Interstate Tires: The Ultimate Test

Where would you go for the ultimate in winter tyre testing? Somewhere that is hard to beat must be Kiruna, the northernmost city in Swedish Lapland, where temperatures of -35ºC are the norm.

Kiruna is used for testing by car manufacturers such as Mercedes, SAAB and Volvo and it was the venue chosen by Interstate Tires for a week-long evaluation by selected dealers of its new winter tyre, the Arctic Claw. This was a trip with a difference; after a two-hour journey from Stockholm by dog sledge, the distributors arrived at their destination, the world-famous Icehotel in Jukkasjárvi, where the inside temperature was a comparatively balmy -6ºC!

Testing was carried out in the snowy and icy terrain on four-wheel drive vehicles, such as the Hyundai Tucson, Subaru and a Mitsubishi Pick-up. The drivers could compare the new tyre’s performance against its predecessor and against rival brands; during the comparative testing of such attributes as braking distance, acceleration on snow and ice and handling, the Arctic Claw more than held its own, outperforming many of its competitors.

The Arctic Claw TSI is a studdable, non-directional, winter tyre, available in 22 sizes for rims up to 16″, while the Arctic Claw XSI, which is also studdable, is aimed at SUVs, 4x4s and American Pick-ups. The tyre features special snow groove technology, a tri-polymer blend tread compound and enhanced studding technology. This latter feature provides an optimal combination of design, quantity and positioning of stud pin holes to maximise the tyre’s traction on snow and ice when studded.

The week in Kiruna certainly put the Arctic Claw tyres to the test and the Interstate technical team was very pleased with the way the tyres performed – a performance which has led to worldwide sales and OE contracts with a number of vehicle manufacturers.

New sizes, new tyres

The range of Interstate tyres is constantly monitored and evaluated, with new additions to serve the constantly-changing demands of the market. For instance, this year the company added eight new sizes to its winter tyre line-up. These were: 205/60 R16, 215/55 R16, 225/55 R16, 245/70 R17, 235/65 R17, 245/65 R17, 225/75 R16 and 265/75 R16.

But it is not only new sizes that are being introduced; in February next year, Interstate will showcase a brand new line of winter tyres. Designed and developed for the European market and manufactured at Interstate’s modern factory in China, the tyres will contain a special Bi-Silica compound and will be officially unveiled in February in the mountains of Austria.

As well as all the key sizes, the new range will include dimensions that are not so common, such as 215/55 R16XL, 225/55 R16XL and 225/45 R17XL, among others.

Interstate tyres are produced in ISO quality-accredited factories in China and the USA and are fully E-marked. The company runs a warehouse, strategically sited on the Dutch/German border, allowing a 24-hour delivery service to much of mainland Europe; alternatively tyres can be shipped direct from the USA. Customers include wholesalers, tyre chains, car importers, retail shops and tyre specialists.

Interstate has built up a sales and distribution network in almost 30 countries and the reputation of the brand has grown since the company was founded in 1972 – and the reputation is not the only growth area, as Interstate claims that its rate of unit sales growth in recent years has consistently out-performed that of the replacement tyre industry in general.