Cooper adding ‘Snow Claw' to Discoverer winter tire lineup for SUVs/pickups

FINDLAY, Ohio — Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. is upgrading its winter tire lineup with the Cooper Discoverer Snow Claw, a pickup truck/SUV tire built for extreme winter conditions that will complement the Discoverer M+S in the tire maker's product lineup.

This addition to the Discoverer line features Cooper's patented "Snow Groove" technology, which Cooper said traps snow in the grooves of the tire for greater traction, handling and stopping power.

The Snow Claw will be one of three winter options Cooper has for light truck/SUV owners. The others are the Discoverer True North and Discoverer Evolution Winter, which are designed for cars and smaller SUVs.

The Snow Claw also is designed to stay supple even in extreme cold and is engineered to allow for the addition of tire studs to help provide extreme grip and traction.

Designed and built for North American winters, the Discoverer Snow Claw is severe weather rated for winter and snow performance, holding the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) designation, Cooper said.

"Winter weather is unpredictable; drivers need tires that they can be confident are made with proven technology to get them where they need to go safely in even the most extreme conditions," Andrea Berryman, director of product development, said.

The tire will launch in 23 sizes covering 16- to 22-inch rim diameters. Cooper said this range includes fitments for ¾- and 1-ton pickups as well as commercial sizes for transit vans — which would include snowplow operators, and cargo and sprint vans.

The Snow Claw, will for the most part, supplant the Discoverer M+S — which has been in Cooper's portfolio since 2013 — although eight sizes of the M+S will continue to be offered for older vehicle fitments.

The launch of the Snow Claw gives pickup and SUV drivers an option for extreme ice traction and snow performance, Ms. Berryman said, characteristics that Cooper considers "essential for drivers to capably navigate extreme winter road conditions."

The Discoverer True North is targeted at daily commuters who drive on plowed and treated roads, that deal with slush and black ice throughout the winter months, Cooper said, while the Evolution Winter is for dealing with untreated roads or deep snow.

Dealers can start ordering the Snow Claw in April; it will be available to consumers starting in October.

Cooper did not disclose pricing information at this time.