A new tire for lux trucks & SUVs developed to deliver performance—and on sustainability concerns, too

By Gary S. Vasilash

Bridgestone Americas, as you probably know, makes tires of all types and sizes. (Yes, the usual phrase is “all shapes and sizes,” but the tires are all round, so a bit of modification was required.)

But what you probably don’t now is that Bridgestone has what it calls its “E8 Commitment,” which is part of its sustainability efforts.

The eight are:

• Energy
• Ecology
• Efficiency
• Extension
• Economy
• Emotion
• Ease
• Empowerment

The company has just released the Dueler A/T Ascent tire for luxury and high-end trucks and SUVs.

It is designed to provide on-road manners that one would expect from a premium tire for a premium vehicle.

But given that it is a truck or SUV it may be called upon not only for a daily commute but a weekend drive that may take the vehicle off road, so the tire is engineered with a tread pattern that provides the traction needed in those conditions, as well as in the wet and during the winter.

As Jeremy Norwood, Chief Engineer, Consumer Replacement Product Engineering, put it,    “Our mission with Ascent was to develop a luxury truck tire that could tackle the trails on the weekends without sacrificing the comfort of the daily commute.”  

So, given that (as well as a 60,000-mile limited warranty and fitment for up to 22-inch rims),  what area the E’s that the Dueler A/T Ascent encompass.

[Think about it for a moment. The answer is after the tire picture.]

The answer:

• Emotion
• Extension

No, I can’t explain it. Either.