The Goodyear UltraGrip Performance GEN-1 winter tire is one of the novelties of the renowned North American concern. In the range of tires produced by it, it will take the place of the UltraGrip 8 Performance model, which is being discontinued just a few years after the start of its production. Such a short production cycle is due to the company's desire to impose a more acute competitive struggle with European manufacturers, considered world leaders in this field. This tire should become one of the "sales locomotives", thereby ensuring the achievement of this ambitious goal.
Updated design of the tread pattern center
The V-Tred tread, which appeared several decades ago, has undergone another creative rethinking, becoming even more efficient and productive on winter roads. The key innovation is the design of its central part, characterized by the presence of a large number of blocks. It was possible to increase their number due to a significant reduction in size. The number of gripping edges has changed accordingly, which, in combination with the greater distance between the blocks, significantly improved the gripping properties on snow.
Increased directional stability
Another characteristic feature of the center of this tread is the original arrangement of blocks. They are "assembled" into groups of several elements, which are located at a significant angle, forming a well-known V-shaped design, "trademark" for a significant part of not only summer but also winter tires from Goodyear. In addition to good longitudinal traction characteristics, such a design gives the tire excellent directional stability, ensuring stable and reliable behavior at high speeds.
"Trademark" 3D-BIS lamellas
In addition to the V-Tred tread, this model features a number of other technologies that have been successfully applied by Goodyear for many years. One of them is the 3D-BIS lamellas, of which this tire has several thousand. It was possible to increase their number due to their ability to increase the stiffness of the blocks when contacting the road surface. The pyramidal protrusions and recesses on the lamella walls not only fix them in the open position, despite the load from the weight of the car, but also limit the mobility of the block in any direction, instantly increasing its stiffness. The ultimate result is several thousand gripping edges that completely offset the absence of spikes on ice, as well as good handling at high speeds.
Shortened braking distance
The next technology tested on previously released Goodyear tires is the programmed deformation of tread blocks. When braking, they change their shape so that their contact area with the road is maximized. In combination with a large number of gripping edges formed by both blocks and lamellas, this significantly reduces the braking distance, especially on slippery surfaces.
Excellent maneuverability
Another important innovation in this tread pattern is the large number of longitudinal grooves that have appeared in double the number not only on its edges but also in the central part. On slippery snow and rain-covered surfaces, they create a so-called "edge effect", providing the Goodyear Ultragrip Performance GEN-1 tire with improved traction and stability when maneuvering and cornering. However, the design of the shoulder zones of the tread has a much more significant impact on this. Here, there are a large number of very long transverse blocks, the rigid structure of which is practically not prone to deformation. The gripping edges formed by them, in combination with the significant width of the drainage grooves located between them, allow the tire to demonstrate high efficiency when braking and accelerating, especially on snow.
"Trademark" resistance to slushplaning
For several decades, Goodyear winter tires have had a number of "trademark" features. One of them is increased resistance to slushplaning. This is due to the exclusive use of a tread with a directed V-shaped design. This model is no exception. Moreover, this feature is expressed in it much more vividly than in most of its predecessors. Its tread contains many more drainage grooves, the overwhelming majority of which are located at a sharp angle and against the direction of movement. At the same time, their width and, accordingly, the depth of the tread itself have been significantly increased. The combination of such design features allows the drainage system of this tire to cope with the removal of heavy snow masses from the contact patch extremely efficiently. In real operation, this feature manifests itself in the form of high reliability and stability in behavior in poor weather and road conditions.
New wear indicator
As a "cherry on the cake", the developers of this tire proposed an original wear indicator for its tread. This is an understandable symbol for most people in the form of a snowflake, cut into the central part of the tread. When the remaining tread depth is about 4 mm, it completely disappears, which is a signal that the tire is no longer suitable for operation in winter.
Main features of the Goodyear Ultragrip Performance GEN-1 tire
- an increased number of blocks in the central part of the tread improves traction on snowy roads;
- increased directional stability on any winter roads is ensured by the optimized design of the tread center with multiple gripping edges at an angle;
- several thousand 3D-BIS lamellas give the tire excellent handling and traction characteristics on icy and wet roads;
- numerous longitudinal grooves in the shoulder zones and central part of the tread increase the tire's stability when maneuvering and cornering;
- long shoulder blocks improve steering agility, stability in corners, provide high efficiency when braking, and increase passability in deep snow;
- a special indicator in the form of a "snowflake" located in the central part promptly warns of excessive tread wear and the need to replace the tire;
- increased resistance to slushplaning is ensured by the increased depth of the tread and the width of the drainage grooves, which are located at a significant angle and against the direction of movement.
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