Tyre Asia – May-June 2018

Tyre Asia April/May 2018 107

PRoDUcT WATch

COOPER EXPANDS WINTER TYRE RANGE

NOKIAN ZLINE GETS

HIGH RATING

CONTISPORTCONTACT 5 GETS TOP BILLING

YOKOHAMA READY WITH

TWO MORE FOR EUROPE

C

ooper Tire has added the Mastercraft Glacier Trex to the

Mastercraft line of winter tyres for passenger cars and

crossover vehicles. The new tyre is severe weather rated and

offers superior braking and handling on snow and ice.

The Glacier Trex has an aggressive directional tread pattern

that improves acceleration and braking on snow while

evacuating water to resist hydroplaning. The patented ‘snow

groove’ technology of the tyre locks snow into the tread to

capitalize on the traction received

from snow on snow grip.

“The tyre also features corrugated,

multi-angled sipes to enhance grip and

stability when turning corners. The Glacier Trex is studdable

to allow for extreme traction on ice. The Mastercraft Glacier

Trex tyre will be available to consumers in 35 passenger car and

crossover vehicle sizes in August,” said cooper.

N

okian Tyres’ summer products have been successful in

this spring’s summer tyres tests. nokian zLine in size

235/45 ZR18 achieved the great 2nd (shared) place overall

with the rating “Recommendable” in the German Ace Lenkrad

Summer Tyre Test 2018. The test praised the tyre’s wet

braking and handling and good aquaplaning characteristics.

Also the dry handling and low rolling resistance were noted.

The success continued in Germany’s GTÜ or Austria’s ARBÖ.

“Thanks to the Aramid Sidewall Technology nokian Tyres’

SUV and van summer tyres have maximum strength, advanced

safety and extreme durability. The aramid fibre that we use

in the compound strengthens the tyre’s sidewall, allowing it

to better withstand impacts and cuts from stones, potholes

or raised curbs, which would otherwise easily puncture the

tyre. The same material is also utilised by the aerospace and

defence industries,” says Martin Dražík, Product Manager ce

for nokian Tyres.

The sporty nokian zLine SUV summer tyre combines precision

handling, pleasurable driving and great wet grip to ensure

safety on rain-soaked roads and under extreme conditions.

The sidewalls are reinforced by Aramid Sidewall Technology,

providing durability even for the largest SUVs.

Developed for true off-road and 4x4 SUVs enthusiasts, the

unique nokian Rockproof tyre handles even the

most demanding and extreme conditions with

ease. The long service life and extreme

durability in the roughest of terrains are

provided not only by the Aramid Sidewall

Technology, but also by the tyre’s special

tread compound and robust tread design

with unique stone ejector technology.

I

n this year’s summer tyre test run by car magazine AutoBild

allrad, the contiSportcontact 5 SUV was rated best-in-

test after a variety of tests on wet and dry road surfaces

and off-road. The tyre developed by continental in hanover

won through against seven competitors

from european, American and Asian

manufacturers. The experts tested

265/60 R 18 tires in 15 categories on

wet and dry roads as well as on grass,

fine and coarse gravel, sand and mud.

The tyre size is suitable for large off-

roaders and SUVs; the test vehicle was a Mercedes G model.

“A premium tyre with exemplary handling qualities on all

surfaces, high steering precision and short wet and dry braking

distances,” said the test report summary that brought the

continental tire an “exemplary” rating and made it best-in-test.

The contiSportcontact 5 SUV stood out in the tests above all

due to its balanced performance. It led for braking on dry roads

and came first in the tests on gravel and the wet circular track.

It returned very good handling performances on wet and dry

roads, while a short braking distance in the wet and low rolling

resistance completed the picture.

Y

okohama Rubber will launch two new

tyres in europe - the Geolandar M/T

G003 and the Bluearth-4S AW21. The

Geolandar M/T G003 is a Mud Terrain

Tire for SUVs and Pickup Trucks. The

sales of this tyre will begin from this

spring. The tyres, to be introduced to

specific country markets sequentially,

will be available in 23 sizes, from

20-inches to 15-inches with PoR

(Professional off-Road) stamped on the

tires’ sides. The same tyre has been sold in

the United States since July 2017.

The european sales of its all-season passenger-car tyre

Bluearth-4S AW21 will start from this autumn. It will be the

first Yokohama all-season passenger-car tyre to be introduced

to the european market. The tyre will be available in over 30

sizes, ranging from 255/50R19 107W to 175/65R14 82T. The

company plans to gradually expand the lineup of available

tyre sizes.

The Geolandar M/T G003 is a total upgrade from its

predecessor, featuring a new tread pattern, side design,

profile, construction and rubber compound, all based on

technological feedback received from participants in the most-

demanding off-road races around the world. The tread pattern

includes large mesh lug grooves and sequential sipes that help

the tire achieve excellent traction on various off-road surfaces,

Yokohama said.

The Bluearth-4S AW21 incorporates Yokohama’s latest

winter-tyre technologies to provide drivers with outstanding

performance on icy and snowy winter roads as well as

excellent dry and wet performance under more normal driving

conditions.