The invention relates to a tire having a tread of a rubber composition comprised
of a composite of styrene/butadiene elastomer and functionalized styrene/butadiene
elastomer containing an internal silanol and/or siloxy group therein with pendent
silanol and/or alkoxy groups of a polymodal (e.g. bimodal) molecular weight distribution,
together with at least 30 phr of cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber and a dispersion
in said rubber composition of precipitated silica aggregates and a coupling agent
as a bis (3-triethoxysilylpropyl) polysulfide having an average of from only 2
to 2.5 sulfur atoms in its polysulfidic bridge to the exclusion of a bis (3-trialkoxysilylalkyl)
polysulfide having an average of greater than 2.5, and particularly greater than
3, sulfur atoms in its polysulfidic bridge. In one aspect, said silica aggregates
may be pre-treated to reduce said hydroxyl groups on their surface prior to blending
with said silanol and/or siloxy functionalized elastomer. In one aspect, a carbon
black contained in the rubber composition may be an electrically conductive carbon black.