Apollo Vredestein, the European subsidiary of Apollo Tyres Ltd., has showcased its latest addition to the all-weather ultra-high-performance (UHP) product segment, the Vredestein Quatrac Pro, in Baden-Baden, Germany on March 22, 2019. The new tyre strengthens the company’s offering in the all-weather segment and is the first all-weather offering designed for the UHP vehicles, inclusive of luxury SUVs.
The media and key customers were invited to learn more about the innovations and to test the performance characteristics on various conditions, later going for a road test. GPS coordinates directed participants out on the open road in an Audi Q5 Quattro fitted with the new Quatrac Pro tyres –allowing for efficient experience of the gamut of tyre performance conditions in a short afternoon. Wet testing and ice testing were performed on a special test track in Germany. The surface of the track featured a unique coating that simulates the conditions on ice.
The Quatrac Pro, designed in partnership with Italdesign Giugiaro, replaces the Quatrac 5 and boasts a variety of improvements over its predecessor: over 10% better grip on wet surfaces, 5% in snow handling, and a design offering a sense of confidence and predictability for owners and drivers of performance cars and SUVs.
Features of the new tyre’s technology include:
- wider longitudinal and diverging grooves in the shoulder area for optimal water evacuation for safer driving on wet roads;
- wide centre ribs provide steering sensitivity and control, as required for UHP vehicles;
- an all-new advanced compound with high silica and resin content to offer solid traction on wet and snowy surfaces;
- enhanced pressure distribution within the contact patch for increased effectiveness in winter conditions;
- unique sizes for the target vehicle segment.
The Quatrac Protyres are offered in 50 sizes, with 29 of which with the Y-speed rating (speeds up to 300 km/h) and ranging from 17- to 21-inch rim diameters, available April 1, 2019 onwards. Fourteen sizes will be unique in the all-weather segment, including the 315/35 R20 fitted on the rear of a BMW X5.
Daniele Lorenzetti, CTO with Apollo Tyres has said: “The Vredestein Quatrac Pro has been developed with leading edge material and tyre design technology, and has been extensively tested for all-weather conditions. The Quatrac Pro has been primarily designed for European market but is also tuned for American and Canadian markets.”
Apollo Tyres is a leading brand in India, and Apollo Vredestein is synonymous with first-class tyres and holds premium status within the automotive industry – their products include car and bicycle tyres, and tyres for agricultural and industrial applications.