The winter studded tire Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic is the latest development of the world-famous North American tire giant. This tire was created specifically for operation in harsh winter conditions, which are characteristic of Canada, Scandinavia, and, of course, Russia.
The main distinguishing feature of this tire is the Multicontrol Ice technology, the basis of which is the directed studs of the original design. Thanks to this, the tire demonstrates phenomenal coupling indicators on snow and ice. The originality of the stud design lies in the fact that the upper hard alloy insert has sharp edges, which significantly improve the coupling coefficient with the icy surface, which contributes to an increase in acceleration efficiency. When passing turns, when the tire is under the influence of lateral accelerations, the smooth transitions on the stud body come into operation. The effectiveness of braking on ice is ensured by the wide rear surface of the stud. In addition, the stud installation technology made it possible to achieve increased strength of the connection without using an adhesive base - the stud not only remains in its place but also does not rotate even under the most unfavorable conditions.
Another feature of the new tire is the special shape of the interlocking blocks, which significantly improved the handling characteristics when driving on slippery surfaces. At the same time, thanks to the widespread use of computer modeling tools, it was possible to achieve an ideal balance between the highest tire performance in various conditions and an excellent level of comfort, which is a hallmark of all winter studded tires of this brand.
The tread pattern of the Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic tire features a traditional V-shaped pattern for this brand, equipped with sharp-angled lamellas and wide transverse channels, which provide effective removal of water and snow from the contact patch. When first contacting a snow-covered surface, the corner blocks of the tread with special canopies, arranged in a checkerboard pattern, solve two important tasks - playing the role of a kind of wave cutters and friction agents, evenly distributing the snow over the entire contact patch area, while removing its excesses outside through the shoulder areas of the tread.
When developing the tread, not only harsh winter conditions were taken into account but also frequent thaws, which are characteristic of many northern countries. To improve coupling on a wet surface, the tread depth of the Ultra Grip Ice Arctic tire was significantly increased, which improved resistance to aquaplaning. In addition, silicon-containing components were included in the composition of the rubber mixture, which improved not only the elasticity of the tire at low temperatures but also the coupling on a wet surface and resistance to wear.
Excellent handling and braking efficiency on slippery surfaces are ensured thanks to the use of the patented 3D-BIS technology in the tire design, which made it possible to significantly increase the number of self-locking lamellas. To improve coupling when passing turns, an additional more rigid layer was placed under the tread of the tire, which effectively prevents the occurrence of deformations under the influence of lateral accelerations. In addition, the tire frame, thanks to a well-thought-out design and the use of the latest materials, has increased strength and low weight, which had a positive effect on fuel efficiency indicators.
Main features of the Goodyear Ultragrip Ice Arctic tire
- Multicontrol Ice technology, based on a unique combination of original design studs and interlocking tread blocks with an increased number of lamellas, provides phenomenal coupling on slippery surfaces;
- A two-layer tread, which ensures resistance to deformations and reliable retention of the stud in the tread;
- A V-shaped tread pattern design with wide oblique channels, which allows effective removal of water and snow from the contact patch;
- A multitude of sharp edges on the tread provides excellent passability on loose snow;
- A multi-radius tread contour, which ensures an even distribution of load over the entire contact area, making handling more reliable and stable;
- A high level of comfort, thanks to the technology of variable angle of inclination of the tread blocks.