Vredestein Quatrac 3 Range Extended to Cover SUV Sizes

In the two years since Vredestein released its Quatrac 3, the company reports that the all-season tyre has proven to be “phenomenally successful.” The tyre range has now been extended to include SUV fitments, and these new additions are based upon many of features found in the passenger car range.

The tyre’s extra wide tread, comments Vredestein, ensures an even better road-holding and offers exceptional stability without compromising on comfort. Thanks to the double rayon carcass layer and an exceptionally strong belt, the tyre has a higher load capacity, and the Dutch manufacturer says this makes it “eminently suitable” for heavy SUVs. The asymmetrical, non-directional tread with separate summer and winter sides is designed to deliver safety and comfort in all weather conditions. Handling on both wet and dry road surfaces is another stated strong point for the Quatrac 3 SUV.

According to Vredestein, the Quatrac 3 SUV is an ideal alternative for motorists looking to use the same type of tyre in both the summer and winter seasons. For this reason, the manufacturer expresses confidence it will prove popular in countries without extreme wintry driving conditions. Vredestein calls the Quatrac 3 SUV the perfect all-season tyre for “flat and hilly areas with a mild climate” at all times of the year.

A striking visual detail of the Quatrac 3, and a completely new feature for Vredestein’s all-season tyres, is its asymmetrical design and non-directional tread. The Quatrac 3 is the first all-season tyre from Vredestein with a tread design that features distinctive summer and winter sections, separated from each other by three longitudinal grooves.

The summer side of the Quatrac 3 is located in the outermost part of the tread. The lower air ratio and smaller number of sipes provide the Quatrac 3 with more rubber and less air in the tread. Combined with the high rigidity of the tread blocks, this is intended to ensure the best possible contact with the road surface. Moreover, the extra quantity of rubber on the outer shoulder and rigid tread blocks mean the tyre responds alertly to steering reactions on dry and wet surfaces. The Quatrac 3’s inner section features an open tread structure with undulating sipes, which provide extra traction on snowy surfaces in winter conditions. This part of the tread is said to have a high discharge capacity that prevents snow from becoming stuck in the tread and ensures grip remains optimal.

The summer and winter sides of the new Vredestein Quatrac 3 are optically separated from each other by three clear grooves centrally located in the tyre in a longitudinal direction. These grooves are also responsible for the fast discharge of large volumes of water on wet surfaces, reducing the risk of aquaplaning. Combined with the lateral grooves, they ensure that water is efficiently and quickly led away from the contact surface. Water discharge is further stimulated by the combination of the tyre’s construction and contours.

In order to deliver a tyre with grip and performance on dry, wet and snow-covered roads, Vredestein has developed a new rubber compound for the Quatrac 3. For a four-season tyre like the Quatrac 3, the manufacturer notes, the rubber composition must be softer than a summer tyre yet at the same time harder than the soft rubber used in winter tyres. Vredestein believes the Quatrac 3 shows it has succeeded in uniting these contrasts in a new compound. Furthermore, the compound is entirely free of harmful PCA oils.

Ten new sizes join the Quatrac 3 range; these cover 16 to 18-inch rim diameters and are available in H and V speed ratings.