Wagner, a global leader in braking innovation, has introduced a line of new-technology premium replacement brake pads that the company says are designed to help consumers stop up to 50 feet sooner(1) when driving light trucks, sport utility vehicles and crossovers. The new Wagner OEX brake pads, which the company states have been validated, are now available in select North American markets and offer an array of additional benefits, including reduced rotor wear and dusting, and up to two times longer pad life(2). Engineered and manufactured in the U.S., these new brake pads can be seen during next week’s AAPEX at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas.
Wagner OEX brake pads are manufactured and marketed by Federal-Mogul Motorparts, a division of Federal-Mogul Holdings Corp. and a premier supplier of brake products to several of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers.
“Wagner once again sets a new benchmark for innovation and braking effectiveness with revolutionary Wagner OEX brake pads,” said Bill Nunnery, vice president, business development and product management, global aftermarket, Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “In the hyper-competitive aftermarket brake arena, we are proud to offer this innovative new technology which can stop pickups, SUVs and CUVs up to 50 feet sooner(1). We believe this impressive performance provides a considerable safety advantage for motorists.”
Wagner says it went to extensive lengths – including testing conducted by an independent third-party – to validate the stopping performance advantages of Wagner OEX pads versus competitor pads.
The Wagner OEX line includes 114 custom-shaped, application-specific pad designs covering 95 percent of utility-focused passenger vehicles registered in North America. These unique, patent-pending pad shapes, combined with precisely engineered slots and cuts, improve performance by increasing turbulent airflow, allowing for cooler operation and improved stopping power. The company says these characteristics are particularly important on light trucks, SUVs and CUVs – North America’s fastest-growing vehicle segments – which often encounter a wider range of loads and other, more challenging operating conditions.
“The Wagner brand’s market leadership has been established in part through our ability to anticipate and address changes in vehicle technology and consumer driving preferences,” said Christopher Battershell, director of brake product management, North America, Federal-Mogul Motorparts. “With the sustained shift toward utility-type passenger vehicles, our engineers identified the need for a clearly differentiated brake pad technology engineered to help enhance driving safety and overall braking performance on these harder working vehicles.”
According to Frost & Sullivan, the U.S. light truck and SUV populations are growing at annual rates of 11.7 and 19.8 percent, respectively, while CUVs alone represented 27 percent of U.S. auto sales in 2014. This growth is expected to continue, with a projected 20 million additional utility vehicles on the road by 2020.
“These vehicles place unique demands on the braking system, yet consumers need and expect their brake pads to perform equally as well or better than those they have used on smaller, lighter vehicles,” said Battershell. “Wagner OEX brake pads are the first replacement pads engineered not only to meet this customer expectation, but also to help them stop up to 50 feet sooner, which we validated in third-party performance evaluations.(1)”
Wagner says that after third-party validation, it then conducted in-market previews involving more than 400 U.S. technicians and service locations that used the pads. Among automotive professionals included in these previews, 99 percent reported that Wagner OEX pads provide a higher level of quality, offer premium-level appearance and are noticeably different than other brake pads, the company stated. Ninety-five percent of participants indicated they are likely to recommend OEX pads to their customers and other professionals. “No noise and better stopping than other pads I’ve used before … great looking pad,” noted one preview participant. Another reported, “These pads made a noticeable difference; my customers love them.”
Wagner OEX brake pads are now available in selected markets and will be rolled out across North America in 2016. To learn more about Wagner OEX brake pads and other Wagner innovations, contact your Wagner supplier or Federal-Mogul sales representative, and log on to WagnerBrake.com. Visit the Federal-Mogul Motorparts booth No. 3217 at AAPEX 2015, Nov. 3-5, in Las Vegas.
1) Results based on 60 mph post fade performance testing conducted by Link Engineering Company comparing Wagner Brake pads to competitor’s pads on the 2014 Ford F-150, 2011 Toyota RAV4 and 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe.
2) Results based on internal testing comparing new Wagner OEX to other Wagner offerings.
