Apollo Launches Ultra-High Performance Vredstein Winter Tire

Apollo Vredestein B.V. used the recent Tire Cologne show to launch its new ultra-high-performance Vredestein winter tire.

Called the Wintrac Pro, the new tire is meant to cater to the growing demand for winter tires in the 17-inch and higher ultra-high-performance segment. Apollo says the new tire delivers outstanding grip while cornering, short stopping distances on wet roads and excellent handling even at high speeds. The Wintrac Pro tire is available in speed rating Y for a large number of sizes, and hence can be used in high performance vehicles as it is suitable for use at speeds of up to 300 km/h.

The tire incorporates resins with high silica in the tread compound to improve is braking and handling on snow and wet surfaces. The tire tread features central grooves and shoulder sipes which are positioned at sharp angles for better handling on snow. The central area has horizontal sipes for better braking and acceleration.

Wintrac Pro has a long and oval-shaped footprint, or contact patch which enhances water evacuation from the tread. This feature improves its performance on wet surfaces and enhances the direct steering response and its behavior while taking corners.

Apollo Vredestein said its goal when developing the tire was to make a tire that not only looked good when it came to the design but was also proven on the ground with extensive tests both in the lab and outdoors. Apollo conducted internal tests which showed impressive results. The Wintrac Pro showed an improvement exceeding 15 per cent in handling on snow and of 10 per cent in wet braking when compared to its predecessor, the Wintrac xtreme S.

The first set of sizes for the Wintrac Pro 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. Currently, the Wintrac Pro is available in 30 out of the 35 planned sizes, and the five remaining sizes are expected to become available soon. The range will be extended to more than 100 sizes later in the manufacturing cycle.