Michelin_Latitude_X_Ice_2_Plus_001
Updated Michelin all-terrain studded tires. On sale since autumn 2015. Updated Michelin Stud tires for SUVs. On sale since autumn 2015. Updated Michelin Stud tires for SUVs. On sale since the fall of 2015.
The share of crossovers and SUVs in the Russian market is growing year by year, so tire manufacturers are paying more and more attention to specialized off-road lines. In particular, Michelin has released new Latitude X-Ice North 2+ studs to replace the well-known Latitude X-Ice North 2 tire. The plus sign in the index hints that this is not a completely new model, but the modernization of the second generation tire, which appeared in 2011. The tread pattern, the number and shape of the studs were left unchanged. All innovations are hidden inside.
“Studs” are traditionally made two-layer: a hard inner layer holds the spikes, and a soft outer layer provides the necessary grip properties. In the Michelin Latitude X-Ice North 2+ tire, the layer boundary was made not even, but convex in the places of the studs, locally increasing the thickness of the lower layer - the French called this technology Catamaran. This protrusion reduces the deformation of the tread at the point of attachment of the spike, allows you to more reliably fix it.
FLEX-ICE 2.0_Latitude_X-ICE_North_2 +
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The rubber compound was also updated. The inner core is made of a temperature-sensitive ThermoActive Tread Compound 2.0 compound, which becomes softer in warm weather, allowing the tenon to be pressed into the tread on the asphalt, and hardens in the cold, keeping the tongue protruding on ice. For the outer tread layer, a FleX-Ice 2.0 mixture with a high content of silica (silicon dioxide) was used, modified for heavy off-road vehicles - taking into account high tire loads. Changes in the composition should improve the braking properties on slippery surfaces, improve the dynamics of dispersal and increase the service life of the studs.
It was succeeded to check new tires in Karelia. All-terrain vehicles Porsche Cayenne S and BMW X5 rolled out on the snowy track, shod in old tires and new ones. On the “Bavarian” the difference was very noticeable: on the “plus”, he is more likely to screw into the turn when the gas is supplied and less plow. But Cayenne did not like the potholes - they had to catch a car that had galloped at them even with the most delicate suspension settings, so it was not up to the nuances.
Then the baton was taken by Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q5, on which we evaluated the braking and handling on ice; in these tests, North 2+ tires competed not only with the predecessor model, but also with the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 studs. Measurements of the braking distance showed that the “plus” bites into the ice more violently than the old tire, and parity was established with Hakkapelita. Not bad!