Falken’s new Wildpeak tyre tames on and off road terrains

A new all terrain tyre that provides high levels of refinement and stability on road has been launched in Europe by Japanese tyre manufacturer Falken. Available from spring 2012, the Wildpeak WP/AT01 blends the operational performance of an off-road tyre
whilst incorporating the construction and design features typically reserved for high performance road tyres.

The Wildpeak WP/AT01 marks the first time Falken has offered a true all terrain tyre in Europe and follows the successful US launch where a derivative of the Wildpeak won the 2011 Pikes Peak mixed surface hillclimb. “The Wildpeak 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,” says Yukio Yoshida, Falken’s European Corporate Planning Director.

“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. It continues our aggressive growth plan in Europe that saw us achieve record sales last year,” he adds.

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.

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