SPECIAL SECTION

2010-2011 Winter Tires

Believe it or not, it’s already time to talk about winter tires for the upcoming season. We, at Tire News, obviously know that it’s not even winter yet—in fact, autumn has just begun! But, as you know, “tire bookings” are just around the corner…

For most of Canada, winter 2009-2010 wasn’t as bad as the two previous ones. Granted, some parts of the country went through a “snow hell,” but the better part had a very mild winter. However… who knows what Mother Nature has in store for us next year? Unfortunately, consumers can be as unpredictable as Mother Nature herself. Some might back off, thinking that next winter will be as mild this one. Thankfully, there are others, safety conscientious people, who will look for the best products tire manufacturers have to offer.

But, because of Mother Nature’s shifty ways, being well prepared is never a bad decision. Consequently, here is a rundown on what most major manufacturers have to offer for the upcoming cold season. You can tell your customers that you are ready!

BFGoodrich

Winter Slalom KSI

American brand BFGoodrich—a member of the Michelin family—is back in 2010-2011 with a very popular product, the now legendary Winter Slalom KSI (Key Snow & Ice). BFG offers a large array of products at a very reasonable price in 36 sizes. It now features the ETEC System (Equal Tension Containment), which will assure a maximum contact of its footprint on the ground, at no matter what speed. This tire is available for 14- to 17-inch wheels in the 75 to 50 series with an S speed rating.

Blizzak WS-70	Blizzak DM-V1	Blizzak LM-60

Bridgestone

Bridgestone’s star tire, the now legendary Blizzak, has climbed another notch to become the WS-70. It now includes a proprietary NanoPro-Tech rubber compound for snow and ice, improved water drainage with wider air bubble channels compared to the WS-60, new 3D sipes for improved ice and snow performance with improved block stiffness, and four main grooves for drainage and slush. The WS-70 will be available in 35 T speed rated 15- to 18-inch sizes in the 70 to 45 aspect ratios in July. Please note that the WS-60 will still remain available in 19 popular sizes.

Bridgestone will also offer the Blizzak DM-V1 winter tire for light trucks and SUVs in 35 sizes for 15- to 22-inch wheels, all with an R speed rating and Multi-cell and NanoPro Tech rubber technologies. Bridgestone is also bringing back the Blizzak LM-60 performance tire for sporty vehicles and it will be available in 34 sizes for 17- to 20-inch wheels. All LM-60 tires have an H speed rating.

Continental

German tire manufacturer Continental is now well established in North America. It also uses some of its well-known technologies for its winter tires, including the all-new ExtremeWinterContact. This high performance tire is available in more than 40 sizes for just about every light vehicle on the market for wheels from 13 to 17 inches, including light trucks in the 2500 category. Speed ratings include Q and T.

In addition, Continental is now offering a new specific tire within its large array of tires, the ContiWinterContact TS830P, which features control under extreme braking manoeuvres. It is recognizable by its high block rigidity in the tread pattern centre, combined with a high number of sipes. The TS830P is offered in 15 sizes for 16- and 17-inch wheels with H and V speed ratings in the 55 to 45 ratios.

Weather-Master S/T2	Weather-Master WSC	Discoverer M+S

Cooper

American tire manufacturer Cooper is back in 2010-2011 with three major products: the Weather-Master S/T2, the Weather-Master WSC, and the Discoverer M+S. The Weather-Master S/T2 is Cooper’s premium studdable winter passenger tire available in an extensive size coverage in a broad assortment of 80 to 45 series. The 80, 75, and 70 are S speed rated, while the 65 to 45 series are T speed rated. The Weather-Master S/T2 has new stud pinholes for better retention. There are even more holes and the stud size is moulded into the sidewall for easy reference.

The Weather-Master WSC is a completely new Cooper winter tire with directional design and high silica tread compound; it is studdable. The tire was developed for SUVs, CUVs, and light pick-up trucks but it still fits many passenger car applications. Micro-gauge sipes offer better biting edges for traction in the snow; as for ice, there are 12 rows of studs for 132 (optional) studs. There are also eight half-worn indicators. This new Cooper product will be offered in ten T speed rated sizes for 16- to 18-inch wheels.

Finally, the well-known Discoverer M+S with its patented “snow groove” design technology with biting edges for excellent snow and ice traction will be back. The Discoverer M+S is being offered in 14 to 20-inch SUV sizes and 15- to 18-inch truck sizes.

Graspic DS-3

Dunlop

This is the Dunlop Graspic DS-3’s second season. This popular tire features a premium silica-based glass fibre tread that helps the tread remain soft at lower temperatures and Miura-shaped siping (tri-dimensional) that enhance tread block stiffness to help better steering feel and even tread wear. The Dunlop Graspic DS-3 is available in 35 sizes for 13- to 18-inch wheels.

Eurowinter HS439	WildPeak A/T

Falken

Japanese tire manufacturer Falken Tires took the world by surprise last year by introducing its first ever winter tire, the Eurowinter HS439. Mostly specialized in making custom wheels, Falken has been pretty busy developing its own line of passenger tires. The Eurowinter HS439 is a directional tire with large grooves in its silica compound treadwear. Available in close to 40 sizes, the Eurowinter is offered for 13- to 19-inch wheels.

In addition, Falken recently introduced a specific tire for light trucks and SUVs, the WildPeak A/T, an all-season, all-purpose tire with a symmetric five-rib pattern and rigid block tread design. Though intended for off-road use, it can also be suggested to light truck owners including LT metric sizes with choices of 15- to 20-inch wheel diameters.

Altimax Arctic

General Tire

Since the introduction of its Altimax Arctic line of tires, General Tire has created itself a unique place in the winter tire segment. Last year, General Tire, a subsidiary of Continental Tire, introduced many more sizes in its catalogue. Using a unique Quad-tech technology, this winter tire assures great handling and traction on snow and ice covered surfaces. The Altimax Arctic has directional pattern with centre stability rib and all-weather natural rubber and silica tread compound. The Altimax Arctic is available in more than 50 sizes for 13- to 17-inch wheels including quite a few LT light truck sizes. All have a Q speed rating.

Ultra Grip Ice WRT

Goodyear

American tire manufacturer Goodyear is well known in the winter tire segment—it has served North American customers for decades. One of its best known brands of winter tires still is the Ultra Grip family of tires and for the upcoming season, it will offer a new winter tire for light trucks, the Ultra Grip Ice WRT, which is aimed at light trucks and SUVs including 250-2500 series pick-ups. It will be available in 16 popular sizes for 16- to 18-inch wheels, including six LT sizes with E load range indexes.

Icebear W300	Winter i*Pike	i*Pike Rw11

Hankook

Korean tire manufacturer Hankook has long been recognized for its great winter tires. Among its star products are the Icebear W300, the studdable Winter i*Pike, and the truck oriented i*Pike Rw11. The W300 is a studless winter high performance tire with asymmetrical pattern design with multiple thin sipes and outer longitudinal rib blocks for better breaking and cornering. It will be available in some 55 sizes for 15- to 18-inch wheels in the 65 to 35 aspect ratios with H, T, and V speed ratings. The Winter i*Pike is Hankook’s studdable winter performance tire and it is recognizable by its V-shaped tread design. Offered in S and T speed ratings, this tire is available in 56 sizes for 13- to 18-inch wheels.

Finally, Hankook’s i*Pike Rw11 has all-new specifications. Available in Q and T speed ratings, this tire is specifically designed for SUVs and light trucks. Larger than the existing product, the newer Rw11 is offered in 37 sizes out of which 25 are P-Metric and 12 are LT-Metric, which were non-existent before. They even include a stone ejection design. In their P-Metric form, they are available for 16- to 20-inch wheels in the 70 to 55 series, all with a T speed rating, while the LT-Metric series include 15- to 20-inch sizes in the 85 to 65 aspect ratios with the first two sizes in the C load index while the rest have an E load index.

INF-049 Winter

Infinity

Infinity Tyres is new to our market. This company belongs to the Al Dobowi Group in Dubai and has its tires made by Shandon Linglong in China. It offers many types of tires including passenger, light truck, bus and truck, OTR, agricultural, and industrial tires including solid tires. Its newest winter tire is the INF-049 Winter, a product that already has good reviews in Europe. This year, it is available in 26 sizes with S, T, and H speed ratings to fit a wide array of popular cars. The INF-049 has an asymmetric design and, according to the manufacturer, it is intended to offer excellent traction in all weather conditions while still running smooth and quiet. All INF-049s contain silica based tread compound for what the manufacturer calls IGP, Infinite Gripping Performance. It is offered at an affordable price.

Kumho

I’ZEN WIS KW19	I’ZEN KW23	iI’ZEN KW27

Korean tire manufacturer Kumho has quite a few new interesting products for the upcoming winter season. Among them is a new I’ZEN KW23 winter tire, which is easily recognizable by its lateral groove design for self cleaning and improved snow driving. Its stud pinholes are randomly placed in order to reduce noise. The I’ZEN KW23 will be available in 36 sizes for 13- to 17-inch wheels with Q, T, H, and V speed ratings. The same tire is also available as a run-flat in 13 sizes for 16- to 18-inch wheels.

The other new product by Kumho is the I’ZEN KW27, a SUV tire with an aggressive asymmetric pattern. Designed for winter use, this tire offers wide lateral grooves for snow traction and multiple sipes for snow and ice braking. It will be available in 37 sizes for 15- to 19-inch wheels.

In addition, Kumho still markets its successful I’ZEN WIS KW19 winter tire. This traditional passenger car tire features optimized lateral grooves for better self cleaning and snow driving, and random stud holes for a quieter ride. The I’ZEN KW19 is available in 33 sizes for 14- to 18-inch wheels.

4-ICE	Meteo Grip E+

Marangoni

Italian manufacturer Marangoni is bringing back its classics again for the upcoming cold season. Among them are consumer favourites, the 4-ICE and the Meteo Grip E+. The 4-ICE features the SPE (Solid Particules Encapsulation) technology to help in winter driving. Its blocks include the dovetail siping system with 25% more sipes for better performance on snow and ice. Bloc sequences and stud positioning are random, for a quieter ride.

The Meteo Grip E+ also includes the SPE technology and a directional tread design with randomly placed pin holes. The E in its name indicates that it is environmentally-friendly and helps reduce fuel consumption.

X-Ice Xi2	Latitude X-Ice Xi2	iLTX Winter

Michelin

French manufacturer Michelin has always been a big player in the winter tire segment, so it should come as no surprise that it is back for the 2010-2011 with both well-known products and many new models. Michelin is bringing back its X-Ice Xi2, which is available in a wide array of sizes for 14- to 19-inch wheels in the 65 to 45 aspect ratios.

In addition, Michelin is very aware that many consumers are choosing crossover SUVs that can be equipped with bigger wheels and tires. For them and most SUV and light truck owners, the manufacturer is offering more sizes for its popular Latitude X-Ice Xi2 truck tire. Now available in nine sizes (seven of them made in Michelin’s Nova Scotia plant), this tire will provide, according to its manufacturer, powerful grip under acceleration and braking, and its 3D sipes’ locking and pumping technology gives it stability in winter driving. Add to that Michelin’s Comfort Control for a smooth, quiet, vibration-free ride.

Finally, Michelin reports that it now offers a new winter tire for larger pick-up trucks and vans, the Michelin LTX Winter. It includes many of Michelin’s advanced technologies but mostly new dynamic 3-D Active Sipes that feature more than 1,000 gripping edges, a maximized contact patch, and the manufacturer’s MaxTouch Construction.

SV-1	SW-5	S-600

Nankang

Nankang is a Taiwanese tire manufacturer that offers advanced winter tires to the Canadian market for the 2010-2011 season, the SV-1 and the SW-5. Showing a sophisticated tread design, compound and construction, they are offered at very reasonable prices in a wide range of sizes for 14- to 18-inch wheels in the 65 to 40 aspect ratios at T and H speed ratings.

Nankang also offers the S-600, a tire with a more traditional aggressive winter tread pattern but with variable pitch tread geometry to keep it quiet. Also very reasonably priced, this tire is available in 14- and 15-inch sizes with 70 to 60 aspect ratios with T and H speed ratings.

Winguard Sport	Euro win	Winguard SUV

Nexen

Nexen is another South Korean tire manufacturer that is slowly making its way onto the Canadian market. For the upcoming winter, it has three products to offer: the all new Winguard Sport, the Euro win, and the Winguard SUV.

The V-speed rated Winguard Sport features rounded shoulders, fine sipeing, and multi angle tread blocks that allow it to bend a high degree of dry surface performance stability with plenty traction on snow and ice. Designed for performance coupes and sedans, it is available for 16-, 17-, and 18-inch wheels in the 55 to 40 aspect ratios.

The Euro win is like the Winguard Sport’s little brother, delivering a mix of performance and handling on dry roads and grip when the weather turns bad. It is available for 13- to 16-inch wheels in the 70 to 55 aspect ratios in T and H speed ratings. It’s the kind of tire that will fit sporty compact and midsized sedans.
The Winguard SUV is very easy to describe—it’s the Winguard for light trucks, SUVs, and crossover SUVs. It is available for 15- to 18-inch wheels in the 55 to 40 aspect ratios and T, H, and V speed ratings.

Hakkapeliitta 5

Nokian

Winter has never frightened Finnish manufacturer Nokian; its engineers are always looking for a better solution for more grip. While there is a Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 new generation tire that has shyly showed up on some select European markets, this product won’t make it to North America for the 2010-2011 season… at least not before some adjustments are made for our market’s needs. Consequently, Nokian’s famous Hakkapeliitta 5 will remain the most important product the Finnish manufacturer will offer in Canada in its regular or studded version. For light truck owners, Nokian also has the Hakka LT available with C, D and E load index.

Winter Icecontrol

Pirelli

Though it already has many great winter tires in its catalogue, Italian manufacturer Pirelli is introducing yet another new tire, the Winter Icecontrol. Available in 28 sizes for 14- to 17-inch wheels, all with a W speed rating, the new Icecontrol is a completely new product, starting with an all-new casing that meets the 2012 European Union regulations. It will be recognizable by its new tread design featuring semi block arrows, different shape of zig-zag siping and the addition of thinner sipes. The square shoulders are made to improve the contact area. It also features an all-new Silica 7 compound, improved rolling resistance, Aromatic Oil Free construction, and noise reduction.

Open Country WLT1	Observe G-02 plus	Observe Garit KX

Toyo

Japanese manufacturer Toyo is preparing for yet another big winter season in 2010-2011, as it is introducing a new light truck winter tire, the Open Country WLT1. Like many tire manufacturers, Toyo is aware that light trucks, including light commercial vehicles, also need appropriate winter tires. The 10-ply WLT1 is available in some 15 sizes for 16- to 20-inch wheels with an E load range.

In addition, Toyo is bringing back some of the best winter tires on the market, including the very popular Observe G-02 plus, a passenger tire designed for severe winter conditions for most cars and light trucks featuring Microbit Technology with ground walnut shells combined to the tread compound. It is available in 55 sizes for 13- to 20-inch wheels in the 70 to 50 aspect ratios.

Toyo’s other star tire is the Observe Garit KX, an H speed rated unidirectional winter performance tire for luxury and sports cars that also includes Microbit Technology. This tire is available in 25 sizes for 15- to 19-inch wheels in the 55 to 40 aspect ratios.

Tiger Paw Ice & Snow II

Uniroyal

Uniroyal belongs to the Michelin family and it announces a new generation of winter tires, the studdable Tiger Paw Ice & Snow II that features a state of the art polymer technology that keeps its molecular grip and compound flexibility. It also features a Durashield construction for a quieter ride and multiples deep sipes to help road grip. Uniroyal’s engineers designed a treadwear optimised by computer to reduce the growling sound of the tire.

Arctrac	Snowtrac 3	Wintrac Xtreme

Vredestein

Dutch tire maker Vredestein has great winter products to offer, such as the Icetrac, the Snowtrac 2 and 3, and the Wintrac Xtreme and 4Xtreme, all designed by Italian artist Giugiaro. Add to that the most recent Arctrac offered for passenger cars and its light truck equivalent, the Arctrac SUV. The Arctrac shows angular 3D shoulders with stepped inner surface of its grooves for additional diagonal grip and stability in snow. It comes with intelligent stud distribution (yes, it’s a studdable tire). The Arctrac is available for 13- to 17-inch wheels in the 70 to 45 aspect ratios, all with Q- and T-speed ratings. In its truck version, the Arctrac SUV comes in eight sizes for 16- to 18-inch wheels in the 70 to 55 aspect ratios. All have a T speed rating.

SW602

Westlake

Westlake is an increasingly popular brand from China and with time, it shows that Chinese manufacturers are stepping up their quality and performance. Westlake tires will be marketed as SW601 and SW602 models. The SW601 will be recognizable by the completely asymmetric design of its treadwear while the SW602 will show a directional tread design with swooping water channels. The SW601 will share some of its sizes with the Goodride brand and will be available in 16 sizes for 14- to 17-inch wheels in the 65 to 45 aspect ratios while the SW602 will come in 14 sizes for 13- to 17-inch wheels in the 70 to 45 aspect ratios with T and H speed ratings.

IG20	Geolandar I/T G072	W.drive

Yokohama

Japanese manufacturer Yokohama has three winter tires in its catalogue for the 2010-2011 season: the IG20, the Geolandar I/T G072 and the W.drive. The IG20 uses two technologies to eliminate water, shelled microbubble to absorb micro amounts of water on the ice surface, and absorptive carbon flakes that even absorb water. This well-known product is available in more than 50 sizes for 13- to 18-icnch wheels in the 80 to 40 aspect ratios.


In addition, for light trucks Yokohama offers its Geolandar I/T G072 that includes the same features as the IG20 mentioned above. Add to that directional tread design and V-reverse shaped blocks for better wet traction. It comes in 36 sizes for 15- to 20-inch wheels including a few LT models with a C load index.

Finally, the third model offered by Yokohama is the W.drive, a high-performance model with a new compound that adapts to a wide range of temperatures. Polyhedral 3D sipes help maintain block stiffness while the asymmetric design helps high performance in dry, wet, and snowy conditions. The W.drive comes in 12 sizes—eight reinforced models for 16- and 17-inch wheels in the 55 and 50 aspect ratios and four for 18-inch wheels in the 50 to 40 ratios. All W.drive tires have a V speed rating.