The all-season tire Dunlop SP Sport 01 A/S is a modification of one of the most popular models of the British manufacturer, designed for operation throughout the calendar year. This is unequivocally hinted at by the A/S prefix in the name, which is an abbreviation composed of the capital letters of the English phrase All Season, i.e. all seasons of the year.
For lovers of sports driving
Like the practically identical original version, this model is also primarily addressed to car enthusiasts who know the value of active maneuvering, i.e. those who prefer a sporty driving style. It is for this reason that the Dunlop SP Sport 01A/S tire is equipped with an asymmetric directional tread pattern, the main design elements of which are characterized by high structural rigidity and, consequently, resistance to dynamic deformation. This feature allows the tire to literally "follow the wheel".
Two wide central ribs
One of these rigid tread elements is the two longitudinal ribs located in the central part. They are characterized by the absence of interruptions throughout their length. In combination with their location, this provides the tire with excellent directional stability, as well as very fast and accurate reactions to steering wheel turns. These features significantly simplify the process of controlling the vehicle, especially during sharp maneuvering.
"Hydrofins"
Another original feature of this model is the design of the drainage system. It consists of four longitudinal grooves that separate the main functional zones of the tread. During movement, they act as a kind of accumulator, thanks to which the contact patch remains dry even in heavy rain.
However, it is not only this that ensures high resistance to aquaplaning. The special tread blocks, which due to their external appearance have been named "hydrofins", also play a significant role. They are located on the inside of the tread pattern, separated from each other by curved drainage grooves directed against the direction of movement. The combination of such design features provides a significant increase in the speed of water removal from the contact patch, which in turn gives the tire excellent traction on wet roads.
Increased number of traction edges
As mentioned earlier, the SP Sport 01 A/S is a tire designed for operation throughout the calendar year, i.e. even in winter. To give it enhanced traction properties on snowy and icy roads, its tread pattern has been given a multitude of additional traction edges. They are formed by numerous straight lamellas, which, in order to combat noise, are located at a significant angle to the direction of movement. When in contact with the surface of the icy road, these tread elements open up, forming an countless number of very long traction edges. Their height is sufficient to pierce the water film on the surface of the ice, thereby providing the tire with reliable traction on this type of surface.
Low noise level
When developing this model, the British tire manufacturers paid special attention to its noise characteristics. The closed design of the shoulder areas makes a significant contribution to noise reduction. This part of the tread pattern is, in a sense, a noise insulator that prevents the noise generated in the central part from penetrating to the outside. In addition, it is impossible not to note the location of most of the traction edges at a significant angle to the direction of movement. This design feature of the tread pattern also significantly reduces the level of resonant noise and vibration.
Main features of the Dunlop SP Sport 01A/S tire
- asymmetric design of the directional tread pattern optimized for sports driving;
- two wide longitudinal ribs, located in the central part of the tread pattern, provide fast and accurate reactions to steering wheel turns, reduce rolling resistance, improve directional stability when moving at high speed;
- four-sided tread blocks increase traction properties in the longitudinal direction, and the significant inclination of their edges reduces the level of noise and vibration;
- "hydrofins" formed by tread blocks located on the inside of the tread, significantly increase the speed of water removal from the contact patch, providing excellent resistance to aquaplaning when moving at any speed;
- the reinforced design of the shoulder areas of the tread pattern improves stability when cornering, and their closed design reduces the level of high-frequency noise;
- the seamless nylon breaker layer provides excellent stability when moving at high speed, optimizing the distribution of external pressure on the contact patch, which in turn makes handling reliable and predictable.
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