Himalayan Sure-Footedness with Federal

Taiwan’s Federal Corporation have been producing winter tyres since the start of the decade, and for the coming winter months are offering UK drivers a choice of two cold weather tyres to choose from.

The Himalaya WS1 is aimed at the performance market and features a compound of tensile synthetic SBR rubber mixed with silica, a combination Federal claims lends itself to prolonged working life. The tread contains v-shaped longitudinal grooves and wide channel grooves for traction-improving water and snow dispersal, and the straight centre rib with cross sipes is designed to improve straight line stability and passenger comfort. The shoulder blocks on the Himalaya WS1 have been beefed up to provide an appropriate level of handling stability and steering response on winter surfaces.

The Himalaya WS1 is available in the following sizes:

185/60R14 195/65R15
175/65R14 205/65R15
185/65R14 205/55R16
195/60R15 215/55R16
205/60R15 225/55R16
185/65R15 225/45R17

The Himalaya WS2 is Federal’s most dedicated winter tyre. Available in both studless and studable variants, the manufacturer reports that testing has verified the Himalaya WS2 delivers levels of safety performance far exceeding that required by the North American Rubber Manufacturers’ SSS (Severe Snow Standard) ratings. The WS2 also bears the M+S marking, indicating its compliance with RMA guidelines for mud and snow tyres.

According to Federal the Himalaya WS2 was created to withstand extremely harsh winter weather conditions, and add that the combination of the compound and tread pattern used on the WS2 will deliver highly effective water draining, safe handling and a low level of road noise. The tread’s v-shaped groove design enhances the tread pattern’s rigidity, reducing uneven wear under high load, with the wide centre rib facilitating water drainage.

The Himalaya WS2 is available in the following sizes:

175/65R14 XL 215/65R15 XL
185/65R14 205/55R16 XL
185/60R15 XL 215/60R16 XL
195/55R15 XL 225/60R16 XL
205/60R15 XL 205/60R16 XL
195/60R15 XL 215/65R16 XL
185/65R15 XL 225/45R17 XL
195/65R15 XL 215/55R17 XL
205/65R15 XL