New General Tires Offer UHP Precision and All-Terrain Toughness

Feb. 7, 2018

The General brand from Continental Tire the Americas LLC is making a big splash in early 2018 with two new products – its first designed for the ultra-high performance summer tire segment, and an update to the brand’s benchmark all-terrain tire.

The UHP tire, the G-Max RS, is available as of Feb. 1 in 50 sizes for wheels with 16- to 20-inch diameters.

The all-terrain tire, the Grabber A/TX, launches March 1 with options for both raised white lettering and a black sidewall.

G-Max RS Travis Roffler, director of marketing, says the G-Max RS is made for enthusiasts and designed to round out the General line. It’s the first time in his dozen years with the company that General has offered a UHP summer tire.

The tire features:

Stabili Tread technology, which provides a larger footprint and optimized pattern stiffness to promote even wear.

Smart Grip technology offers a strong center rib for crisp steering response. The stable shoulder blocks provide grip, and the tire’s silica-rich summer compound and directional tread grooves ensure wet grip.

Smart Monitor technology is a visual indicator to help drivers know when it’s time to replace the tire. The words “Replacement Tire Monitor” are visible on the tire’s center rib. When the tire wears to 2/32 of tread depth, the indicator transforms to read “Replace tire.”

Roffler says, “We really believe this tire is going to set a new benchmark in value Tier 2 summer UHP (tires).”

Continental is lining up the G-Max RS against these competitive tires; the BFGoodrich G-Force Sport Comp-2, the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 and the Hankook V12 Evo2. It tested the G-Max RS against those three other tires and results showed the General tire matched the best of the others in dry handling and noise and comfort standards. But the G-Max RS really stood out in wet braking and tread life.

“In tread life we were shocked at the results of how good we are and how much the competitors gave up," Roffler says.

Grabber A/TX The Grabber A/TX is an aggressive all-terrain tire designed for off-road capabilities and durability, and a balance of on-road performance. The tire replaces the Grabber A/T2.

Roffler says the company listened to dealers when designing the tire and made sure it included the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol. The tire is also studdable.

“The design provides confidence to the consumer who requires a year-round solution for all weather conditions.”

Roffler says the company didn’t make sweeping changes from the A/T2, but the blocks on the Grabber A/TX are a little bigger. “We just improved upon it,” he says of the preceding tire.

The Grabber A/TX features an aggressive and bold style, and solid white lettering is available in 27 key sizes. Its DuraGen technology provides long, even wear with cut and chip resistance. Traction notches offer additional grip in dirt and snow, or any loose surface, while stone bumpers help release stones and debris. Comfort Balance technology is a tread cushioning system with an acoustic tread pattern that provides a more comfortable, quiet ride on the road. The tire maker’s Stabil Tread technology promises a larger footprint and optimized pattern stiffness to promote even wear and long tread life.

The Grabber A/TX will be available in 40 sizes total: 27 LT-metric sizes ranging from 15- to 20-inch diameters; 10 flotation sizes ranging from 14- to 20-inch diameters; and three metric sizes for 16- to 20-inch wheels in widths up to 305mm. Overall, there are 11 new sizes that weren’t available in the Grabber A/T2 lineup.

The Grabber A/TX and Grabber APT are meant to complement each other. The new A/TX is a bold, aggressive design for all-terrain enthusiasts in Jeeps and work trucks, while the Grabber APT is more of an all-purpose tire with modern styling for large crossovers, SUVs and pickups.

For more information, visit www.generaltire.com.