{{short description|Japanese tire brand}} {{Use American English|date=March 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox brand |name = Falken |logo = Falken Tire logo.svg |logo_size = |logo_upright = |logo_alt = |logo_caption = |image = |image_size = |image_upright = |alt = |caption = |type = [[Tire]]s |producttype = |currentowner = [[Sumitomo Rubber Industries]]<br>{{small|(since 2003)}} |producedby = Sumitomo Rubber Industries |country = Japan |introduced = {{Start date and age|1983}} |discontinued = |related = [[Dunlop Tyres|Dunlop]] |markets = Worldwide |previousowners = Ohtsu Rubber & Tire<br>{{small|(1983–2003)}} |trademarkregistrations = |ambassadors = |ambassador = |tagline = "On the pulse." |website = {{URL|https://www.falken.tires}} |misc = |module = |misc1 = |module1 = |footnotes = }}

'''Falken''' is a brand of passenger car, light truck, and medium truck [[tire]]s owned by the Japanese company [[Sumitomo Rubber Industries]] (SRI). It was launched in its native country of Japan in 1983, and was introduced to the North American market two years later and in Europe in 1988. Falken has now become a stand-alone brand that focuses on UHP (ultra high performance) products while utilizing professional [[motorsport]]s to further develop and improve products for worldwide distribution.

Dunlop Tires North America, formerly known as Sumitomo Rubber North America, Inc. and Falken Tire Corporation, has its corporate headquarters in [[Rancho Cucamonga, California]], with a West Coast distribution center in [[Ontario, California]]. Additional Falken Tire distribution locations include warehouses in [[Illinois]], [[Florida]], [[New Jersey]], and [[Texas]].

In June 2015, Sumitomo and [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]] announced that they would dissolve their worldwide partnership. As part of the deal, Sumitomo bought Goodyear’s [[Dunlop Tyres|Dunlop]] Tires North America, which included a manufacturing plant in [[Tonawanda (town), New York|Tonawanda]], near [[Buffalo, New York]]. The plant, rebranded as Sumitomo Rubber USA, began to produce Falken-branded tires in January 2016. As of 2025, that Buffalo, New York manufacturing plant has closed. <ref>{{cite web |title=Sumitomo Rubber USA - Tonawanda Plant Closure Update |url=https://srusa-tonawanda-update.com/ }}</ref>

== History == === Timeline === * 1983: The Falken brand is created as a high performance brand of Ohtsu Rubber & Tire in Japan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ohtsu Tires |url=https://ohtsu-tires.com/ |publisher=Ohtsu-Tires.com |access-date=9 November 2018 |archive-date=10 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110000835/https://ohtsu-tires.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> * 1985: Started Falken Motorsports & U.S. Distribution. * 1988: Team Falken wins the Mirage Cup International series. * 1988: Falken introduces the Sincera Tire. * 1988: Falken Tyre Europe GmbH is founded in Offenbach am Main, Germany. * 1990: The N1 6hour Endurance Sugu 400&nbsp;km GT-R R32 class winner. * 1991: Falken supports the BNR32 that dominated the [[Super Taikyu Series|Super N1 Taikyu Series]] in Japan. * 1991: Team Falken participated in the Kenya Endurance rally. * 1991: Opened U.S. headquarters in [[Rancho Cucamonga, California|Rancho Cucamonga]], U.S. * 1993: Sponsors teams for the [[Paris]] to [[Dakar Rally]] championships. * 1996: The first Ziex branded tire is launched: Ziex ZE502. * 1998: Began a successful campaign with Mine's Falken BNR33 which won the '98-'00 Class 1 Series Championship. * 1999: Team Falken began competing in the [[Nürburgring 24 Hours]] race. * 2000: Falken Tire participates in [[2000 Rally Australia|Rally Australia]]. * 2001: AZENIS Tire line is launched with AZENIS ST115 and AZENIS RT215. * 2001: Team Falken wins Super Endurance Class 1 Series Championship. * 2001: Falken sponsors the [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb]]. * 2003: Sumitomo Rubber Industries acquires and absorbs Ohtsu Tire & Rubber, turning Ohtsu and Falken to SRI brands. * 2003: Falken supports the first U.S. Drift Showoff in [[Irwindale, California]]. * 2003: Falken sponsors the drivers at the first [[D1 Grand Prix]] Pro Drift Competition in the U.S. * 2005: Falken team driver Calvin Wan takes 1st place in an Infiniti G35 at the [[Formula D]]-sanctioned event. * 2006: A Consumer Reports Top Pick: Falken ZE912. * 2007: Falken moves into corporate office in [[Fontana, California]]. * 2010: Falken wins first [[Formula D|Formula Drift Championship]], [[Vaughn Gittin Jr.]] * 2010: Falken introduces the Wildpeak A/T Tire to reinvigorate the all-performance SUV and Light Truck segments. * 2011: Falken wins another back-to-back [[Formula D|Formula Drift Championship]] with [[Daijiro Yoshihara]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/news/modp-1005-team-falken-winning-streak/|title=Team Falken Winning Streak – Formula Drift – Modified Magazine|work=SuperStreetOnline |date=10 May 2010|access-date=16 June 2017}}</ref> * 2011: Two [[2011 American Le Mans Series|ALMS]] GT Class wins at [[Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course|Mid-Ohio]] and [[Baltimore]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/news/eurp-1109-team-falken-wins-gt-class-baltimore-alms/|title=Team Falken Wins GT Class in Baltimore ALMS – GT Standings – Eurotuner Magazine|work=SuperStreetOnline|date=6 September 2011|access-date=16 June 2017|archive-date=21 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221005849/http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/news/eurp-1109-team-falken-wins-gt-class-baltimore-alms/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2012: Team Falken takes another [[2012 American Le Mans Series|ALMS]] win at Baltimore Grand Prix.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorsport.com/alms/news/falken-porsche-win-makes-it-two-years-in-a-row-at-baltimore/|title=Falken Porsche win makes it two years in a row at Baltimore|access-date=16 June 2017|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220075946/http://www.motorsport.com/alms/news/falken-porsche-win-makes-it-two-years-in-a-row-at-baltimore/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2012: New Falken Tire headquarters located in [[Rancho Cucamonga, California|Rancho Cucamonga]], CA. * 2012: Falken / Savvy Off Road wins the King of the Hammers Every Man Challenge. * 2012: Falken drift team driver [[Lars Verbraeken]] became a [[Guinness World Record]] holder after achieving a new speed record for drifting.<ref>{{cite web |last= Butters |first= Jordan |title= NEWS: Falken Drift Team Sets World Record |date= 2 October 2012 |url= https://www.drifted.com/news-falken-drift-team-sets-world-record/ |publisher= Drifted |access-date= October 2, 2012}}</ref> * 2013: Falken wins again at the King of the Hammers Every Man Challenge. * 2013: Team Falken takes first place in GT at ALMS [[2013 Petit Le Mans|Petit Le Mans]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://press.porsche.com/motorsport/news/release.php?id=72|title=Motorsport News|publisher=The Gary Stock Company + Porsche Cars North America|website=press.porsche.com|access-date=16 June 2017|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220122151/http://press.porsche.com/motorsport/news/release.php?id=72|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2015: Falken becomes the official tire of [[Major League Baseball]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://falkentire.com/about-us/history-falken-tire|title=History of Falken Tire|access-date=16 June 2017}}</ref> * 2016: The Sumitomo Rubber USA factory in [[Tonawanda]] began to produce Falken-branded tires. * 2016: Falken partners with the [[Australia national rugby union team|Qantas Wallabies]] as a sponsor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.falken.com.au/the-qantas-wallabies-partner-with-falken|title=The Qantas Wallabies Partner with Falken|date=16 March 2016}}</ref> * 2017: Falken became a sponsor of the [[Premier League|English Premier League]] team [[Liverpool F.C.]] * 2018: Falken became a sponsor of German Basketball League team [[EWE Baskets]]. * 2018: Falken Azenis FK510 wins the Wheels Magazine Tyre Test in Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.falken.com.au/falken-wins-wheels-tyre-test/|title = Falken Wins Wheels Tyre Test|date = 8 August 2018}}</ref>

== Motorsports == [[File:Falken-Porsche-BMW.png|thumb|{{center|Falken Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R and BMW M6 GT3 in one of the 2018 [[Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring|Nürburgring VLN]] races.}}]] Falken has participated in many motorsport activities, including the [[Tudor United SportsCar Championship]] sanctioned by [[International Motor Sports Association|IMSA]], the former [[American Le Mans Series]], [[British Drift Championship]], [[Irish Drift Championship]], [[Drift Allstars European Series]] with driver [[James Deane (drift driver)|James Deane]], [[Formula D]], [[Nürburgring 24 Hours]], and [[International Drift Series]]. Drivers for the IMSA GT Class were [[Wolf Henzler]] and [[Bryan Sellers]], in which they co-piloted a Porsche 911 RSR. Sponsored drivers for the [[Formula Drift]] competition were [[Daijiro Yoshihara]], [[Justin Pawlak]], [[James Deane (drift driver)|James Deane]], [[Piotr Wiecek]], [[Matt Field (drift driver)|Matt Field]], and [[Aurimas Bakchis|Aurimas "Odi" Bakchis]]. Current drivers in the British Drift Championship competition are [[Matt Carter (racing driver)|Matt Carter]], Paul Cheshire and Alan Green. Drivers sponsored in 2010 International Drift Series were Remmo Niezen, Lars Verbraeken and Lennard Wanders.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://speedhunters.com/archive/2010/03/22/-international-drift-series-preview-2010-.aspx |title=PREVIEW>> 2010 INTERNATIONAL DRIFT SERIES – Speedhunters |access-date=2010-06-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325174339/http://speedhunters.com/archive/2010/03/22/-international-drift-series-preview-2010-.aspx |archive-date=2010-03-25 }}</ref>

Falken has sponsored racing series such as ALMS and domestic championships like [[Super Taikyu Series|Super Taikyu]], [[Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie]] as well as the [[Nürburgring 24 Hours]] and drifting series such as [[Formula D]] and [[D1 Grand Prix]]. Falken was previously the title sponsor of the [[British Drift Championship]] until 2010 when [[Maxxis]] became the title sponsor.

Since at least 2009, Falken Tire have also a team of spokesmodels that attend to all of the American Le Mans Series and Formula Drift motorsport events.<ref>''[http://www.sub5zero.com/falken-tire-models-motorsports-alms-formula-drift/ Falken Tire Models Take Motorsports By Storm]'', by AC at sub5zero.com, May 22, 2009</ref><ref>[https://www.falkentire.com/community/motorsports/models Models] at Falken Tire</ref>

=== Motorsport Results === {{expand section|date=July 2025}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category|Falken Tires}} *{{Official website|https://www.falken.tires}}

[[Category:1983 establishments in Japan]] [[Category:Sumitomo Group]] [[Category:Japanese brands]] [[Category:Tires]]