All-Season Protection

Vredestein believes there is a need and a good future for cold weather tyres in the UK, and is backing up its confidence in this often ignored market with the release of more winter weather products, including the new Quatrac 3 series, which will be launched at the end of September.

The Quatrac 3 can be visually distinguished by its non-directional asymmetric tread, and Vredestein adds that an examination of the tyre’s summer and winter tread profile sections will also reveal a clear distinction between the two. Upon its initial release the new tyre also offer a world first for all-season tyres – run-flat variants. Vredestein will offer two run-flat sizes when it launches the Quatrac 3.

For discerning motorists the new Quatrac 3 is a very attractive choice. As it is an all-season tyre, there is no necessity for the twice annual change between summer and winter tyres. “The Vredestein Quatrac 3 is a first-rate alternative for countries without extreme driving conditions like snow-covered, icy roads or steep hills,” Bert Stellinga, managing director Vredestein UK and Ireland, explained. “In plain or gently sloping areas and in temperate climates, the Quatrac 3 is the all-season tyre of choice. It offers optimum ride and grip characteristics under all circumstances.”

The outer part of the Quatrac 3’s tread is designed for optimum performance under dry and wet conditions, while the inner tread section offers the grip necessary for winter. And when the cold white powder begins to fall the tread’s three longitudinal grooves effectively disperse any snow, slush or water underfoot.

The summer section of the Quatrac 3 is characterised by a lower air ratio (more rubber, less air) as well as a limited number of transversal grooves. Under summer conditions this effects additional grip from the external tread shoulder – on wet as well as dry surfaces. In contrast, the inner part of the Quatrac 3 features wavy grooves which ensure an increased grip on snow and optimum safety in winter. As a result Vredestein’s new all-season tyre carries not only the M&S symbol but also “snow-flake” coding, certifying that the Quatrac 3 meets the official stipulations for a fully-fledged winter tyre. In other words, these tyres can even be used during winter in countries where winter tyres are legally compulsory.

The first Quatrac 3 models to become available in September will be available with a ‘V’ speed rating (149 mph, 240 km/h), with a total of nine sizes available in 2007 including the two aforementioned run-flat variants. The run-flat Quatrac 3 features extra reinforcement in the tyre walls. In addition its heel construction is reinforced to ensure that the tyre stays on the rim even if pressure is lost. However, the comfortable ride offered by the tyre is said to be unaffected by these modifications. In the event of a loss of pressure the run-flat Quatrac 3 is still capable of speeds up to 50 mph (80 km/h) and can be driven for up to 50 miles.

Wintrac Xtreme

First launched in 2004, Vredestein’s Wintrac Xtreme is the product of a collaboration between the Dutch manufacturer and Giugiaro Design. Pleased with the fruit of this aesthetic-technological partnership, Vredestein states that high-performance winter tyres with optimal handling have “never looked so good.” The design features needed for an effective winter tyre have been combined with the innovative and creative vision of Giugiaro Design very successfully. Grip and safety have been blended together in a visually appealing tyre: aggressive, firm lines give the W-shaped tread a powerful appearance.

The Wintrac Xtreme is available in V and W speed ratings, with respective maximum speeds of 149 and 168 mph (240 and 270 km/h). Such speeds, considered implausible with winter tyres just a few years ago, have now become possible due to a combination of research into materials and a new tread compound, tread design and tyre contours. The tyre’s nylon overhead is wound twice around the shoulder, limiting distortion due to high speeds and allowing for perfect course stability. In addition, both sides of the central groove feature stabilising grooves, which create a sturdy connection between the central tread blocks and thereby ensure a high degree of steering precision.

Vredestein reports that sipe technology was a priority in the design of the Wintrac Xtreme. Thanks to variations in the depth, width, shape and placement of the sipes, two distinct features are combined in the tyre: The straight sipes in the centre of the tyre are angled at 90° to the driving direction, ensuring a maximum grip on snow. The special thinner, zigzagged sipes in the tread shoulders allow for strong handling performance. Water dispersal is taken care of by the tread’s central groove, and the directional tread provides stability against aquaplaning.

For the creation of the tread compound, Vredestein has used what it calls Optimum Silica Processing (OSP) technology. This process involves the optimal fusion of silica and rubber by means of disulphide silan, a binding catalyst that makes the links between silica and rubber even stronger and more numerous than those obtained with the previously-used tetrasulphide silan. With OSP, the tread compound contributes to an improved grip on wet surfaces and provides for optimal winter performance.

The lateral sides of the Wintrac Xtreme’s tread blocks are not placed in a single straight line with respect to the circumferential grooves, but rather follow a ripple pattern. This causes the width of the circumferential grooves to vary and prevents peaks in the noise spectrum.
Most importantly, the even distribution of pressure across the footprint increases resistance to wear, which keeps the noise levels low throughout the tyre’s lifespan.

The Wintrac Xtreme is available in 45 sizes from 15 to 20-inches, including five run-flat fittings.

Wintrac 4 Xtreme

Another joint effort with Giugiaro Design is the Wintrac 4 Xtreme, an SUV tyre that builds upon the success of the Wintrac Xtreme by once again combining high performance with good looks. Featuring the same signature W-shaped tread design and aggressive, taut lines as its passenger car sibling, the Wintrac 4 Xtreme was designed with popular luxury SUVs such as the BMW X3 and X5, Mercedes ML, Volvo XC90, Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne and the Volkswagen Touareg in mind – vehicles that have off-road capabilities but spend most of their life on the blacktop. The tyre’s all-terrain characteristics include its good self-cleaning tread properties, allowing for sure performance on wintry and unpaved roads.

The structure of the tyre has been designed so that it can easily support the heavy weight of an SUV even in the most extreme circumstances and offer precise steering, a feature increasingly sought after by SUV drivers. The grooves have been toughened to withstand damage caused by pebbles and stones, and all sizes of the Wintrac 4 Xtreme come equipped with a rim protector, which helps prevent alloy damage.

Vredestein say that their designers put safety concerns ahead of all other considerations, and research has shown that the capability of SUVs is often overestimated. Despite the weight of the car, they are expected to negotiate wet or snowy roads in wintry conditions in safety due to the four-wheel drive. This expectation is, however, only justified if appropriate tyres have been fitted: Even SUVs are subject to the constraint that tyres are the only contact area between the vehicle and the wet, snowy or icy road. To enhance safety the Wintrac 4 Xtreme also uses OSP in the creation of its tread compound, and the W-tread pattern, with the lateral grooves arranged in opposite directions on the tread shoulders, was created for maximum grip on snow and ice. The central groove ensures efficient water dispersal and reduces the chances of aquaplaning. The straight sipes in the central section are perpendicular to the driving direction for better grip on snow, and the special zigzag-shaped sipes in the tread shoulders contribute to the excellent handling properties.

The tyre’s designers, comments Vredestein, paid a great deal of attention to comfort so as to achieve not only relaxed driving performance at high speeds, but also low noise levels due to the fact that the tread blocks are not arranged in a straight line in relation to the circumferential grooves. Indentations in the grooves allow their width to vary, preventing peaks in the noise range. Finally, an equal distribution of pressure in the tyre print contributes to a regular wear pattern, maintaining low noise levels throughout the lifespan of the tyre.

The Wintrac 4 Xtreme is available in 27 sizes for rim sized between 16 and 20-inches.