The Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-03 winter tire has replaced the popular Noranza 001 on the factory assembly line in Europe. The new tire demonstrates improved traction and handling on slippery, snowy, and icy surfaces, along with increased durability.
Improved traction on slippery surfaces
One of the key innovations is the use of a combination of classic 2D and more modern 3D lamellas. The former provide water drainage, which forms when the tire rolls on an icy surface. The serrated edges of the 3D lamellas improve traction and braking properties in such conditions. The "three-dimensional" profile of their vertical walls maintains high block stiffness, which has a positive effect on directional stability and reliable control of traction and deceleration intensity on slippery surfaces. It is worth noting that the number of spikes has increased by more than a third, and their design has been significantly updated. The inserts that come into contact with the road surface are made of tungsten carbide, which maintains the functionality of the multilateral element throughout the life of the tire. Another feature of the spike is the new aluminum body with a round throat, which minimizes the formation of ice chips at the installation site.
Optimized rubber compound
The significantly increased efficiency of the tire on icy surfaces is due to the use of an updated rubber compound. Its composition includes a polymeric complex that, at the molecular level, increases the strength of the compound against tearing and stretching, allowing the proportion of "silica" to be increased. As a result, the tire not only remains elastic at extremely low temperatures but also better resists abrasive effects. Compared to the previous model, which did not cause any complaints about durability, this has made it possible to increase the tire's mileage by more than 15%.
Key features of Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-03
- an updated tread pattern with more evenly distributed stiffness improves directional stability and handling accuracy at high speeds, reducing wear and rolling resistance;
- a large number of 2D and 3D lamellas, along with new spikes, provide reliable handling on icy surfaces;
- an optimized rubber compound with a high-tech polymeric complex in its composition improves traction properties on any winter roads, increasing the life of the tire.
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