Dunlop

Drive confident

Dunlop is one of the world’s leading tyre companies developing, manufacturing, and selling tyres for cars, SUVs, commercial vehicles and motorcycles.

Dunlop has an excellent reputation among performance car and motorcycle enthusiasts. Dunlop’s extensive sports car and motorcycle racing experience with an impressive track record of success has led to innovative technologies for tyres designed for everyday driving.

Our story

Always looking to maximise driving pleasure, Dunlop offers all types of motorists and riders the performance and durability of the latest tyre technologies. Dunlop’s Touch Technology reflects the company’s product development approach: Dunlop tyres help drivers to have an enhanced feel of the road providing superior road feedback, to be more in control of the drive and due to that to have more driving fun.

Dunlop is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high and ultra-high-performance tyres with prestigious original-equipment fitments: Many of the most prestigious car makers fit Dunlop tyres as standard, including Alfa Romeo, Audi, AMG, Aston Martin, BMW, Honda, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, Rover, Seat, Skoda, Toyota and Volkswagen.

Dunlop is supplying motorcycle tyres as original equipment to leading motorcycle manufacturers, including Aprilia, Benelli, BMW, Buell, Derbi, Ducati, Harley Davidson, Honda, HRD, Husaberg, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, MV Agusta, Peugeot, Piaggio, Suzuki, Vertemati, Yamaha.

Dunlop offers a range of more than 130 different commercial tyres suitable for heavy trucks, buses and coaches. Also many top commercial vehicle manufacturers fit Dunlop tyres as standard, including Volvo, Renault, Scania, DAF, MAN, Daimler Chrysler and Iveco.

Our history

From its very beginnings, it is obvious what Dunlop set out to do, to deliver a better driving experience for drivers and a better riding experience for riders.

In 1888 Dunlop’s founder, John Boyd Dunlop, was watching his young son riding his tricycle on solid rubber tyres over the cobbled ground. In trying to provide his son with a smoother ride and better handling Dunlop took the tricycle, wrapped its wheels in thin rubber sheets, glued them together and inflated them with a football pump. In this way he developed the first air cushioning system in history, laying the foundation for the first pneumatic tyre.

Dunlop immediately patented his idea and started to develop his invention into a commercial venture, founding what quickly became known as the Dunlop Pneumatic Tire Co. Ltd. The first Dunlop plant opened in Chinatown, Melbourne in 1893. In twenty years, Dunlop had made the solid tyre obsolete and grown from pioneer to the first global multinational tyre company.

Where we are today

By the start of World War II, Dunlop was the byword for success in a range of activities, not only tyres where it reigned supreme on and off the racetrack, but also brakes, wheels, golf and tennis balls, flooring, and other industrial rubber products. In 1984 came the consolidation of Dunlop’s European and US tyre operations with its Japanese business, as part of the Sumitomo group. In 1999 Sumitomo and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company decided on a global alliance, becoming the world’s biggest tyre producer. This continued until 2015 at which time Goodyear undertook ownership in Australia, Europe, New Zealand, and North America.

Our innovations

Dunlop’s history is rich with important innovations that have improved the driving experience for everybody on the road. With the discovery of the aquaplaning phenomenon, and the introduction of the 3S-technology stand out as highlights, Dunlop is proud of numerous other inventions during the past 100+ years that have made the driving experience a better and more enjoyable one for every driver.