KEY DATES
OUR HISTORY
PASSION MEETS PERFORMANCE
As a maker of superior performance tires, BFGoodrich is proud to say that we’ve been passionately performance-driven since the start. From the deserts of Baja to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, our rich heritage of successful performance racing helps ensure that your vehicle is ready for any challenge — at any time.
We’ve faced much adversity through the years in on -and off-road racing, which has taught us many important lessons about the way tires perform. Our engineers have applied these learnings to every product in every segment. So no matter what type of driving you’re after, you can be assured that our tires are up to the task.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
In 1870, Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich founded the first tire factory in North America, in Akron, Ohio. Even then, performance was already an integral part of the brand’s DNA. This led Charles Cross Goodrich, son of Benjamin, to establish the very first tire research centre in the United States. As a result, BFGoodrich began to stand out from the competition as early as 1903, when it provided the tires for the Winton Touring Car, the first car to cross the North American continent from east to west.
BFGoodrich soon identified another means of improving mobility by entering the rapidly expanding industry of aeronautics. This allowed the challenge-oriented brand to push the limits in new ways. The brand was involved in the 75km/h speed record set in 1909, at the first international air race held in Reims, on a Curtiss Aeroplane Corporation plane.
The 1920s presented the chance to conquer a challenge that was once thought unthinkable. In 1927, BFGoodrich provided the tyres for the Spirit of St. Louis, in which Charles Lindbergh made the first nonstop transatlantic flight in history.
WE'VE NEVER BACKED DOWN FROM A CHALLENGE.
And we never will. Below is a glimpse of some of the notable challenges that BFGoodrich has conquered throughout its rich history.
- 1903: The first vehicle to cross the United States was fitted with BFGoodrich® tires.
- 1914 and 1915: BFGoodrich becomes the first tire manufacturer to win the Indianapolis 500 two years in a row.
- 1927: Aviator Charles Lindbergh makes the first non-stop transatlantic flight equipped with BFGoodrich® tires.
- 1977: The BFGoodrich® Radial All-Terrain T/A® tire sweeps both SCORE Baja 500 and Baja 1000.
- 1981: Columbia space shuttle is fitted with BFGoodrich® tires.
- 1984: BFGoodrich® tires and Mazda cruise to a Championship C2 class victory at 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- 2002 - 2007: BFGoodrich wins the Dakar Rally for the sixth consecutive year.
- 2006 - 2011: BFGoodrich drives to five consecutive World Rally Cross championships.
- 2017: BFGoodrich triumphs in their return to the Dakar Rally.
KEY INNOVATIONS
It’s more than just crossing the finish line first that excites us. BFGoodrich is driven to produce industry-first technology in all of its tire segments.
- 1947: First tubeless tire for American cars.
- 1965: First radial tire on the American market: the Lifesaver.
- 1967: First run-flat tire.
- 1972: Launches radial-ply touring tires in North America, while other manufacturers continue to develop “Bias-ply” tires.
- 1976: The world’s first all-terrain tire.
- 1999: The first tire with coloured read is introduced: The Scorcher T/A.
- 2002: The world’s first 24-inch 4X4 is released.
- 2016: Commemorates 40 years of SCORE BAJA Racing and the 40th anniversary of the Radial All-Terrain tire.
