Nitto is in the racing business, off road that is. The first pic is the consumer tire, the second is the "test bed" off road competition tire.Here's the press release:
""IT'S OFFICIAL
Nitto Tire North America, Inc. has signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Arciero-Miller Racing, it was announced today. The Nitto Tire primary sponsorship will begin when Ryan Arciero and Mark Miller start this year’s 38th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500 June 2-4 in Ensenada, Mexico. The official announcement was made at the Oakley, Inc., World Headquarters.
“To find a sponsor partner that is as committed to winning and doing things right as we are is truly a dream,” Miller said. “Very few people realize how important it is to match agendas, and we have a perfect fit. NITTO wants to win and create a massive brand; Arciero-Miller Racing has the same goals, and that common focus makes it a pleasure to work together.”
“Even after we agreed on the co-branding initiatives and established the criteria to measure success, NITTO still had to build a tire that can win races. It wasn’t easy, but after an extensive testing program that included runs in Baja on parts of the race course, Nitto has delivered a state of the art tire developed just this year. This new Nitto tire has all of the latest technology, and its performance is amazing.”
Through the Arciero-Miller sponsorship, Nitto Tire North America, Inc. is introducing the new Dune Grappler Desert Terrain tire, an exciting addition to the Grappler series. Nitto’s popular Grappler line includes the Dune Grappler, the Terra Grappler and the Mud Grappler. The Terra Grappler, Nitto’s all-purpose, all-weather tire, was rated the best-riding and longest-wearing all-terrain tire by a leading customer-rankings publication in 2005.
“Some manufacturers use a tire they sell to the general public for their desert racing tires,” Jonathan Ozeretny, Marketing Manager for Nitto Tire North America said. “We wanted to come into the sport with a tire that’s created for the racers, by the racers. Ryan and Mark have been extremely helpful in creating the Dune Grappler Desert Terrain tire, and we can’t wait to see it perform in the Baja 500. This new product gives us additional technology that will advance the rest of our Grappler line.”
Arciero-Miller sponsorships are at an all-time high. In the last month, the team has announced new or enhanced sponsorships from Oakley, UMI Racing Technology, Racepak Data Systems and KMC Wheels.
“When a race team announces new sponsorship, it’s always a very positive thing,” Arciero said. “But when a race team announces a primary sponsorship and four associate sponsorships in one month, it makes a truly amazing statement about that team. Arciero-Miller Racing has very specific goals; winning races isn’t enough. We want to be the best off-road racing team in the world, and all of these new sponsorships will help us reach our goal. We’re on our way, but it’s not something that can happen quickly. We’re patient, and we’ll do whatever we can to reach our goals.”"
During the press conference, it was stated, more changes are on the way for the new tire, thus, it is a test bed for the competition tire and hopefully those advancements will be handed down to the consumer tire. Please note the big difference in the two tires. The tread, the stance and the consumer version does not have the triple sidewall, in all models, only in "certain popular sizes".
Here is the consumer tire press release:
""Nitto Tire Introduces the New Dune Grappler Desert Terrain Tire
Nitto Tire introduces the new Dune Grappler Desert Terrain tire, an exciting addition to Nitto's popular Grappler series. The Dune Grappler satisfies the enthusiast who wants an aggressive tread for off-road capabilities, while providing a more comfortable and quieter ride on the road. By utilizing advanced computer simulation technology, the tread block arrangement reduces high levels of noise commonly associated with aggressive tires, while still providing a traction-oriented tread for off-road use. The Nitto Dune Grappler will be offered with a three-ply sidewall construction for increased puncture resistance in certain popular sizes.
Features:
• M&S-rated for all season performance
• 3 ply polyester high turn up construction improves bruise and puncture resistance*
• Intermediate void-ratio for optimal performance in loose gravel and sandy terrains
• Flare “taper and bridge” design reduces flex for longer tread life along with better traction and steering on and off road
• Innovative design allows for tread and shoulder integration, ensuring a flatter, wider contact patch optimal for on and off road performance.
Sizes:
LT31X10.50R15 C
LT33X12.50R15 C
LT285/75R16 E
LT305/70R16 E
LT315/75R16 E
LT285/70R17 E
LT315/70R17 D
285/60R18
LT285/65R18 E
LT285/55R20 E
305/40R22
*Compared to Terra Grappler. Only available in LT sizes.
The Dune Grappler will be available at the end of the third quarter in 2006.""
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