FALKEN’S NEW TYRE TAMES ON AND OFF-ROAD TERRAINS

4x4magazine | 27/02/2012 | 0 Comments

Street tyre technology provides superior on road performance for new all-terrain tyre range suitable for VW Amarok, Jeep Patriot, Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender.

A new all terrain tyre has been launched in Europe by Japanese tyre manufacturer FALKEN. Available from spring 2012, the Wildpeak WP/AT01 is a derivative of the Wildpeak which won the 2011 Pikes Peak mixed surface hillclimb. It is designed to appeal to off road vehicle owners requiring a single tyre to provide a safe, refined ride on the road yet still provide performance in a range of off road conditions.
“This is the first time FALKEN has sold an all terrain tyre in Europe specifically developed to fulfill the stringent requirements for off-road and utility vehicles,” says Yukio Yoshida, FALKEN’s European corporate planning director.
To achieve an optimum on and off road ability, FALKEN’s engineers have used four multi-angled grooves to divert maximum amounts of mud and snow whilst the tread block edges have been formed to maximise traction and reduce clogging that typically occurs with all terrain tyres. The larger circumferential voids aid off camber traverses providing off road performance usually reserved for pure off road tyres. For on road safety, the open shoulder pattern design achieves effective water dispersion, resulting in excellent hydroplaning resistance, whilst phase-shifted tread bars reduce noise even at the higher speeds now achievable with off road vehicles. The Wildpeak’s design also satisfies the demand for a controlled and comfortable ride, with two stiff extra-wide steel belts providing stability on and off-road. Safety is further enhanced via a hard bead apex and a joint-less nylon band to stiffen sidewalls that minimizes the wallowing effect that can lead to great steering input that ultimately upsets the car balance.
To satisfy a large number of vehicle fitments, the Wildpeak is available from 15 to 18 inches with R, S, T and H speed ratings.