The Bridgestone Noranza 001 winter tire for passenger cars is another attempt by the well-known Japanese manufacturer to keep up with its European competitors. It is characterized by significantly improved traction properties, handling on ice, and confident behavior in deep snow compared to the previous model.
New Stud
One of the key innovations is the modified stud design. The anchor of the part has an octagonal shape, which is much more reliably fixed in the under-protector layer. The base of the stud also has a similar number of vertical edges, which reduces its tilt when contacting the road surface. In turn, the hard alloy insert has become 8-shaped, which strengthens its grip with the icy surface and makes it more stable.
Zigzag Lamellas
A characteristic feature of the central part of the tread is the zigzag lamellas. The protrusions on their side walls are arranged in such a way that when contacting the road surface, the slots open at a larger angle. This allows the lamella edges to grip the ice and rolled snow much more effectively, giving the tire stability on such slippery surfaces. Since the slots are arranged transversely, this solution has significantly improved longitudinal traction.
Updated Shoulder Block Design
Another important innovation is the appearance of special "steps" on the side surfaces of the shoulder blocks. These elements give the tire more confident behavior in deep snow, in particular, simplifying the exit from the rut. In addition, the transverse faces of the shoulder blocks have a zigzag shape, which also improves traction on snow, but longitudinally.
Optimized Central Rib
Compared to the previous model, the central rib has significantly increased in size, and its shape has acquired many more angles and faces. This solution, on the one hand, reduces rolling resistance, and on the other hand, provides a contact patch with numerous edges that, due to their multidirectionality, improve both longitudinal and transverse traction. At the same time, the rigid construction of the rib provides more transparent feedback, making it easier to manage the car, especially in difficult situations.
Main Features:
- an updated stud with an 8-shaped hard alloy insert improves traction on ice;
- zigzag lamellas in the central part provide efficiency when accelerating on a slippery surface;
- shoulder blocks with "steps" on the side surfaces and zigzag transverse edges improve performance in deep snow;
- two compounds - "hard" for the central part and "soft" for the shoulder zones provide a balance of operational properties.