Which? winter tyre test wear rating “key” for customers – Michelin

Michelin’s product marketing manager, Steve Dolby has said that Which? magazine’s winter tyre tests – in which the manufacturer’s Alpin A4 and Primacy Alpin PA3 cold weather tyres were awarded “best buy” ratings – will help to raise awareness amongst consumers and educate them about the benefits of fitting cold weather tyres during the winter months.“There has been considerable interest from UK consumers in cold weather tyres this year,” Dolby said, “and sales so far are estimated to be more than half a million tyres – up nearly 50 per cent over the same period last year.”

Which? described the Alpin A4 as “performing well across the board” whilst the Primacy Alpin PA3 demonstrated “Michelin’s strength in designing tyres that wear as well as the best in the class”, according to the magazine’s tests.

Dolby added: “Both the Michelin Alpin A4 and Michelin Primacy Alpin tyres provide an excellent balance of performance, which has contributed to their success in the Which? tests. The performance of these products can be put down to the enormous effort we make in the design and manufacture of our tyres, with more than 6,000 people dedicated to research and development in the Company.

“The tyres also received the top 5 star Which? rating in wear performance, which is a key area for consumers as this can affect how many winters the tyres can be used for. This could eventually impact on motorists budgets as tyres which wear quickly will need to be replaced earlier than longer lasting tyres.”

Cold weather tyres only represent around two per cent of total UK tyre sales, still much lower than many other European countries, in which legal requirements or whiter winters are a greater concern. Dolby also commented on continuing growth this winter, despite conditions that have yet to show the ferocity of previous winters: “Although these figures may still seem small, this is impressive growth given that the weather conditions, usually the main trigger for sales, have been relatively mild up to this point.”

Michelin recommends that drivers use cold weather tyres in the UK during the winter months from October to March. The manufacturer offers a range of cold weather tyres to suit all types of vehicles: the Alpin for city cars, MPVs and family cars, the Pilot Alpin for high performance and sports vehicles; the Michelin Latitude Alpin for 4×4 vehicles, and the Agilis Alpin for utility vehicles and vans.

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• Online retailer sees UK winter tyre sales “comparable to Denmark”