Vredestein launches Wintrac, rebranding product designed for N.A. market

ATLANTA — Apollo Tyre Ltd.'s Vredestein brand has upgraded and renamed its Snowtrac tire, rebranding the product "Wintrac" to reflect the tire's performance in all types of winter conditions in North America.

The new tire joins the Wintrac Pro, an ultra-high-performance product, in Vredestein's Wintrac portfolio. Together, the Wintrac (for tires with rim diameters under 17 inches) and the Wintrac Pro (for rim diameters 17 inches and greater) eventually will be available in more than 130 sizes.

Vredestein said the new tire, which is being produced at Apollo's plants in Hungary and Netherlands, is even more suitable to North American winters, with improved performance in all types of wet conditions as well as reliability on snow. It initially will be available in 27 sizes in 15- and 16-inch rim diameters, with additional sizes planned for 2021.

According to Apollo Vredestein Tires Inc., the Wintrac features improved tread design, with a dedicated V-groove structure "with a guaranteed through-hole" that evacuates water in both longitudinal and lateral directions. Its shoulder blocks contain adaptive 3D sipes that extend the sipe length and ensure performance throughout the tire's life, the company said.

The tire also has an interlocking mechanism in the shoulder blocks that provides stability and enhances dry and wet handling.

Vredestein said the Wintrac features 10% improved water evacuation (less aquaplaning), 5% more sipe length and 5% more rubber contact with the road than the Snowtrac 5, while also enhancing grip on wet and snow surfaces.

The tire's tread uses a blend of polymers and resin particles in the a high-density silica compound that contributes to better wear and performance — providing as much as 20% greater lifespan mileage than the Snowtrac 5.

"With the introduction of the first winter tire for passenger cars in 1965, Vredestein is at the forefront of winter tire technology," Abhishek Bisht, head, new markets and channels at Apollo, said.

Apollo Vredestein recently launched its first all-season ultra high performance tire, the Hypertrac, tailored to the North American driver and the U.S. environment. The Hypertrac is the first in a series of new Vredestein tire lines designed specifically for the U.S. market.