Stapleton’s asks: what price safety?

Commenting the quality of car tyres available on the market in general, Stapleton’s representatives quoted a motoring journalist by way of response: “The only point of contact between your car and the road, your tyres, can save your life or end it, whether you’re an average Joe or the star of a Hollywood action franchise.’ Ryan McElroy, Carkeys.co.uk, September 2016.

The point is that if there’s one thing in life that really shouldn’t be a commodity affordable only for the few, it’s safety. Stapleton’s wholesale director Nigel O’Hara wholeheartedly agrees: “Its hardly an exaggeration to say we have motorists’ safety in our hands and that’s a responsibility we and our retail partners take very seriously.”

Continuing, O’Hara added: “…What we certainly can do is make tyres available for every vehicle on the road at every price point, including – and perhaps especially – the most affordable and make sure every one of those tyres delivers value for money without compromise to safety…Not only are we promoting car drivers’ safety by reducing significantly the disincentive of cost – we’re simultaneously growing our market by encouraging motorists to replace tyres sooner.”

For its part Stapleton’s offers all the household name tyre brands – Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Hankook, Pirelli and Michelin et al. However, the range doesn’t end there.

“Everything we aim to achieve is driven by what our customers feed back to us from the ‘front line’ of the market and choice is a recurring theme. If the price of premium offerings is a deterrent to fitting safe and legal passenger car tyres, it’s vital that the retailer can offer a credible yet keenly priced alternative,” Nigel explained. “And that’s where our exclusive house brands manifest. A lot of time and investment has gone into what we see as a stable of pedigrees – and we never stop reviewing, refining and enhancing our offer.”

First up, there’s Nexen, the proud possessor of 20 per cent domestic market share to this day the brand is a long-standing Stapleton’s stalwart largely thanks to the tradition of innovation in tread technology that makes for quiet, stunningly fuel-efficient performance. Nexen’s N’Blue Eco reportedly offers fuel efficiency as well as featuring four wide, optimised grooves to shrug off water, while its asymmetric pattern gets a grip in wet conditions and reduce hydroplaning.

Maxxis is another brand with a pedigree derived from its track record in motorsports. Designed with compact passenger cars in mind, the Mecotra ME3, is described as “undoubtedly a classic of its class”. Using Maxxis’ advanced Nano Science Technology (NST) compound to achieve terrific wet weather grip and low rolling resistance, cuts the risk of aquaplaning with the new 3D sipe technology, which stays open while in contact with the road, while its enhanced contact patch improves handling and performance in wet conditions.

The Matador brand comes with the considerable reassurance of being manufactured by Continental, which is said to make it “consistently popular” with “discerning yet cost-conscious drivers drawn by their 90 years’ worth of knowhow and a great reputation for affordable mid-market quality”. The MP44, whose asymmetrical pattern with stiff circumferential ribs and water-dispersing grooves plus open inside shoulders, covers rim sizes 15 – 16 inches in diameter. Those very same wide grooves also come to the fore in the Matador MP16 which covers rims 13 – 15 inches in diameter.

In addition there is the Event line-up. Leading Event’s range of keenly priced offerings is their Futurum HP – a high performance summer tyre whose unique fashionable-looking tread pattern is designed with today’s generation of cars in mind with excellent water expulsion, great wet and dry handling and a quiet and relaxed drive.

Finally, Riken is another relatively new member of the Stapleton’s fold – and like many of its stablemates it comes with an impressive heritage that’s sure to impress. Produced by one of the leading European tyre manufacturers (Michelin), Riken has been making quality tyres for European markets since 1917. Particularly popular in their passenger car range is the Maystorm 2, whose directional tread patterns with three wide longitudinal grooves offer a safer ride through terrific stability and highly effective water evacuation.

“Across these brands, together with the big household names, we’re delivering a truly comprehensive choice at every price point in an eagerly competitive segment of the market,” concluded Nigel. Not to mention the Key Dealer Programmes associated with most of the exclusive brands, which offer preferential pricing, branded work-wear, and promotional point of sale support.”