Van-motorhome sector well catered for by Michelin Agilis range

Michelin produces an extensive selection of van tyres catering for the latest generation of vans and motorhomes. These include the updated Agilis range, which when originally launched was the first range of tyres designed specifically for vans.

Agilis 41/51

The Michelin Agilis 41 and 51 for light vans are designed to offer van drivers all the qualities of a car tyre – qualities that Michelin notes include excellent levels of comfort to help reduce driver fatigue through their smooth and quiet ride, and a car tyre level of handling to ensure safety in difficult road and traffic conditions.  The manufacturer adds that the choice of tread compound and the reinforced radial casing design used in the Agilis 41 and 51 offer a long service life and resistance to damage.

Agilis

The latest Michelin Agilis range, first introduced in 2008, is designed for utility vehicles and vans above 2.8 tonnes GVW. This heavy-duty range features a robust, damage resistant construction. In this second-generation version of the Agilis, Michelin’s designers built upon the predecessor’s strengths in durability by focusing on minimising the effects of sidewall kerbing in urban environments. The result is eight sidewall anti-curbing shields in the sidewall of each tyre. According to Michelin, these kerbing protectors “ensure further resistance to damage and shrug-off the rigours of urban delivery rounds.” The tyre maker adds that hard-wearing tread compounds in the Agilis offer very high mileage potential and computer designed tread patterns provide grip and traction in difficult conditions.

To help operators reduce costs, all tyres in the Agilis range are ‘Green X’ marked, denoting their increased operational economy in comparison with their predecessors. Michelin adds that they also offer up to 30 per cent longer life than the original Agilis range due to Michelin’s Durable Contact Patch technology, an innovation transferred from the company’s truck tyres.

Agilis Alpin

Introduced for the 2009/10 winter season, the Michelin Agilis Alpin was designed to provide professional users with a utility vehicle tyre that makes driving safer and easier even in challenging road conditions. To accomplish this, Michelin’s research teams designed a tyre that delivers enhanced performance in three key areas: safety, longevity and robustness. With the Agilis Alpin, Michelin has achieved unrivalled results in all three areas, thereby reducing the impact of winter conditions on professional road users’ operations.

In regards to safety, the Michelin Agilis Alpin shortens braking distances on wet and icy roads by nearly two metres while improving traction on snow by 25 per cent compared with its predecessor, the Michelin Agilis 81 Snow Ice. The manufacturer credits this improvement to tread’s snow evacuation qualities plus the use of StabiliGrip three-dimensional sipes. In addition to safety benefits, Michelin reports the Agilis Alpin delivers 20 per cent more mileage than the Agilis 81 Snow Ice thanks to the use of an abrasion-resistant rubber. Last but not least, the Agilis Alpin has highly abrasion-resistant sidewalls to help resist kerbing damage and wear.

Michelin Agilis Camping

The Michelin Agilis Camping is a tyre designed specifically for camper vans and motorhomes. Its heavily reinforced construction with two casing plies allows it to carry heavy loads and be run at higher inflation pressures.  A deep tread design with 30 per cent more sipes and 20 per cent more grooves than the Agilis van tyres means the tyres are suitable for all-season driving, and this is combined with reinforced kerbing protectors to optimise durability and longevity. The Agilis Camping is available in six sizes and all are M+S and ‘Green X’ marked.