The Dunlop SP Winter Sport 5 winter tire is one of the key innovations of the renowned British brand, as it is designed for the widest range of car owners. In the current model range, it will replace the Winter Sport 4D, which is being discontinued. This tire surpasses its popular predecessor in most operating characteristics, particularly in terms of braking distance, fuel efficiency, and traction on ice, packed snow, and wet asphalt. Like its predecessor, this new tire was developed with the climatic characteristics of Central and Western European countries in mind. If we consider our climate, this model is perfectly suitable for winter operation in southern regions.
Additionally, it's worth noting its excellent applicability to most modern cars. This model is offered for sale in about fifty sizes with a wheel mounting diameter from 15 to 19 inches.
Optimized tread pattern
Since the development of this tire was handled by Goodyear specialists, it's no surprise that its tread has a V-shaped design. This design is characterized by the presence of three functional areas - the central part and a pair of shoulder zones. In general, it's a "classic" design that doesn't become less effective over time. The main difference from the previous model is the increased number of tread blocks, which were significantly reduced in size. This has significantly improved traction on snow and wet asphalt.
Low noise level
The increase in the number of individual tread elements has not affected the acoustic comfort, which remains at the same very comfortable level. This was achieved by optimizing the shapes, sizes, and arrangement of the tread blocks using three-dimensional modeling technologies. One of the visible innovations is the significant inclination of all traction edges and their multi-step arrangement, which minimizes the likelihood of resonance noise and vibration.
Reduced rolling resistance
A significant part of the time spent developing this model was devoted to reducing its rolling resistance. To achieve this, a whole range of measures was applied, affecting all components of the tire's design to some extent.
One of them is the updated carcass, which features an additional breaker layer. Furthermore, synthetic materials and the technology of so-called "seamless" cord winding were widely used in its construction. The low weight, absence of seams and joints, and the intersecting arrangement of the cord threads have given the carcass increased resistance to dynamic deformation and reduced its heating during high-speed driving. All these factors have significantly reduced rolling resistance and, at the same time, increased the overall service life of the tire.
Optimized lamella arrangement
Another innovation of this model is the optimized arrangement of lamellas. In the blocks forming the central longitudinal rib, they are arranged strictly perpendicular to the direction of movement. This solution has maximally improved the longitudinal traction characteristics on ice and wet asphalt.
In turn, the blocks located on either side of this rib have a significant inclination, as do the lamellas cut into them. This has given them additional functionality. When driving, the lamellas located at a large angle create a so-called "edge effect," providing not only improved traction characteristics on slippery roads but also additional directional stability.
Increased tread depth
Another key difference between the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 5 tire and the previous model is the increased tread depth - on average, by 6 to 10%. The volume of the drainage grooves has changed accordingly, which have become significantly wider. This is most noticeable in those located longitudinally and in the shoulder areas of the tread. In real operating conditions, this feature manifests itself as improved resistance to slash-planning.
Zigzag longitudinal grooves
The aforementioned longitudinal drainage grooves have a wider functionality than just draining water and slush from the contact patch. Their zigzag shape reduces the level of resonance noise and vibration. Additionally, this design further improves traction on snowy roads. The numerous recesses in the longitudinal faces of the blocks allow the tread to hold more snow.
Several types of lamellas
Despite the fact that its tread is not equipped with studs, and there is no possibility of installing them, this tire is characterized by more than confident behavior on icy roads. This is ensured by the high efficiency of the numerous lamellas. Striving to give the tire maximum versatility, its developers equipped its tread with lamellas of several types. In the central part, there are the simplest wave-shaped lamellas. Due to the shape of their walls, they limit the mobility of the blocks in the transverse direction, which improves the longitudinal traction characteristics and increases directional stability.
In turn, the lamellas in the shoulder areas have a more "advanced" self-locking design. Their key feature is the ability to limit not only transverse but also longitudinal mobility of the blocks in which they are cut. If we consider their significant size, this noticeably increases the stability of the traction properties, especially when maneuvering and braking.
Main features of the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 5 tire
- Optimized tread pattern with an increased number of blocks in the central part, ensuring excellent performance on snowy roads;
- Low noise level thanks to the use of three-dimensional modeling technologies, which allowed for the selection of the optimal combination of shapes, sizes, and arrangement of tread blocks;
- Several types of lamellas and their optimized arrangement provide the tire with not only improved traction properties on ice but also sporty handling and a shorter braking distance on slippery roads;
- A very light and dynamically stable carcass reduces rolling resistance, increases the service life of the tire, and further improves handling.
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