Here’s why Sears created DieHard brand tires

As of next month there’s a new tire on the block.

Sears Holdings Corp. has taken the iconic DieHard brand and is applying it to passenger tires, which will go on sale in a matter of weeks.

The DieHard Silver Touring All-Season is a mid-tier tire, ranging in price from $63 to $149 and will be sold exclusively through Sears Auto Center’s 650 stores.

DieHard brand proves popular with consumers

Tom Park, president of Sears’ DieHard, Kenmore and Craftsman brands, said the expansion into the tire market was an “easy decision” after a study — bizarrely — found consumers rated DieHard tires higher than most major competitors, even though the tires did not yet exist.

“We took all the brand names that you know, like Firestone and Goodyear, and we stuck the DieHard name in the middle and, out of 15 brands, DieHard emerged as the number three brand that (consumers) would choose,” Park said.

“It just goes to show the strength and the power of the DieHard brand and, when you think about it, why wouldn’t you want to have a tire called DieHard?

“We have a terrific team here and we are known for our innovation and our speed of execution. Once we saw the results of the survey, we really wanted to get this on the market as quickly as possible.”

Once the results were in DieHard acted quickly. They only made the decision to produce tires in January this year and they will be introduced to the market in July. Though made by a “well-known” but as yet undisclosed manufacturer, the tire design and branding was done by the DieHard team in Chicago. It is understood the company intends to partner with several other manufacturers as it expands its portfolio to include tires for pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles.

The DieHard Silver Touring A/S tire

The DieHard Silver Touring A/S tire promises “exceptional ride comfort, durability, handling, steering response and outstanding performance.”

Other features include:

• Advanced carbon tread compound for outstanding wet and dry grip
• Nylon belt edge layers for a higher degree of durability and stability
• Full-depth sipes effective for the life of the tire; they cut through water film for greater wet traction and all-season performance, even during harsh winters

Sears Auto president Brian Kaner said the tires would reflect the DieHard brand’s reputation for high performance, quality and durability and he expected them to perform well across the country.

“We’re really excited to offer the DieHard tire exclusively in our store; it fits a mid-tier price point in our private label offerings and we’re excited to extend that very well-known, trusted brand into the tire category.

“We’re excited about the tread pattern. We’re excited because it’s a great tire at a great price point by a high-quality brand and we’re excited to see where we can go with it.

“When you think of auto batteries you think of DieHard and now not only will DieHard power your vehicle, it’ll also cover your journey when the rubber hits the road.”

Tire details

DieHard Silver Touring A/S tires come in a wide range of sizes to fit sedans, mid-sized vehicles, minivans and crossover utility vehicles. They are also backed by a 70,000 mile limited tread wear warranty and will be available at Sears Auto Centers nationwide in July/August and online at DieHard.com and Sears.com.

The tires will be available in 36 T-rated sizes ranging from 13 to 18 inches.

13-inch (1): P175/70R13
14-inch (5): from P185/75R14 to P185/60R14
15-inch (15): from P205/75R15 to P215/60R15
16-inch (11): from P215/70R16 to P205/55R15
17-inch (3): P235/65R17, P225/60R17 and P235/60R17
18-inch (1): P235/65R18

Tagged: DieHard

Here’s why Sears created DieHard brand tires