Winter Tyres
Test World officially opened additional new indoor test facilities at its Ivalo, Finland operation on 27 March 2019, signalling the culminating of that latest part of a multi-million-euro series of investments in Test World. The recently constructed indoor facilities increase Test World’s capacity for year-round cold weather testing, allowing for simultaneous testing on snow, ice, and wet and dry asphalt, 365 days a year.
Spring is in the air, and perversely this is perfect time to announce a new winter tyre. Nokian Tyres has shared details of the Nokian WR Snowproof, a range it will release in European markets in time for winter 2019/20.
Test World has won the ‘Tire Industry Supplier of the Year’ award at the Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence 2019. According to the company, the win recognises continued investment in Test World, with expanded indoor test facilities due to be officially opened during a ceremony on the 27 March.
On 4 March 2019 the European Union adopted its negotiating position on the introduction of the next phase of its European Tyre Labelling legislation. In short, the EU is updating its rules in order to add information on snow and ice grip and raise the prominence of labels for consumers. At the same time there are plans to broaden the scope of tyre labelling to include wear/mileage performance once suitable testing methods have been found.
Pirelli has premiered its new P Zero Winter at the Geneva Motor Show, along with the Track Adrenaline system, a new ‘Elect’ EV-orientated sidewall marking and an update on its Color Edition tyres as original equipment.
Studded tyres are just a niche market in the UK, but for anyone requiring automotive footwear that’s raring to go when snow and ice builds up, Pirelli has launched a tyre that may do the trick. Called the Ice Zero 2, the studded tyre is aimed at the high value segment.
Bridgestone has launched its newest winter tyre, the Blizzak LM005. Continuing from the LM001 which heralded a new generation of the manufacturer’s cold weather rubber, the Blizzak LM005 features a new tread pattern and the tyre-maker’s new Nano Pro-tech compound. These developments have helped Bridgestone produce a tyre to compare favourably with existing market competitors in snow and ice braking and wet grip, according to tests conducted by independent testing institute TÜV SÜD.
Pirelli’s new Ice Zero 2 studded winter tyre has been introduced in an exclusive preview on the roads of the World Skiing Championships at Are, Sweden, an event for which Pirelli is the main sponsor. Pirelli is also equipping the Audi e-tron cars used by the event organisers, and for featured “ice-driving experiences”, with Ice Zero FR and Ice Zero 2 rubber. The Ice Zero 2 is designed to meet the mobility needs of top of the range cars on Nordic and Russian roads. It will be launched officially on the icy roads of Pirelli’s proving ground at Flurheden in Swedish Lapland.
67 per cent of drivers don’t think winter tyres are worth the investment, according to an online poll conducted by Co-op Insurance on 25 January 2019. The Twitter-based poll received votes from 4,084 individuals and a stream of interesting comments on the subject followed.
X One Wholesale has fitted its fleet of delivery vehicles with Yokohama’s W*Drive WY01 winter tyre. The leading European logistics business, which guarantees its customers timed deliveries no matter the weather conditions, chose the winter tyre to ensure full mobility and safety this winter.
Cooper Tire Europe has become the presenting sponsor to the RallyX on Ice Festival. The festival takes place over three rounds between 18 and 23 March 2019 in Åre, Sweden. The championship will be known as “RallyX on Ice presented by Cooper Tires”.
Audi has selected Bridgestone as its tyre supplier for the release of its first all-electric SUV, the Audi e-tron. The companies agreed a list of characteristics required to highlight the specifications of the new model. The e-tron boasts fast acceleration, high comfort, very low noise, and high levels of safety without dropping performance. Bridgestone will supply six different tyres sized between 19 and 21 inches, four summer and two winter tyres, as original equipment. The manufacturer has emphasised the original equipment channel recently, achieving “more than 120 OE fitments” in EMEA during 2018, a result it labelled its best ever.
Icelandic-American expedition team Expeditions7 when drove from the southern coast of Greenland to the land’s northernmost spot and back. One of the team’s special vehicles built by Arctic Trucks was equipped with Nokian Hakkapeliitta 44 tyres, which are tailored what the Finnish tyre maker calls “real winter”. On the slowest legs of the journey, the vehicles could only manage 10 kilometres per hour and the lowest recorded temperatures were -40 degrees Celsius!
The most challenging driving season is ahead of us, and the arrival of winter makes many of us uneasy about driving. Statistically, inexperienced drivers are many times more likely to have a traffic accident, but even newcomers can enjoy driving when their car and tyres are in good condition.
Scottish Borders Council is readying itself for the winter with a move to fitting Michelin XDW Ice Grip tyres across its fleet of gritters. The decision follows a trial during the challenging weather conditions earlier in 2018, when drivers found Michelin’s full-on winter fitments – typically the preserve of fleets operating in the Nordic markets and parts of mainland Europe which see extreme winter conditions – offered a significant increase in grip compared to those fitted with standard tyres.
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