Goodyear

The Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 3 non-studded winter tyre got two wins and two second-place finishes in four Nordic winter tyre tests. The tyre, made for Nordic conditions, won two Finnish tests from magazines Moottori and Tekniikan Maailma, and claimed second place in the tests conducted by Swedish magazines Vi Bilägare and Teknikens Värld. In the latter title, Goodyear’s studded UltraGrip Arctic 2 and non-studded UltraGrip Performance 3 were also crowned Best in Test in the studded and Middle European friction tyre categories.

Goodyear has launched the new Wrangler Duratec RT in Europe, continuing a global rollout that saw the tyre released in Australia earlier this year. The tyre is billed as the manufacturer’s premium 4x4 tyre, engineered for a 50/50 split between on and off-road applications. Launching the tyre in Europe, Goodyear tells the market the Wrangler Duratrac RT is offers a significant step forward in technology and performance compared to its predecessor, which was named the Wrangler Duratrac. Having made the tyre available in “many demanding global markets,” Goodyear adds that the tyre’s original run of European sizes will be joined by more in the fourth quarter of 2023, with dimensions for rim 15-19” rims, making a total of 15 sizes by the end of the year.

France’s best-selling car is also a vehicle that has sold over 1.1 million units in the UK during the last 33 years. Renault has now facelifted the fifth-generation Clio to give it a “bold, fresh style and added sportiness.” The freshened model is available in the UK in three trim levels, Evolution, Techno and Esprit Alpine. These are distinguishable by their wheels, for which two tyre sizes and three tyre brands are original equipment.

Deliveries of the latest BMW 5 Series will begin any time now. UK-spec M Sport versions of the eighth-generation G60/G61/G68 model come with 19” alloy wheels as standard equipment, while the M Sport Pro receives 20” alloys. BMW UK says the enlarged diameter over its predecessor’s rims gives the new 5 Series an “even more sporty presence.” Buyers can choose optional 20” & 21” alloy wheels for all versions, and the BMW list of approved rims and tyres for the G60 also includes an 18” fitment.

Continental WinterContact TS 870’s strength in wet and dry conditions was enough to win its second Auto Express Winter Tyre Test in a row. Competing against six other global manufacturers’ products, the Conti tyre narrowly finished ahead of the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005 – WhatTyre’s Winter Tyre of the Year – by only 0.3 points overall. All seven tyres tested showed a good level of winter performance, with the last-placed Vredestein Wintrac Pro only 3.2 points out of 100 behind the Conti tyre. The performance differences between the top four winter tyres in the test especially were minimal, and the winner was selected as a particularly good tyre for UK winter driving conditions. The tyres were tested in size 225/45R17 in northern Sweden and in Germany.

Season-specific winter tyres may be niche products in the UK but make a lot of sense in certain situations. For example, high-powered performance cars may benefit from the added grip they offer when temperatures drop. Auto Bild Sportscars has evaluated 11 brands of tyre in size 225/40 R18 to gauge performance in snowy, wet and dry conditions. Four tyres gain the motoring publication’s highest recommendation, but Auto Bild Sportscars also warns that some winter products aren’t up to the job.

Goodyear UK has put its Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 on TV. The campaign is set to reach 50 million impressions across UK drivers, including viewers on Quest, DMAX, Discovery Turbo, Eurosport and Food Network.

With budget brands now accounting for 38 per cent of 17- and 18-inch tyre purchases in the UK, it is more important than ever to recognise products that deliver the handling and stopping performance required by executive and performance saloons. To identify our favourite Performance Tyres of 2023, WhatTyre has looked at the three most popular sizes for 17-inch and larger rim diameters, 225/45 R17Y, 225/40 R18Y and 205/45 R17W. As was the case in 2022, this year we have separated tyres aimed at the highest echelon of the performance car world into their own category – Supersports Tyres.

Winter tyres are a very small part of the UK tyre market compared to their year-round alternative, all-season tyres. But if you want to guarantee traction in the most extreme cold weather, they remain the best tool for the job. WhatTyre’s Winter Tyre of the Year 2023 shortlist offers the ten best-performing options for an optimal cold weather driving experience. The ten tyres selected represent the best the winter tyre market has to offer, according to both the latest seasons of the best independent European tyre tests and our newest algorithm, Tyrescore 2.2 “Bugatti”.