Yokohama Rubber Debuts “G.T. SPECIAL CLASSIC”

Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. Has announced that the company will be launching the “G.T. SPECIAL CLASSIC” tire in the European market. This tire will mark the revival of the tire manufacturer’s G.T. SPECIAL brand tire that was made for heritage cars.
The new tire is inspired by the design of the tire maker’s “G.T. SPECIAL Y350”. It offers motorists a soft, comfortable ride without in any way compromising the feel of a historical car. It retains the side design and classical tread pattern of its predecessor. The “G.T. SPECIAL CLASSIC” tire will be available in the European market from the summer of 2019 in three sizes—165/80R15 87H, 175/80R14 88S and 165/80R14 85S.

The G.T. Special brand was launched in 1967 as the first Yokohama brand that had radial tires, with the tagline “Taking the lead in the radial era”. It made a significant contribution to the motorization of Japanese society in the 1960s and 1970s and thus secured its position as a Yokohama heritage brand. In addition to having a classic appearance that was highly suitable for use on the historic Japanese and European cars of the 1960s and 1970s, the new “G.T. SPECIAL CLASSIC” tire incorporates the latest tire technologies and is available in a number of sizes that will enhance the drivability and safety of historic cars.

Yokohama Rubber has been selling the “ADVAN HF Type D”, another tire that is suitable for use when it comes to historic cars, in Japan from 2017. With the launch of this new tire for heritage cars, Yokohama Rubber will be joining car lovers around the world in maintaining the classic car culture.

Yokohama Rubber has made it clear that its hobby tire strategy as one of core elements of its broader consumer tire strategy that is included in the Company’s three-year medium-term management plan, Grand Design 2020 (GD2020), which is being implemented from 2018. As part of its hobby tire strategy, the Company is expediting the development of new products and expanding the size range of existing products which are suitable for use with various types of hobby vehicles, from race cars to classic cars.