The thump-thump of a tire going flat always brings a sinking feeling, and it is worst on a busy highway with no place to pull over. So-called run-flat tires, which can travel up to 200km without air, solve the problem, but they have been offered mostly on luxury and sports cars. Now Toyota is edging them further into the mass market by putting Bridgestone or Dunlop run-flats on the all-wheel-drive version of the 2004 Sienna minivan.
Run-flat tires have extra-thick sidewalls to help support the weight of the car when they deflate. They can work so well that a driver may not realize there is a flat, so most are linked to pressure monitors on the dashboard to alert the driver.
PHOTO: NY TIMES
Run-flats offer an advantage to carmakers, too; they eliminate the need for a spare tire. That leaves car designers extra space to work with in the trunk or cargo area -- particularly important with small sports cars -- and allows more freedom in overall styling.
The Michelin Pax run-flat tire system is offered on the Dodge Viper, the Audi A8 luxury sedan and the Rolls-Royce Phantom, as well as on models sold only in Europe. It is planned for the coming Cadillac XLR sports car. The company licenses Pax to other tire companies including Pirelli, Goodyear and Sumitomo. Bridgestone offers its run-flat system on BMW 7 Series sedans and the Z4 and Z8 sports cars, the Infiniti Q45 luxury sedan and Lexus SC430 luxury convertible.
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