General Tire on-road SUV tyre

With the new Grabber GT, 4x4 tyre specialist General Tire is now launching an on-road tyre specially designed to cope with the exacting demands of SUV and 4x4 operation.

The new tyre replaces the tried-and-trusted predecessor with immediate effect. Its special strong points are high safety under braking on dry and wet roads, precise handling and safe wet-weather performance. To reduce SUV fuel consumption, the developers have reduced rolling resistance by seven percent. At the same time they also improved mileage capability by three percent and reduced noise emissions by eight percent. The tyre is offered in 42 sizes, with speed ratings from 190 to 300 km/h. These sizes cater for a wide range of road-going SUVs, including the Audi Q3, Honda CR-V, Range Rover Evoque and Porsche Cayenne. Under the European tire labeling system, all tyre sizes achieve wet grip class C, and fuel efficiency class E. They also score a two-bar rating for noise.

New General Tire Grabber GT can be used on a wide range of SUVs 

In terms of size, the new Grabber GT tyre is tailored to a wide range of SUV applications. The aim was to cater for as many mid-sized or heavy-duty SUVs as possible, including European, American and Asian models. 42 different sizes are available in all, 17 of them new. This ensures that a wide range of popular models in the SUV segment can be equipped with General Tire's latest offering – including the Audi Q3, Honda CR-V, Range Rover Evoque and Porsche Cayenne.

With this new product, a brand noted particularly for its high-quality off-road tyres is now offering even more choice in its on-road range. The sizes also include less common dimensions: In addition to the most popular sizes in the on-road SUV segment, such as 215/65 R 16 H, 235/65 R 17 V and 255/50 R 19 W, the Grabber GT also offers less familiar sizes. With the new Grabber GT, General Tire is hoping to give as many owners as possible the chance to switch to this on-road tyre.

As well as a wide range of applications, the new Grabber GT is also designed for visual appeal. This is largely down to a tread design that immediately signals sturdiness and superior grip, indicating that this is a road-going tire with high braking and steering performance. Another eye-catcher is the sidewall design, which includes the dynamic brand logo and the product family name "Grabber", accompanied by the letters "GT". The sidewall also advertises the tire's monitoring technology – the wheel alignment and wear indicators – and displays the General Tire URL, along with the mandatory technical information.

The new General Tire Grabber GT will go on sale at tyre dealers this spring, replacing the previous Grabber UHP. Pricing will be on a par with the predecessor products.

General Tire's new Grabber GT offers safety, low rolling resistance and greater comfort

The new Grabber GT has been developed with the focus on high levels of safety on dry and wet roads, precise handling and further improved fuel efficiency and comfort. The new tread design meets the special demands faced by an on-road SUV tyre. Good vehicle-road contact is obviously of particular importance in an SUV, since these vehicles can be as powerful as a sports car, will often weigh twice as much as a normal sedan and have a high center of gravity which makes them inherently more prone to traction loss than a conventional model. The result is increased forces that the tyres need to handle precisely and dependably. General Tire has a long tradition of building SUV tyres with a highly robust casing design.

New tread design ensures safety and comfort

The new asymmetric tread design of the Grabber GT, with massive shoulder blocks and 3D sipes, makes for a sturdy tread block structure for top-class handling. The stiffness of the outer tread areas means steering commands are precisely transmitted. At the same time, the large number of grip edges in the center of the tire makes for short stopping distances in an emergency.

For a road tyre, the new Grabber GT has a large number of tread blocks and grip edges, which ensures good interlock between tread and road surface. The result is predictable, safe on-road braking performance in the dry and in the wet.

The harmonic tread block placing and closed shoulder blocks enhance comfort and make for more cost-efficient operation. The sturdy block pattern promotes even wear, which gives these tyres a high mileage capability. At the same time the closed shoulders create a barrier against the noise generated in the center of the tyre, reducing tire/road noise and increasing comfort throughout the life of the tyre.

Clear overall improvements have been achieved over the proven predecessor model (Grabber HP/UHP), with a seven-percent reduction in rolling resistance, an eight-percent reduction in noise emissions and a three-percent increase in mileage capability – all combined with excellent wet and dry braking performance.

Visual indicators for wheel alignment and tyre wear

Patchy wear, usually due to incorrect wheel alignment, will significantly shorten the life of a tyre. To help prevent this, General Tire has equipped the Grabber GT with VAI (Visual Alignment Indicator) monitoring technology. Pairs of small sipes positioned on either side of the tyre at defined points highlight uneven wear, caused by incorrect wheel alignment. Drivers should check these sipes after 1,000 km. If there is uneven wear, i.e. if the sipes on one side of the tyre have disappeared, the vehicle should visit a workshop to have the wheel alignment corrected. A further easily monitored indicator is built into the center rib of the tyre. This is an inscription which initially reads "Replacement Tire Monitor", then changes to "Replace Tire" when the tread depth reaches 3 mm. With these two indicators, General Tire has made it easy for drivers to check tyre wear and be sure they always have a safe tread depth.