Apollo Tyres has launched its new Vredestein Ultrac Pro ultra-ultra-high-performance (UUHP) tyre. Available in 18- to 24-inch rim diameters, Ultrac Pro caters to a wide range of high-performance vehicles. As evidence of the Ultrac Pro’s performance credentials, the tyre maker points to independent testing conducted by Applus+ IDIADA. Aesthetics come courtesy of Apollo Tyres’ collaboration with Italdesign, a partnership that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
As promised in the run-up to the tyre’s launch, Vredestein Ultrac Pro delivers a “remarkable reduction in weight over its predecessor,” being 1.7 kg lighter than the Ultrac Vorti+ in size 245/45R18 100Y XL. According to Apollo Tyres, this substantial weight reduction leads to a lower rotational mass, thereby improving steering response, acceleration and braking performance. Due to the lower mass, the tyres can also be kept in contact with the ground more efficiently.
Apollo Tyres’ global R&D team in the Netherlands also focused on minimising the amount of material required for the tyre’s structure and tread, realising this through the introduction (in many dimensions) of a bead configuration that affords a more sophisticated mono-ply construction than the traditional two-ply format. This design reduces both materials required and overall weight.
Thanks to a combination of lower mass, new rubber compounds and optimised construction, the Ultrac Pro achieves up to 12 per cent lower rolling resistance than the Ultrac Vorti+.
Performance tyre without compromise
Using a BMW 5 Series fitted with recording equipment, Applus+ IDIADA evaluated Vredestein Ultrac Pro alongside six other tyres from the UUHP segment – Apollo Tyres doesn’t disclose these tyres’ identities, referring to them simply as “leading rival products.” Evaluation highlights include the Vredestein tyre’s surpassing of all but one of its UUHP counterparts in the ‘Limit Handling’ assessment, and it also outperformed the comfort centric UUHP tyres in the ‘Ride Comfort’ tests, confirming Apollo Tyres’ claim of delivering a unique blend of handling prowess and driving comfort.
“The Applus+ IDIADA test programme has provided important independent validation of the Ultrac Pro’s status as a performance tyre without compromise,” states Benoit Rivallant, president and chief executive officer of Apollo Tyres Europe. “Customers want a tyre that can do it all, supporting both daily and more dynamic driving across a range of conditions. The Ultrac Pro raises the bar for ultra-ultra-high-performance tyres, embodying our commitment to innovation.”
