Yokohama is making tires infused with orange oil thereby reducing petroleum used in its dB Super E-spec tires by 80 percent. According to Mark Chung, Yokohama's director of strategic marketing:
During a harsh closed-course test in a Mini Cooper S, the tires felt balanced and in control, although a little more prone to squeal and howl under duress. But the majority of drivers never would notice that the tires were produced any differently.
Unfortunately, the tires do not smell like oranges when they heat up. However, because of the orange oil, they weigh about 2 lbs less than comparable non-orange oil tires.
[Source: Automotive News]
