General Tire launches two new winter tyres

Hanover, November 2016. General Tire has expanded its range of winter tyres for cars and SUVs in Europe. There are now five different models available. The two new arrivals, the Grabber Arctic for SUVs and the Altimax Arctic 12 for cars, are fitted with studs and destined for use in Scandinavia. The Altimax Nordic soft compound tyre is another specialist for the High North. Even without studs it offers a high level of safety when driving in wintry Scandinavian conditions. The Snow Grabber for SUVs and the Altimax Winter Plus for cars are designed for driving in Central European winters. In addition to the M+S identifier, General Tire’s winter specialists also bear the snowflake symbol which can only be displayed on winter tyres that have proven their suitability in a special test.

Two new winter tyres for use in Scandinavia

Grabber Arctic – the new SUV tyre for extreme winters

The new studded Grabber Arctic was developed for maximum safety in Arctic road conditions. That includes safe braking on ice and short braking distances on snow, while the tyre development team also focused on delivering quiet running, with the accompanying increase in comfort. For short braking distances on the icy roads that are the norm in Scandinavian winters, a special stud was designed to ensure optimum grip on icy road surfaces, while offering precise lateral guidance. The even shorter braking distances on snow-covered roads than with the predecessor model are facilitated by a large number of block edges and sipes between the tyre shoulder and the centre of the tread. With its specially designed sipes the tyre can take up large amounts of snow, making for greater traction with the road surface. As a result, the tyre delivers a high level of grip which means short braking distances and good traction when moving off and accelerating. To ensure superior comfort, a computer-optimized method was used to distribute the studs over the tread surface; by preventing frequency peaks, they satisfy even Finland’s strict standards for noise emissions. The Grabber Arctic is available for 15, 16 and 17-inch rims suitable for fitting on SUVs and 4x4 models; all tyres are approved for speeds of up to 190 km/h.

Altimax Arctic 12 – the new winter car tyre for Scandinavian conditions

With the new Altimax Arctic 12, General Tire has added another cold-weather specialist to its range for use in the High North. Its studs provide this car tyre with excellent traction on ice while at the same time delivering good grip for short braking distances. To provide even better traction on snowy surfaces, the tyre developers have arranged a large number of block edges and sipes over the full width of the patch. As a result, the tyre can interlock effectively with snow-covered roads, put down more power when moving off, and transfer higher braking forces. The special distribution of studs on the tread blocks offers not only safe, high grip but also very low, comfortable tyre/road noise. The Altimax Arctic 12 is produced in 20 sizes for 13 to 17-inch rims and is approved for speeds of up to 190 km/h.

Snow Grabber, Altimax Winter Plus and Eurovan Winter – ideal for Central European winters

Snow Grabber – the winter specialist for SUVs

The Snow Grabber was developed to meet the requirements of modern SUVs from European and Asian manufacturers. This means that there are extra load models with greater load-carrying capacity and that the higher centre of gravity of SUVs was taken into account when the tyres were developed. The Snow Grabber is designed for maximum safety in wintry driving conditions and combines good lateral guidance with top-class traction. As a result, it delivers precision handling and short braking distances, not to mention real driving pleasure on snow, in gentle off-road terrain and on icy slopes. In addition to the standard tyre, there is also a studdable version and General Tire produces a total of 26 sizes. The Snow Grabber is manufactured for 15 to 19-inch rims with aspect ratios between 70 and 50 percent, and widths from 205 to 255 millimetres. Depending on their size, the tyres are approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h.

Altimax Winter Plus – the winter all-rounder

The Altimax Plus is an all-round tyre for winter use on subcompact to mid-range cars. The sinusoidal sipes on its tread blocks yield a large number of biting edges while the circumferential and lateral grooves make for extra grip in wintry conditions. At the same time they also ensure rapid water evacuation from the contact patch. This winter tyre is available in 24 sizes for 13 to 17-inch rims with aspect ratios between 80 and 45 percent, and tyre widths from 155 to 225 millimetres. Depending on the version, Altimax Winter Plus tyres are approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h.

Eurovan Winter – the cold-weather specialist for vans

With the Eurovan Winter, General Tire’s range has the right winter tyres for vans and light commercial vehicles. Its powerful block tread pattern with a large number of sipes offers good traction and safe braking on snow-covered roads. On wet surfaces, the tread provides wide, deep grooves for faster displacement of water from under the contact patch – this makes for greater aquaplaning resistance both when travelling in a straight line and when cornering. The sturdy blocks on the tyre shoulder, which transfer braking forces effectively even on cold asphalt, ensure safety when braking on dry roads. This van and light commercial vehicle tyre is available for 14 to 16-inch rims in widths from 185 to 235 millimetres. Depending on size, the tyres are approved for speeds of up to 190 km/h.

Altimax Nordic – the soft compound tyre for Scandinavia

The tried-and-tested Altimax Nordic with its soft compound that stays particularly flexible in the cold is suitable for driving in Scandinavia, Russia and the Baltic States. It safely transfers the dynamic driving forces to snow-covered and icy roads even at low temperatures; its asymmetrical tread pattern with a large number of sipes and block edges makes for high traction, short braking distances and precise directional stability. The Altimax Nordic is designed for subcompact to mid-range cars. Two sizes in the 12-item range are also suitable for fitting on light commercial vehicles. General Tire manufactures these winter tyres for 14 to 17-inch rims with aspect ratios between 65 and 45 percent and in widths from 175 to 225 millimetres. Depending on size, the Altimax Nordic is approved for speeds of up to 190 km/h.