Tyre News

All-season tyres have really grown in popularity in recent years. Perhaps due to our temperate climate, winter tyres have only really found their niche in the most mountainous parts of the country, on vehicles that really need theme (powerful rear-wheel drive cars on the one hand – and vets, doctors and emergency service vehicles on the other). All-season tyres, on the other hand, bring much of the benefit of winter tyres, but without the logistical challenges of changing and storing a second set of wheels and tyres. Here, WhatTyre offers insights into the best-performing all-season and year-round tyres on the market.

There are a number of myths and false assumptions connected with driving safety and tyre longevity, says Nokian Tyres. The Finnish tyre maker believes that both these can be improved in a matter of minutes; by regulation of tyres’ air pressure. Tyre pressure needs to be higher in the winter in comparison with summer. Higher tyre pressure is also required when the load is heavier than usual. Regardless of this, many people drive with too-low tyre pressure because of driving comfort or dangerous beliefs. Matti Morri, Technical Customer Service Manager at Nokian Tyres, explains how many popular beliefs concerning tyres are, in fact, false – and sometimes potentially dangerous.

The sharp end of the performance tyre spectrum is now the domain of the supersport or ultra-ultra-high performance (UUHP) tyre. Completely road legal but also designed to deliver superior performance on the track, these products are tasked with the weighty remit of providing a dynamic yet safe driving experience to the world’s most powerful cars in both wet and dry conditions. WhatTyre has identified six supersport tyres that excel at this.

Today is a Blimpless day in the UK, but it returns on Saturday – and Goodyear is offering Blimp fans a chance to win a ride on board. Head over to Goodyear’s Facebook page, and you could be floating above London tomorrow.

The BMW Group has selected Vredestein Ultrac tyres as original equipment for the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. It will fit three sizes of Vredestein Ultrac: 205/65R16 95W, 205/60R17 97W XL and 225/50R18 99W XL. All factory-fitted tyres worn by the new BMW feature a star symbol on the sidewall to indicate that they are a bespoke product developed for this particular vehicle. The star-marked tyres will also be available for purchase as aftermarket fitments at BMW franchised dealers.

Continental has launched the SportContact 7, the latest in its ultra-high performance tyre line. It will initially be available in 42 sizes for rim diameters between 19 and 23 inches and will be joined by further sizes during 2022. Announcing the new-generation product, Continental states that the tyre is oriented towards handling and high mileage, with safety at its core.