The summer passenger tire Michelin Latitude Sport 3 is one of the latest developments of the French tire giant. This time, the novelty is designed for powerful sports crossovers, whose maximum speed far exceeds 200 km/h. At the same time, this model not only provides high performance but also has a favorable combination of fuel efficiency and long service life. To achieve this, the French specialists had to completely revise the design of the carcass, tread pattern, and rubber compound, which received a number of innovations.
Increased number of gripping edges
For quite understandable reasons, the specialists of the French company preferred not to abandon the symmetrical tread pattern, which in the previous model with the number 2 in the name showed itself from the best side. It is still divided into several functional zones: the central part, surrounded on both sides by wide shoulder zones.
The design of the central part of the Michelin Latitude Sport 3 has changed the most. The three longitudinal ribs that make it up have noticeably increased in size, which led to a significant improvement in a number of tire characteristics. First of all, this is the directional stability and handling.
In addition, each of the longitudinal ribs received a large number of transverse edges, thanks to which it was possible to improve the grip properties when accelerating and braking, especially on wet roads. These gripping edges are formed by special lamellas, which, among other things, increase the stiffness of the longitudinal ribs, contributing to a further reduction in rolling resistance.
Modernized rubber compound
The rubber compound has also undergone significant changes. Innovations are not only in its composition but also in the manufacturing technology, which ensures a more uniform distribution of all components, allowing for the uniformity of the properties of the tread. As for the composition, it has appeared silicon-containing components of a new generation. Thanks to them, it was possible to significantly improve the grip properties on wet roads, as well as the durability of the tread to abrasive wear, which, in turn, led to a significant increase in the life of the tire.
Reinforced carcass design
The main innovation in the carcass design was the double breaker layer. This was enough not only to make the tire stronger but also to provide it with increased resistance to deformation changes that occur during movement. As a result, the Latitude Sport 3 favorably differs from the previous model, both in handling and fuel consumption.
Short braking distance on wet roads
In addition to the additional gripping edges located in the central part of the tread pattern, certain changes appeared in its shoulder zones to reduce the braking distance on wet roads. The blocks located here received beveled edges. This "trifle" was enough to reduce the braking distance when driving at a speed of 100 km/h by 2.7 meters. Moreover, the smoothed edges of the blocks in the shoulder zones when passing turns significantly increase the contact patch, thereby increasing the grip properties in the transverse direction.
Main features of Michelin Latitude Sport 3
- The tire is specially designed for powerful crossovers and compact SUVs;
- The symmetrical tread pattern is designed for movement exclusively on asphalt roads;
- Increased grip properties in the longitudinal direction compared to the previous model, thanks to the increased number of transverse edges in the central part of the tread;
- Three massive and very rigid longitudinal ribs in the central part of the tread pattern provide excellent directional stability, stability, and responsiveness of the tire to steering wheel turns when driving at high speed;
- Wide shoulder zones with smoothed block edges provide exceptional grip in turns and active maneuvering at high speed, especially on wet roads;
- High resistance to aquaplaning due to the large volume of longitudinal and transverse drainage grooves;
- New components in the rubber compound have increased the durability of the tread to abrasive wear, grip properties on wet roads, as well as fuel efficiency indicators.
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