MICHELIN CROSSCLIMATE RANGE EXTENDS INTO LIGHT TRUCK AND VAN WITH MICHELIN AGILIS CROSSCLIMATE TIRE

Michelin is extending its award winning CrossClimate range into light truck and van with the launch of Agilis CrossClimate. It is a summer tire with a complete winter capability, and heralds a new generation of high performance van and light truck tires with no mobility compromises in winter conditions as well as on mud and grass; tires boasting high mileage and low TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), safety in all weathers, robustness and damage resistance.

The new tire is designed and conceived from end-user feedback gathered over the last 10 years, and delivers their two crucial demands – a single tire fitment that delivers all year round mobility in all weather conditions with a robust and damage resistant sidewall. It does this with a rugged tread pattern, made with innovative new rubber compounds and specific new features for sidewall and shoulder protection.

As a consequence of the boom in online shopping, and the large increase in local neighbourhood deliveries and heavy vehicle restrictions in towns, the van and light truck is among the fastest growing vehicle segments for new vehicle sales. Additionally, customer expectation on business owners, craftsmen and fleet managers to ensure allyear round availability of deliveries and services, on time, whatever the weather conditions, saw the All-Season van and light truck tire market increase by 37 percent between 2016 and 2017.

The specification and blueprint given to the Michelin tire designers for the Agilis CrossClimate resulted from five years of feedback from end-users in France, Germany, Turkey and the U.K. Following thousands of qualitative interviews by GMV, an external research institution, the two main factors demanded by users were:

• A single long-life tire, bringing excellent grip, traction and reliability in all seasons, through all weather conditions and on all road surfaces.
• Robustness and damage resistance; particularly in urban environments with frequent impacts with kerbs and other objects.

The 3PMSF marked Agilis CrossClimate tire is certified for use in snow conditions, but still behaves, brakes and lasts like a summer tire on dry roads. This is due to the latest rubber technology; compounds which deliver rubber and tread flexibility, even at freezing temperatures and a multilayer tread area which minimises heat transfer through the tire.

Inspired by the award winning* CrossClimate+ car tire, the tread pattern is V-shaped, and is an innovative combination of high-tech tread blocks. These contain bi-directional self-locking sipes to provide cutting edges which bite into snow and ice; for optimum grip on difficult winter surfaces. This combination of new tread rubber and the V-shaped tread pattern deliver grip in all conditions, but also an increase in tire life which is 35 per cent** more than the average of premium competitors tested.

The increased damage resistance demanded by users is achieved through the addition of 1.5mm deep trapezoidal blocks around the shoulder and upper sidewall. These – and the rubber they use – are features taken from Michelin’s military all-terrain truck tire range and give added protection, without compromising casing flexibility. The Agilis CrossClimate has been developed and rigorously tested in challenging winter conditions by the Michelin winter tire testing team in two European locations, 4,000 kilometres apart. These are Ivalo, high up in the Arctic Circle in Finland and Barcelonnette at 2,715 metres altitude in the Alps – one of the highest roads in Europe. Tested and developed in these challenging conditions, you can be sure that if the new Agilis CrossClimate can survive these tests, then a suitably equipped plumber coming to repair the heating, or delivery driver with that special gift, will be there – right on time!

The Michelin Agilis CrossClimate is not just another all-season tire, it offers all the advantages of a Summer tire in wet braking***, dry braking, longevity and fuel efficiency, and the advantages of a Winter tire in traction and braking*** for customers driving in cold or occasionally snowy conditions.

Audi has selected the Turanza T005, as the premium touring tyre of choice for the new Audi A7 Sportback.
The AO (Audi Original) marked tyre combines a high-silica compound—that incorporates Bridgestone’s own NanoPro-Tech™ polymer—with targeted tread design, offering excellent grip in the wet, while also maximising the lifespan of the tyre and fuel efficiency.

Drivers of the new four-door coupe Audi A7 Sportback will have the full 17”–21” range of Turanza T005 tyres available to them. With this Bridgestone fitment, the new style and dynamic lines of the gran turismo are reflected in a sporty driving experience which puts the driver in control. The tyres enable excellent steering, outstanding response while still maintaining exceptional grip in all conditions.

Furthermore, Bridgestone has incorporated their B-Silent® technology on the 19” to 21” Turanza tyre fitment in order to minimise in-vehicle noise on all road surfaces and increase the comfort for the driver significantly. By integrating an open-cell polyurethane foam element applied to the inner surface of the tyre, this technology works directly to reduce the tyre air cavity resonance produced by the air vibration. This contributes to reduce the vehicle’s cabin noise significantly compared to regular tyres without compromising driving performance and dynamics of the tyre.

Hankook Press Release – 08/02/2018

In addition to the Audi TT RS and the RS 5 Coupé, premium tyre maker Hankook is now also providing original fitment tyres for the new Audi RS 4 Avant. Following the tradition of the first RS model, this has a powerful V6 bi-turbo engine, which now has 600 Nm torque and weighs 80 kg less than its predecessor and is bound to live up to the expectations of spoilt sports car drivers. Permanent all-wheel drive in combination with 19 or 20 inch tyres on all wheels guarantees the necessary traction and power required for accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds. The first vehicles were delivered at the beginning of the year and are hitting the road fitted with 265/35 R 19 98Y XL (standard) or 275/30 R 20 97Y XL (optional) tyres on all wheels, including Hankook Ventus S1 evo² with noise-absorbing “sound absorber®” technology.

Audi Sport GmbH has not only been inspired by motorsport in terms of looks. Every RS model is required to be unrestricted for everyday use as well as for the race track. This applies to the tyres fitted too, which, in addition to the approval tests customary in the branch, also have to complete ten laps of the iconic “Nordschleife” of the Nürburgring at top speed. Hankook original fitment tyres for the Audi RS 4 Avant provide very sporty handling to match the vehicle. Furthermore, Hankook engineers at the company’s German development centre have made sure that comfort and durability have not been neglected despite the focus on high grip and precise handling. Only tyres that master both everyday and sport applications are approved as original fitment tyres by Audi Sport.

During the approval process, Hankook’s flagship tyre was able to demonstrate not only its sportiness, but its durability, comfort and safety too. Short braking distances and an above-average performance in the wet were achieved through the advanced styrene-polymer-silica mixture used for the tread. In addition, the multiple tread radius technology and lightweight rayon carcass always guarantee optimum tread contact for best possible contact with the road during operation. Moreover, the innovative DTM inspired 3-layer block design with its special staircase arrangement of the outer rib blocks thus ensures consistently high grip even as tyre wear progresses, thereby guaranteeing very good traction and braking performance throughout the entire lifetime of the tyre.

Interior noise comfort in particular is further enhanced by Hankook’s own “sound absorber®” technology. This Hankook technology is already being used in the original fitment tyres for the Audi SQ7 and RS 5 Coupé models. The reduction of the loud cavity noise typical of sporty, low aspect ratio tyres at higher speeds was a pivotal aspect and a focal point of the development work to provide a top performing yet pleasant driving experience. The Hankook engineers adapted the company’s own silent tyre technology “sound absorber®” used on powerful, large SUVs to date to their passenger car flagship model, the Ventus S1 evo².

Michelin has confirmed it will be releasing a new addition to their tyre range from January 2018

The Michelin Primacy 4 Tyre- SAFE WHEN NEW, SAFE WHEN WORN

Long-Lasting Performance Optimized Sculpture

Thanks to a safety oriented new pattern design, MICHELIN Primacy 4 maintains a a high level of water clearance even when worn.
Its new sculpture provides +22% of space to evacuate more water.(4)

Latest Generation High Performance Rubber Compound

Thanks to the latest generation high performance rubber compound, MICHELIN Primacy 4 is able to provide an outstanding wet braking performance, when new and even when worn, without compromising tyre longevity.

Innovative treadwear feature

To improve your MICHELIN Primacy 4 experience, a treadwear indicator helps you to identify when your tyres need changing.