Passenger tire having low rolling resistance with improved wet traction and treadwear

A pneumatic tire comprising an outer circumferential tread (18) having an outer tread layer (36) in direct and continuous contact with an inner tread layer (38) is disclosed. The outer and inner tread layers (36, 38) together defining the tread thickness (T). The inner tread layer (38) comprises a first elastomeric compound or a second elastomeric compound and the outer tread layer comprising the other of the first elastomeric compound or the second elastomeric compound. The second elastomeric compound has a lower rolling resistance and/or a greater resistance to treadwear than the first elastomeric compound. The inner tread layer (38) increases in thickness across at least a widthwise portion of the tread (18) with a maximum thickness of one of the inner tread layer (38) and the outer tread layer (36) occurring at or near at least one of a first shoulder (20) and a second shoulder (22) of the tread (18), whereby as the tread (18) wears, the inner tread layer (38) defines a greater proportion of a running surface of the tread (18).