Dunlop at a glance
Dunlop's story begins in Belfast in 1888. John Boyd Dunlop, a Scottish-born vet, was looking for a way to make his son's tricycle more comfortable to ride. He wrapped the wheels in an air-filled rubber hose – and so the first practical pneumatic tyre was born. The invention grew into a company whose name has stayed in the tyre industry for well over a century. Dunlop himself received only a modest share of the business.
Dunlop's ownership history is complicated. For a long time the brand was shared between Goodyear and Japan's Sumitomo Rubber Industries, with Goodyear running Dunlop in Europe and North America. In May 2025 Sumitomo bought the rights to Dunlop car tyres in Europe, North America and Oceania from Goodyear. European sales are now managed by Dunlop Tyre Europe in Offenbach. Dunlop belongs to the premium price bracket and is known for its sporty summer tyres.
Dunlop's best-known summer tyres are the sporty Sport Maxx RT2 and the track-focused Sport Maxx Race 2. Dunlop's core winter range for Central European conditions is the Winter Sport 5, with the Winter Sport 5 SUV for SUVs. For year-round driving there is the Sport All Season. For SUVs and 4x4s, Dunlop has the Grandtrek range. Dunlop also makes motorcycle tyres.