GITI Tire Boosts Winter Range

GITI Tire is attempting to improve its foothold on the European winter market, building upon the Champiro range. The company, which is headquartered in Shanghai, China, is a self-styled top quality tyre supplier, and is the largest manufacturer in the booming tyre-producing nation. GITI accesses the European market through its sales and marketing office in The Netherlands.

The Champiro WT-Plus is a high-performance winter tyre for the premium passenger car sector, offering a full silica compound for optimal wet traction and a reduced rolling resistance. The company stresses the additional benefits, which include a directional tread design complete with variable shoulder blocks to increase cornering traction and stability, helping drivers achieve a quiet and comfortable drive; a circumferential centre rib providing optimum stiffness resulting in precise handling in all winter road conditions; and an advanced sipe design, which aids braking and traction properties on ice and snow, thus placing the WT-Plus within the sector addressing harsh winter conditions. The company is clearly confident in the Champiro’s ability to tackle competition in this segment, as it is increasing size options to cover 14 inches to 16 inches; from 185/70 R14 right through to 205/55 R16.

Meanwhile the Champiro WT-AX, an asymmetrical high performance winter pattern for passenger car drivers also offers a new full silica compound for maximum wet traction and the lowest fuel consumption possible, alongside a circumferential centre rib for the ultimate in precise stiff handling. But the feature of which GITI is most proud is the innovative asymmetrical sipe design, which ensures better braking and traction on icy and snow covered roads. The Champiro WT-AX is currently available from 14 inches to 17 inches ranging from 215/65 R16 through to 225/45 R17.

All-Terrain and Light Commercial Sectors

GITI Tire is also pressing to make further advances in Europe in the All-Terrain (4×4) and Light Commercial sectors, both of which are important winter market sectors. The GT Radial Savero WT is an All-Terrain pattern incorporating an advanced pitch design with a uni-directional pattern for increased handling in the wet and snow traction, a straight and lateral groove arrangement with multiple sipes, lending the tyre improved self cleaning properties and a specially designed snow compound to enhance ice and snow driving performance. The tyre is available in sizes ranging from 275/60R 17 to 245/75R 16.

The Maxmiler WT is a light truck winter pattern which incorporates a reinforced construction with two steel belts and full nylon protector giving a robust load bearing capacity in all working conditions, a specially designed shoulder profile for increased high speed stability as well as advanced tread and sipe designs that offer a high level of performance on wet, snow and icy road surfaces. The Maxmiler WT is available in sizes ranging from 195/60R 16C through to 205/ R 14C.
Future Developments

GITI are not content to end its development of winter tyres there; the company already has a two additional winter tyre patterns at the research and development stage which are expected to be introduced for the 2009 winter season. The Champiro Winter Pro will offer several progressive features including an advanced full silica compound and an innovative sipe design. The Champiro Winter Pro will initially be available in sizes from 175/65 R 14XL to 205/55 R16 in 65 series.

Finally the Champiro IcePro is an all new comfort high performance symmetrical winter pattern which will present a new studded design for complete grip in arctic-style weather conditions; specially designed stud distribution giving improved grip and reduced noise levels; and a lateral groove pattern design that effectively removes slush and ice from the contact area.

Peter Foulkes, GITI Tire’s European Marketing Manager says that “Winter tyres are an important part of our product portfolio and with the Champiro WT-AX and WT-Plus heading a very impressive range plus new patterns planned for the future. GITI Tire looks set to become one of the leading winter tyre manufacturers in the European market.”