Bridgestone winter tires have always been famous for their high sales volumes and good results during various tests both in Russia and in the world as a whole. The 2014-2015 season was marked by the appearance on our market of several high-profile novelties at once, which allowed Bridgestone to remain in the top echelon of winter tires for passenger cars. It is with them that we want to introduce you.
Debut of winter tires of the model Blizzak DM-V2 took place at the end of August 2014 as part of the Moscow International Motor Show. The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 is a studless tire designed for crossovers and midsize and full-size SUVs. The novelty is based on the Blizzak DM-V1 tires, which played the role of the flagship in the last winter season. The second generation of the popular model received a rather impressive list of improvements that made the Blizzak DM-V2 a versatile rubber that feels great both on snowy asphalt and on ice-bound roads.
The backbone of the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2's reliability and success is a new rubber compound with special micro-pores with a hydrophilic coating to absorb water more efficiently. In addition, polymer additives were introduced into the mixture to help preserve the properties of the tire in all weather conditions, including severe Russian frosts. This significantly extended the life of the Blizzak DM-V2 rubber and improved its resistance to damage.
The tire's good grip on ice and snow is provided by a new directional pattern with cross grooves and 3D sipes that guarantee optimal contact pressure distribution over the entire contact patch while maintaining the necessary gaps between the blocks, which ensures reliable grip on the road surface.
The main advantage of Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 rubber is a significant reduction in braking distance on ice surfaces. The test results showed that in this regard, Blizzak DM-V2 tires are more efficient than competitors by an average of 5-7%. Note that at the moment Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 tires are the flagship of the Japanese company among non-studded models for crossovers and SUVs.
Bridgestone also has a novelty among winter studded tires. It's about tires Blizzak Spike-01, which replaced the successful Ice Cruiser tires. The Blizzak Spike-01 is relatively new as it has been on the market for several years. In the 2014/15 season, it was slightly improved and updated, which made it possible to tighten the characteristics and capabilities to the level of competitors' new products. However, this does not prevent Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-01 tires from remaining the flagship of the Japanese manufacturer's studded tire range for both crossovers and passenger cars.
In the 2014/15 winter season, the Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-01 tires received improved stud holes, which increased the holding power of the studs even under high loads. The studs themselves have changed slightly, with a redesigned cruciform notch in the center insert, making the Blizzak Spike-01 tires even more effective on ice. As a result, the updated tires show better grip and a noticeable reduction in braking distances compared to last season's model.
It is worth mentioning the flagship model of Bridgestone studless rubber for ordinary city cars. In the current season, the Japanese have not presented new products in this direction, relying on a proven "fighter" - the model Blizzak VRXsuccessfully implemented over the past few years. Blizzak VRX tires are designed for high operational reliability and confident handling on snow and ice. In the latest update, the Blizzak VRX features an asymmetric tread pattern with swept and crossblocks and two shoulder zones with lateral relief for increased grip on snowy roads. The new rubber compound, like the above-described flagships, also received the properties of improved moisture absorption, which is then effectively removed from the contact patch due to a well-thought-out drainage system.
In the rubber compound of Blizzak VRX tires, the volume of micropores does not decrease as they wear out, which guarantees the preservation of the tire's qualities over a long period of use. At the same time, over time, Bridgestone Blizzak VRX winter tires perfectly retain their original softness, which means that even long-term use does not significantly affect acoustic comfort. Taken together, this has enabled the Blizzak VRX model to be successful over the past few winter seasons.
