Winter tire for passenger cars Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 was developed taking into account the extreme weather conditions of Scandinavian countries and Canada. It is characterized by coupling stability on snowy and icy roads, ease of handling, fuel efficiency, and the "signature" reliability and durability of this brand's tires.
Optimized arrangement of tread elements
Against the background of most modern winter tires from other manufacturers, this model stands out with the design of its tread pattern. Like them, it is a combination of separate blocks, but the elements are arranged with partial overlap of each other, right up to the edges of the tread. This solution equalizes the pressure on the road surface, which increases the stability of the coupling, directional stability, and accuracy of handling, especially when maneuvering, prevents rapid wear of the tread, and reduces rolling resistance. All these properties are further enhanced by the dense arrangement of blocks and their massiveness, which is more characteristic of commercial tires.
"Micro-texture" technology
Another feature of this tire is the extremely dense arrangement of lamellas, which is due to the use of a special "micro-textured" pattern technology. The cuts have walls with a special profile, having a large number of differently directed edges. They are arranged so that when in contact with the road surface, the lamellas not only open but also fix in this position, while limiting the mobility of the block. The edges formed by the cuts easily penetrate the water film, allowing the tire to grip even the most slippery icy surface.
Cross-shaped grooves
The shoulder areas contain wide cross-shaped grooves. These elements are designed to capture and hold snow mass in the tread. As a result, the coupling in such conditions is further enhanced, providing more reliable vehicle handling.
Special rubber compound
The tire tread is made of a rubber compound, the characteristics of which were specially selected based on the characteristics of operation in regions with extremely low temperatures in winter. The composition of the compound is based on natural rubber and silicon dioxide. Special polymers provide not only high uniformity of the material but also its strength and elasticity, ensuring the tread has optimal elasticity even in the strongest frosts. As a result, even on the most slippery surfaces, the tire demonstrates excellent grip and reliability of handling.
Key features of Bridgestone Blizzak WS80:
- a special arrangement of tread pattern elements with partial overlap of each other in combination with an optimized profile increases the contact patch, improving coupling and handling at any driving modes;
- extremely high density of cutting with "three-dimensional" lamellas increases traction properties on wet and icy roads;
- cross-shaped grooves in the shoulder areas provide more reliable handling on snowy surfaces;
- a rubber compound adapted to operating conditions in regions with the most severe winters provides improved coupling on snow and ice.