Details of the new off-road tires Maxxis
When Taiwanese Maxxis replaced the Bravo AT-771 tire with the new Razr AT AT-811 with an aggressive design in 2020, a gap formed in the brand's lineup that needed to be filled with a model intended for those who don't venture off-road as often, and this spot has recently been taken by the new Razr AT-S AT-781, which is positioned between the Razr AT and the highway Razr HT tires.
In fact, the Razr AT-S tires were first introduced in 2018 as a product targeted at the North American market and optimized for enhanced snow traction, but after consulting with dealers in other regions, it was decided to change the design, and during the pandemic, a refinement program was initiated, which was completed in 2022, after which, in the first quarter of 2024, the updated tires went on sale in both the US and Europe (in Russia, the novelty will also be available soon). The development of the tires, as is often the case, was carried out jointly by specialists from Maxxis' scientific centers located in Taiwan, as well as in California and Georgia.
The goal in creating the tires was to provide a wide market coverage by utilizing the company's expertise in off-road tire manufacturing, and the AT-S tread pattern resembles all-terrain tires, but there are differences. The design with S-shaped central blocks and four circumferential grooves is designed for rapid water, snow, dirt, and sand removal from the contact patch, but the blocks, connected by special reinforced elements, are arranged more densely than on AT tires, and the reduced void ratio slightly worsens off-road performance but improves the tire's properties on asphalt, in particular, reducing noise levels. The tread pitch has also been optimized for improved acoustic comfort.
Overall, compared to the previous generation tires, a whole range of important characteristics has been improved, and, for example, the resource (thanks to uniform wear) has increased by 23%, and the noise has decreased by 10%. In addition, handling on dry asphalt has been improved by 5%, ride quality on gravel and sand by 10%, and the 3PMSF marking confirms that the tires can be used on snow.
Like many AT tires, the Razr AT-S has additional blocks on the sidewalls, but the developers' task was primarily to improve resistance to punctures and other damage, for example, when hitting a curb, rather than trying to increase off-road capability using fairly small claw-like elements. "Some companies say that the sidewalls will also help if you get stuck in the mud. In fact, it's not true. Only the tread works. Unless, of course, you have MT tires!" - noted Chris Jenkins, marketing manager of Maxxis' American division, in a conversation with TTI.
According to him, "AT-S tires have an aggressive design, but in terms of feel and comfort, they are close to highway tires." "Compared to HT category tires, they are more effective off-road, but in this regard, they are inferior to AT tires," he added. - At the same time, although they were specifically designed to be quieter than most tires in their class, our Razr AT tires will still be noisier than AT-S tires."
Jenkins also said that the company will release new tires in a wide range of sizes (in 30-50 sizes) to quickly cover a large part of the audience, rather than using a "soft launch" and, for example, releasing new products on the market in 20-25 sizes, and then adding another 15 sizes every year. AT-S tires went on sale in the North American market in 40 sizes, which fit both crossovers and SUVs, as well as pickup trucks, such as the Ford F-150. At the same time, there are only a limited number of sizes for larger pickup trucks, such as the Ford F-250 and F-350.
In the future, Maxxis will continue to strengthen its position in the off-road tire segment, but at the same time, the company intends to increase its share of the secondary market in the US, and there is even a possibility of building its own plant in the country. "Our goal is to cover 70-80% of the market," Jenkins noted. - Over the next three years, we will release three to four new products per year, and there will be, for example, a new passenger tire for the mass market, as well as new models for electric and sports cars. We will strive to cover the entire market, rather than focusing only on the off-road tire segment. However, there will also be new products here, and a new RT-class tire will be introduced soon.
The competitors of the Razr AT-S in the American market will be, for example, Hankook Dynapro AT2 and the recently announced Terra Grappler G3 from Nitto. In Russia, the novelty is expected to go on sale at the end of summer - beginning of autumn this year.