Apollo Vredestein BV has a new ultra high performance winter tire for the U.S., Canadian and European markets. The Vredestein Wintrac Pro was unveiled this week at Tire Cologne 2018, which ends June 1.
Apollo Vredestein says the Wintrac Pro answers the growing market demands in the 17-inch and higher ultra-high-performance segment. The new winter tire is designed to offer maximum grip while cornering, short stopping distances on wet roads and great handling even at high speeds.
The Wintrac Pro is designed for performance cars, sedans and sport utility vehicles.
Dealers can order the tire now and schedule delivery from early September through December, based on their market needs.
The Wintrac Pro is launching with 35 sizes this season. Sizes range from 17 inches to 21 inches. Apollo Vredestein says that combined with theWintrac Xtreme S tire, its winter high performance line features over 100 fitments from 15 inches to 22 inches.
The company says that as it expands the range in the Wintrac Pro, it will phase out the same sizes/applications in the Wintrac Xtreme S.
The Wintrac Pro is available in speed rating Y, making it appropriate for use at speeds of up to 300 km/h (186 mph) for a large number of sizes.
New generation of compounds
Apollo Vredestein says the tire heralds a new evolution for in terms of structure and construction, but the biggest innovation is in the use of materials. Patented resin combined with high silica content in the tread compound improves handling and braking on wet, snow and ice.
The tread of the Wintrac Pro also features a new design of the sipes and grooves. Central grooves and shoulder sipes are positioned at sharp angles to ensure to optimize snow handling. Horizontal sipes in the central area maximize braking and acceleration.
The tire's long and oval shaped footprint increases water evacuation from the tread, improving performance on wet surfaces. The round footprint creates a direct steering response and consistent, linear cornering behavior.
The innovations required a long period of simulations as well as extensive laboratory and outdoor winter testing. The company says its internal research showed impressive results, with an improvement of more than 15% in handling on snow and of 10% in wet braking over its already-impressive predecessor the Wintrac xtreme S, and illustrated that the Wintrac Pro is performing at the top of the ultra-high-performance segment.
The selection of the first set of sizes was made based on cars like the brand-new Audi A6, BMW 5-series, Volvo V90, Mercedes C-Class as well as Porsche, Tesla and other premium brands.
The Wintrac Pro is available now in 30 out of the 35 planned sizes, with the other five sizes expected soon. Later on the range will be extended to more than 100 sizes.
For more information on the Wintrac Pro, visit www.vredestein.com.
