sangyj@heraldcorp.com)