It was only a matter of time before Vredestein India branched out into the lucrative market of premium SUV tyres. Now they have with the Pinza AT range.
Story: Joshua Varghese
Photography: Vredestein India
Following a successful entry into the Indian tyre market a couple of years ago, the premium tyre manufacturer, Vredestein, has entered the lucrative segment in the luxury car space. In India, premium and luxury sport utility vehicles (SUV) easily outnumber their sedan counterparts, but the number of all-terrain tyre options available for them are limited.
To set things right in that respect, Vredestein India has launched the Pinza AT (“AT” for all-terrain) range for 17-, 18-, and 20-inch wheel sizes. In addition to “AT”, the firm is also offering “LT” (light truck) tyres in certain sizes. Furthermore, it confirmed that “HT” (highway terrain) tyres were currently in development and should reach the market later this year.
The Pinza AT aims to cater to cars from the Ford Endeavour and the Toyota Fortuner all the way to the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and the Land Rover Defender.
Some of the noteworthy features of the Pinza AT include an optimized compound for good traction and durability, herringbone grooves, wide tread, and high-tensile steel belt construction. Most of these are available for the P-Metric passenger car tyres too. The LT tyres use a compound that supports greater load and stress in addition to featuring an exclusive three-ply construction.
In order to experience the tyres in off-road conditions, Vredestein curated a course for us and supplied cars that were shod with the passenger Pinza AT tyres. From the line-up, we chose a Ford Endeavour and set off. The course included a mix of challenges, including steep climbs, descents, a log strip, axle-breakers, and even an artificial slush pit. With the onset of summer, the terrain of Maharashtra offered limited traction. So, as one of the most road-oriented cars in the line-up, the Ford Endeavour was a perfect candidate to test the capabilities of these tyres.
Capable though the Endeavour was, it quickly became evident that the Pinza AT tyres were equally responsible for the ease with which it overcame obstacles. The car was able to find traction rather easily, even when it was scarce, with minimal wheelspin, never once struggling up slopes or down them. At the axle-breakers, for example, where, at times, only two wheels had traction, the Pinza AT generated enough grip to allow the car to clear the obstacle under its own steam. Even in the slush pit, there was nothing unpredictable about the way the car behaved. Grip was easy to come by and pointing the car where one wanted it to go was equally easy.
Once again, I must state that all the cars at the event were shod with the passenger variant of the Pinza AT and none of them ever struggled to complete the course.
The prices start at Rs 17,000 per tyre and it is a good alternative in a market that is currently limited to a couple of expensive imported brands in the premium space.
