A pneumatic tire with an increased load carrying capacity (extended load index) but compatible with conventional, commercially available wheel rims, has a modified carcass plyline. The tire has a tread area, a carcass structure including two bead areas each comprising a bead, at least one cord-reinforced elastomeric ply extending between the two bead areas, and two sidewalls, one sidewall extending between the tread area and each bead area. The tire is characterized by: a section width defined by lines L1 and L2 disposed orthogonally to an axis of rotation of the tire and at equal distances on either side of the equatorial plane of the tire; a plyline that follows the meridional path of a radially and axially outermost one of the at least one ply; points P1, P2 on the plyline, being located where the plyline is axially outside of one of the beads and simultaneously at a minimum radial distance of dp1, dp2, respectively, from the axis of rotation AR; lines M1 and M2 each parallel to, and axially inwards of, lines L1 and L2, respectively, and passing through points P1 and P2, respectively; a first distance of 1 mm to 5 mm being the spacing from line L1 to line M1, and from line L2 to line M2; limiting radial distances r1 and r2 that exceed the distances dp1 and dp2, respectively, by a value of 30% to 70% of a section height SH of the tire; and the plyline extending radially outward in each sidewall to the limiting radial distance r1, r2 without axially deviating from lines M1, M2, respectively, by more than a second distance of 0 mm to 5 mm.