Ikon Tyres has introduced its new flagship winter tires

On June 6, Ikon Tyres (part of Tatneft) presented two tires that will become the new flagship models in the brand's winter lineup, and if earlier analogs of products from Nokian were released, then the studded Ikon Autograph Ice 10 and the friction Ikon Autograph Snow 5 were developed by the company itself and have completely new tread patterns.

The new studded tire Ikon Autograph Ice 10 has a directed symmetrical design, which the company calls optimal for the complex conditions of the northern winter. The pattern was developed to increase traction on icy and snowy roads, and, for example, the increased number of traction edges improves the efficiency of acceleration and braking on snow.

In the shoulder zones, where the tire is subjected to the greatest loads, semi-bridges are located between the blocks, which reduce the excessive mobility of the tread elements, increasing stability when cornering, accelerating or braking, while deep grooves with a stepped shape of the walls accelerate the removal of water and slush, thereby increasing the effectiveness of snow capture.

The blocks are equipped with 3D-lamellas ZiLock, which simultaneously improve the ability of the tread to withstand increased loads and increase traction on snow and ice due to the numerous engagement edges, and in the center there is a rigid support rib, which increases directional stability and handling sensitivity, also reducing the length of braking distances due to reduced tread deformation.

To make the tires work effectively in deep snow, the engineers added deep channels to the pattern in the shoulder sections, and the company says that the "graduation of zones [of the tread] allows the tire to adapt to different road conditions, maintaining control over the vehicle".

Particular attention was paid to the environmental friendliness of the product, and the rubber compound GC Mix, as noted in Ikon, qualitatively differs from other compounds, since completely new materials from renewable sources are used. The name of the mixture, which is decrypted as Green Core Mix, speaks of the use of "green" raw materials, and Ikon increased the proportion of eco-materials, such as oils, resins and natural rubber, by 5.5%, which reduces the impact on the environment. At the same time, a new rubber mixing technology was used, which made the structure of the compound more uniform, improving the uniformity of traction over the entire contact patch area.

Ikon Autograph Ice 19 is designed for use in various conditions of the winter period, "from severe minus to small plus", and the new rubber compound retains high elasticity and strength at break even at extremely low temperatures, ensuring a stable level of traction. In addition, the combination of mixture elements is designed in such a way that its operating temperature range has been expanded, and in Ikon they say that at -20 degrees, the characteristics were improved by 52%, which will be especially important in regions with very cold winters. The dynamic stiffness of the compound has been increased by 20%, which has increased the reliability of retaining the studs in the tread, and the resistance of the mixture to aging under the influence of the environment, for example, ozone, has also been improved, and the manufacturer emphasizes that, according to laboratory research, the compound does not deteriorate its properties over time.

Naturally, great attention was paid to the anti-skid studs. Over the past two years, Ikon has presented studs of three generations, which are installed in the Ikon Nordman 7, Ikon Nordman 8 and Ikon Autograph Ice 9 models, while for the Ikon Autograph Ice 10, the fourth generation of studs has already been created.

The tires use two types of studs, which were developed specifically for the central and shoulder zones of the tread (Doublebite technology) and allow increasing both longitudinal grip during acceleration and braking, and transverse traction, necessary when cornering on snow and ice, and the number of studs was optimized to improve handling stability.

In the central section, studs with a wide flange shape are located, while the shoulder studs have a narrower flange, and their base is turned 90 degrees. The studs of both types have a wide and asymmetric sole, which improves the distribution of loads and reduces the likelihood of the stud twisting, while the large number of edges creates numerous points of contact with the tread, thanks to which the studs are reliably held in the tires.

Both studs also have a special core shape with a vertical notch, which increases the pressure in the contact zone with the road, allowing the studs to penetrate the ice surface more deeply, including when starting operation.

In addition, the wavy edges of the core help the studs work more efficiently during acceleration and braking, improving their penetrating ability, and the smooth lines of the bends prevent the studs from breaking. The stud body has beveled edges at key points where the tire enters and exits the contact zone with the road, improving traction from the first kilometers of the journey.

The Ikon Autograph Ice 10 design includes a number of components, such as the tread, sidewalls, textile cord, steel breaker, tread, seamless JLB (Jointless Band) tape and hermetic layer. Two new solutions were used, and in all sizes for SUVs, as well as in most sizes for passenger cars, the tires have a double textile carcass construction, which improves strength and directional stability when used on vehicles with a high center of gravity, while the distribution of materials in the sidewalls was optimized to make the tires more durable and reliable, as well as improve handling characteristics.

Tests of the new studded tires were carried out at the Igora Drive autodrome in the Leningrad region, and the tests showed that on ice, the new product has higher characteristics compared to a tire from one of the world's leading manufacturers (Ikon emphasizes that the results were not "taken from the ceiling" and a premium-level product was tested, whose name is not disclosed due to competition). So, the efficiency of acceleration and braking with ABS was better by 15 and 11.1%, respectively, and handling in turns - by 6.6%. On snow, braking was more effective by 2.3%, and the indicators of acceleration, handling and directional stability were comparable (as well as in terms of passability in deep snow).

Earlier, Ikon said that they intend to build a new testing ground in Russia, which will be of great importance for the entire industry, and during the presentation, the company's representatives confirmed that this project is still in the plans, and Tatneft is "actively participating" in it.

Ikon Autograph Ice 10 enters the market in 104 sizes with a mounting diameter from 16 to 22 inches, and Ikon CEO Andrey Pantiukhov said that in 2025, the company started producing tires in the 22nd diameter for the first time. "This is a great achievement for our plant. When launching new models, we immediately included large sizes, which also emphasizes the premium nature of our developments," he emphasized.

In turn, the friction Ikon Autograph Snow 5, like the new studded tire, has a directed tread pattern, developed for rapid water and slush removal and improved directional stability at high speeds. The "extended V-shaped tread pattern" is used, which, as the manufacturer claims, prevents the formation of ice on the tread and reduces the risk of aquaplaning, and transverse channels reduce the likelihood of skidding and improve passability.

In the central zone, a longitudinal rib with an increased number of lamellas is located, the zigzag shape of which accelerates the dispersion of water and snow, as well as reduces vibrations, while paired blocks in the shoulder sections work in pairs and increase traction on snowy and icy surfaces.

The Ikon Autograph Snow 5 tread features differently directed 3D lamellas, and when accelerating and braking, the slots in the central zone are mainly involved, while when cornering, the lamellas in the shoulder zones are "activated". The lamella design is made using IceBlock technology, which simultaneously provides the necessary stiffness of the tread and increases the number of engagement edges, improving safety on snow and ice.

When creating the rubber compound for the new non-studded tires, the balance of fillers, oils, resins, and rubbers was optimized with an emphasis on increasing traction at negative temperatures. As Ikon says, the new compound called EcoTwist is characterized by increased elasticity at any negative temperatures, which enhances the reliability of traction, while the optimized hardness of the mixture improves the smoothness of the ride and acoustic comfort. It is also reported that the range of negative temperatures at which the mixture retains its characteristics has been increased by 35%, i.e. the tires are optimally suited for the conditions of the extreme north. In addition, the volume of raw materials from renewable sources, such as oils, resins, and natural rubber, has increased by 21%, i.e. the compound is distinguished by both efficiency and environmental friendliness.

"As the leader of the Russian tire market, we are constantly developing materials and recipes, design approaches and design solutions. With each new product, we reach a new level of traction and safety. Of course, without forgetting that our solutions are environmentally friendly," Pantiukhov noted, adding that "today we are opening a new chapter in the history of our company".

Like studded tires, Autograph Snow 5 has a two-layer carcass construction in some sizes and also differs in optimized material distribution in the sidewalls, which has increased their strength and handling characteristics.

At the Igora Drive autodrome, the new non-studded tires outperformed the competitor in tests for acceleration and braking efficiency (respectively +20 and +12.7%), as well as handling in turns on ice (+2.1%), while on rolled snow, the indicators were comparable.

Like the studded novelty, Autograph Snow 5 will be available in 104 sizes with a diameter from 16 to 22 inches. As Andrey Danilov, the head of the product development and testing department at Ikon, said, during the development of the size range, the company "focused on the current vehicle fleet in our domestic markets, the dynamics of car sales and what sizes they are equipped with".

"Now, more and more Chinese cars are appearing on the market, with non-standard sizes - we also took them into account when approving the size range. As a result, the lineup is represented by a wide range of sizes from small sedans to premium, heavy and powerful SUVs," he added.