Mercedes-Benz Helping Customers Get to Grips With Winter Tyres

Mercedes-Benz is endorsing the benefits of cold weather tyres in the UK through a programme to promote the product through its retailers and official workshops. As Mike Belk, managing director for customer service at Mercedes-Benz UK explains, “Mercedes-Benz is committed to safety, and the safety benefits of using the correct tyre in adverse conditions are obvious, with years of evidence available in mainland Europe.” Retailers and workshops are stocking winter tyres for all models in the current Mercedes-Benz and smart range as well as older models.

As you already most likely know, the higher levels of silica utilised in cold weather tyres maintain the rubber compound’s suppleness at temperatures below seven degrees Celsius. The obvious benefits this delivers are paired with winter specific tread patterns to deliver a safer tyre for driving at this time of the year. “In the UK we have had two prolonged periods of severe cold weather in the past 12 months alone, but cold weather tyres don’t only work on snow,” Belk continues. “As their name implies, they give enhanced performance whatever the cold road conditions.  The costs of running cold weather tyres are offset with the additional life given to regular tyres, and indeed can be entirely recouped by if they enable the driver to avoid even one minor icy accident.”

According to TyreSafe, stopping distances from 50mph on a cold wet road are up to six metres shorter for a car using cold weather tyres compared with regular tyres – about the same length as a large family car. In snow, the difference between a cold weather tyre and a standard tyre is even more evident, with stopping distances, braking and cornering performance all dramatically enhanced with the cold weather tyres fitted.  Stopping from just 20mph on an icy road can be improved by 11 metres – around the length of a bus.

Mercedes-Benz reports having some 650 different tyre, and wheel and tyre combinations on offer, and its retailers are able to advise on the options available.  Tyres can be fitted to existing wheels, or complete wheel and tyre packages can be ordered – a narrower tread with higher sidewall option on a bespoke wheel is a popular choice in northern Europe. Prices start from £75 plus VAT and fitting for an A-Class, and £120 plus VAT and fitting for a C-Class.