GT Radials has launched a new premium ultra-high performance tyre, the Champiro UHP1, onto the New Zealand market.
Imported and distributed by Tyres4U, the GT Radials Champiro UHP1 will be available in sizes ranging from 15 to 19 inches, and 35 to 55 series, with a V and W speed rating depending on the tyre size.
The Champiro UHP1 tyre will sit in the GT Radial range between the directional Champiro HPX tyre and the premium asymmetrical HPY tyre range which also offers SUV sizes.
Craig Wylde, Tyres4U national sales manager for passenger and light truck tyres, says the new UHP1 product stands up in its own right and that the company is very proud of the results gathered by BMW driving experience in local testing on the road and on the track.
Motor Equipment News went along to the official launch of the UHP1 at the Hampton Downs motorsport park, where the tyre’s were fitted to a fleet of BMW driving experience cars for guests to sample on the skid pan and slalom courses.
GT Radial has been supplying BMW driving experience with tyres for more than six months, and chief instructor Mike Eady says with 12 cars on the fleet ,he is grateful for the company’s support, as tyres are an expensive consumable.
“We’re quite particular about the tyres we use. We’ve had good and bad experiences with other brands so I’m blown away by the performance of these new tyres,” says Mike. “They are very good wet handling tyres, it’s hard to break traction.”
The reason for this according to GT Radials is that the UHP1 is an asymmetrical design with a rib-in-chain design which ensures linear stability when the vehicle travels at high speed, and also increased steering response.
An increased number of grooves on the inside of the tyre tread surface facilitates better water drainage and provides better handling and braking performance on wet roads. GT Radials says the big pattern blocks on the outside edge of the tyre tread surface increase its stability and steering control performance.
Fine grooves on the inside of the tyre tread also have good drainage performance, and improves wet braking performance, while on the tyre shoulder, big pattern blocks and transverse grooves that can strengthen the grip force when cornering, says GT Radials.
The difference in the section sizes and pitch permutation on both sides of the tyre further helps to improve handling and reduce noise. The four straight grooves in the tread pattern also ensure efficient water drainage and provide better handling for the driver on rainy days according to GT Radials.
The UHP1 enjoys a new tread formula adopting high band styrene (SBR), nanometer and high distribution silica, which is the key to enhancing the performance of the tyre’s high speed and wet handling.
The benefits of the new generation silica compound includes, reduced rolling resistance, reduced heat generation and increased tread wear, as well as a reduced braking distance of between 15 to 20 percent on a wet surface.
A full range of the new GT Radials Champiro UHP1 tyre will be available from GT Radial dealers from August.
