Pirelli ice zero tires test. Test drive of frictional winter tires Pirelli Ice Zero FR. New versions of tires from Pirelli

In the capital, the weather is not very wintry now - there is no snow yet, despite the subzero temperature, and the asphalt is clean and mostly dry ... In such conditions, the operation of studded and some friction tires can cause discomfort, but this fate has passed us. Looking ahead, we note - on a snow-free road Pirelli ice Zero FR give pleasure.

Tires Ice zero FR, that is, "frictional" ones, did not appear yesterday - they entered the market in the summer of 2015 and changed the tire. And they didn't just come out! The manufacturer called them a good choice for those looking for a combination of comfort and a high level of stability and control in harsh winter conditions. A special piquancy of the situation was given by the fact that tire manufacturers proclaimed Ice Zero FR as an alternative to studded wheels. Intriguing, isn't it? By the way, the range includes a model with "iron claws" and a completely different tread pattern. We all know perfectly well that Velcro is by no means good in all modes - in particular, they fail at near-zero temperatures by wet ice... Is it really a set of compromises with dubious results?

In fact, Ice Zero FRs are a cross between enough soft tire Scandinavian type and relatively hard tires for moderate European winters. We turn the steering wheel and… Nice! Pirelli's creation looks spectacular, geometric and, shall we say, slightly “digital”, although it would seem, what can surprise the tire? The directional pattern guarantees good stability and provides traction on various types of surfaces.

Blocks for assault on loose and rolled surfaces in the central part of the tread are generously cut by sipes to effectively trap snow and, again, increase grip. Longitudinal lateral grooves remove slush from the contact patch and remove a water film on the ice surface.
Pay attention to the shoulder sections - they used a soft rubber compound, which made it possible to increase the contact patch. These are not marketing gimmicks! Compared to Winter ice Control spot is increased by 16%, and in the shoulder area by as much as 45%. It sounds almost unbelievable, but it's easy to believe, just look at the proprietary diagram. The Winter Ice Control has an oval track while the Ice Zero FR tire is almost rectangular.

More contact area - more grip and more effective braking. “But the narrower the winter tire, the better it“ cuts ”the snow,” the attentive reader will note and cite as an example the narrow tires on rally cars racing along snow-covered tracks. On this score, Pirelli has an argument - 3D lamellas. When the car is moving in a forward direction, they are in an open state and remove snow from the contact patch. In turns, the picture is completely different - the sipes are pressed against each other, increasing the rigidity of the tread blocks, which is good for control accuracy.
The Pirelli stickies contain silica (silicon dioxide) and adaptive resins), which allow achieving stable performance at temperatures from +7 to -50 degrees.

We will not hide the fact that we have a lot of questions for Ice Zero FR - after all, it is interesting to test them in a variety of winter conditions... While we froze in anticipation of snowy weather, we can recall the opinion of our colleagues from Za Rulem, who tested this model. Among the pluses noted are excellent braking properties on snow and directional stability, as well as adequate handling during emergency maneuvering on snow.

As for the shortcomings, there are some comments on the ride and longitudinal grip on ice.

It is very possible that deficiencies in ride comfort will be noticeable when compared with competitors' tires. We didn’t carry out such duels, but only operated the tires in everyday urban modes on dry and wet asphalt and were just satisfied. There are no particular complaints about the smoothness of the ride. With Ice Zero FR there is no feeling of heavy winter "shoes" and increased unsprung masses. And the tires were not too "talkative". The silence in the cabin of our crossover is disturbed not so much by the characteristic hum pouring from the wheel arches, but by an overly noisy engine. It is not surprising, because the indicators of acoustic comfort are between the 1st quietest and 2nd class according to the European classification. I like the handling unconditionally - the car clearly reacts to the driver's commands, demonstrating the European character.

Finally, we note that the Pirelli Ice Zero FR is offered in 16-20 inches for crossovers and SUVs and 14-19 inches for passenger cars... We are waiting for the snow!

Studded tires from Italy? Yeah, I'm changing to Chianti from Finland. Oranges will not be born from aspen! Sangiovese grapes do not grow beyond the Arctic Circle, and there is almost no ice on the Apennines ...

But the hot southerners from the Pirelli firm nevertheless strive to catch up and overtake the Germans, French and Finns in studding. Another attempt - Pirelli Ice Zero.

I swear I will not leave Russia until I prove to you that the Lancer Evolution behaves best on winter asphalt on Pirelli tires!

The head of the Russian representative office of Pirelli Carlo Costa, as they say, started up. I just told him over dinner how much I love Continental WinterViking studded tires. Yes, a third of the thorns fell out over the last winter and there are two lateral hernias, but my Evik traveled on this set for five seasons!

And over the years I have only become stronger in the idea that studded tires are for the city. Exactly! For the first time, I noticed that "spikes" outperform "sticky" when braking on asphalt, ten years ago, analyzing the results of our comparative tire tests. They contrasted sharply with the opinion prevailing among professionals that the spikes, they say, slide on a hard surface. But judging by the numbers of our measurements ... Yes, there were also outsiders among the studded models, but only among the “rootless” brands. And the leaders were Continental, Nokian, Michelin - with thorns!

Therefore, last winter beyond the Arctic Circle, I was extremely interested to know what the developer of the new Pirelli models Ice Zero - Italian ...

And here is not an Italian: Ice Zero was created by the Dutchman Jaap Leendertse. A computer engineering graduate from Delft University of Technology, he worked in tires at German technical centers Bridgestone / Firestone and Goodyear, and moved to Milan exactly two years ago. I ask if I like it there. What a question, answers: blessed south, Italy, a poet's dream.

At the same time, we are sitting in the epicenter of the most winter fairy tale. Rr-hand Peak. I just want to savor, stretch this "rrr" at the beginning of the name of the amazing Ruka Peak hill under the polar town of Kuusamo, east of Rovaniemi. A lonely high hill is open to all winds: here you are not a plain, here the climate is different - and the Finnish spruces, in the lowland, simply powdered with snow, are densely covered with it. And there is an inn at the top of the peak, surrounded by strange curved silent white statues ...

Yes, on the one hand, the spike slightly protrudes above the tread and, as it were, lifts a part of the rubber, "turning it off" from the process, - says Jaap in response to my questions. “But on the other hand… In order for the tires to work well at low temperatures, the compound must be softened, and the tread must be cut with many sipes. All this degrades the tire's behavior on asphalt. The thorns give me several advantages. First, they strengthen the tread. And secondly, on ice they provide the lion's share of adhesion properties, and thanks to this, the compound can be made harder. It turns out that the studded tire outperforms the non-studded Scandinavian type both on asphalt and on ice!

Later Jaap sent me the exact figures of the comparative measurements. If we take the results of Pirelli Carving Edge studded tires as 100%, then when braking on dry asphalt at + 3 ° C, Pirelli Ice Control Velcro extends the braking distance by 5%! True, the non-studded tires of the European type Pirelli Snow Control S.3 brake better as expected - by 13%. But when braking on ice, the hard Snow Control loses to the “spikes” by as much as 25%! And "soft" Ice Control - 15%.

So it turns out that “for Russian conditions with periodic extreme low temperatures but with a predominance of urban driving on asphalt, the best tire is studded. " These are not my words - it was Jaap who said.

What about asphalt wear?

There is such a thing. That is why thorns are prohibited throughout Western Europe. And even the Scandinavians, who have no spikes in any way, were forbidden to sell tires produced later than July 1 of this year with more than 50 spikes per running meter of tread. That is, for a 16-inch tire, this is a maximum of 96 studs.

The 16 "Ice Zero has 130" double "studs. The tread pattern is completely different than the Carving Edge models, more closely reminiscent of Nokian previous generation- "ornament" of the central part plus transversely oriented shoulder blocks. Multiple slotted lamellas and a new compound with long molecular chains designed to increase grip on wet and ice-covered surfaces

Pirelli's patented "double" stud bites into the ice with two "sharp" peaks during acceleration, and on deceleration - a "common" flat edge of a tungsten carbide insert. But in the transverse direction, the “double” spike works like a single one. Trapezoidal body ensures consistent orientation in the tread

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Then why does the Pirelli Ice Zero have 130 studs?

It turns out that the same Scandinavians made an exception: if a tire with a large number of studs successfully passes a special test for surface wear, it is allowed for sale. Test - full-scale: the car drives over and over again on the calibrated granite tiles, which are weighed before and after the tests. If the weight loss after the test is below a certain value, then wear is normal.

Evil tongues said that this test was invented by the tire workers from the Nokian company, they conduct it at the Finnish training ground Test World, which means ... But the Italians have also successfully passed the "wear test"! Moreover, with spikes are not simple, but double.

This is a new word in the race of spike weapons. First, the Finns from Nokian came up with a carbide insert square, then the Germans went even further - remember the "diamond" thorn at Continental tires? And at Pirelli, the insert resembles ... a bat. "Look people, I'm Batman!" The double part works during acceleration, and the straight part - during braking. And only in the transverse direction, the brainchild of Jaap Leendertse and his colleagues turns into an ordinary thorn.

And look at what a powerful "underwater part" of the thorn! It is closed only at the factory - you cannot stud Ice Zero on the side. Moreover, unlike the Germans, in Pirelli they did without glue - such a thorn sits in its nest, and falls out, as is the case with the current Pirelli tires Carving Edge shouldn't be.

Bentley sedan Flying Spur the previous (already) generation on ice is superb! Long wheelbase, powerful biturbo engine - and constant four-wheel drive with half distribution of thrust between the axles

And how do the new tires "ride"?

Alas, they were given only a little ride: acceleration, "snake" and braking on the Audi A8. Information - zero. But I managed to spend the whole day at the Bentley Power on Ice school - however, the “school” Continental GT and Flying Spur were “shod” in regular Pirelli Sottozero tires, studded specifically for ice training. What a thrill it is to drive these huge heavy vehicles sideways under the thrust, shifting them from skid to skid! Moreover, the grip of the “long spike” on the ice is such that sometimes, right after switching the “automatic” up, even the V8 biturbo engine on the new Conti GT lacks traction. And the asymmetric center differential on the new generation Bentley proved to be worse - with a 40:60 thrust distribution in favor of the rear axle, the Continental GT is not as smooth and predictable in sliding as the good old Flying Spur with its 50:50 symmetry.

But all this, including dog sledding, is lyric. And physics? How new behave Ice tires Zero, will they be better than Continental, Nokian and Michelin? After all, if in the early years the new Pirelli studded tires perform in our tests on a par with the leaders, then they slowly give up their positions: the competitors are improving. For example, the well-known Pirelli Carving Edge tires were among the winners four years ago, and were already inferior to them last year.

Carving Edge tires are still on the stage. Ice model Zero completes the range, making its debut in the most prestigious sizes from 16 to 21 inches. Oleg Rastegaev will tell you about how Ice Zero performed in our test in the next issue of Auto Review. As for me, then ... I would gladly put Pirelli on the EvoIX. But only if they are no worse than Conti, on the most critical surface for me - winter asphalt, covered with a snow-salt film. And if Russian market really is so important for Pirelli, as Carlo Costa says, then I think that the developer Jaap Leendertse will still have a job of modernizing the studs, and the compound, and the tread pattern ... The road conditions in Russia are painfully difficult. Neither Scandinavia nor Canada - the other two markets for Pirelli studded tires - do not exist.

Domestic consumers rate Pirelli as one of the best tires in the world. This is a fact, since the Italian company occupies a leading position in the ranking of automotive magazines, horns and other popular resources. Therefore, their cost is quite high, but the quality is also at the highest level.

Pirreli tire production

The Italian company is one of the largest in the world for the production of car tires... They began their activity in 1894, when the world's first bicycle tire was created.

Now the Italian brand has about 24 factories around the world. Two factories for the production of Pirreli tires have been built in Russia. The company also has a large logistics system in Russia.

If we are talking about the manufactured tire models in the domestic space, then it is worth highlighting Pirelli Winter Carving and Pirelli Ice. Since studding is banned in European territory, many companies followed Pirelli's example and began to produce tires in Russia.

As for other models, they are produced in Italy, Germany, England, Turkey. It all depends on the model and size of the tire.

Pirelli ice zero

High performance Ice Zero is a balanced winter tire. They belong to the first category. Technological tires are characterized by high grip on ice and excellent resistance to winter frost.

On the paved road of the Central European winter, they are assertive due to their high grip and high handling characteristics.

The tread pattern is identical to the "European" style. Here you can see the special directionality of the middle part of the tire, and the small grooves on the diagonal have a slightly larger section in the shoulder area. Such a protector quickly enough removes water and snow cover from the main surface of the tire.

According to the Pirreli Ice Zero tire review, the soft tread zones can increase the contact area with the surface. Older versions of Ice Control have round spots, while Ice Zero has almost square spots.

Among other characteristics, it is worth highlighting the balanced distribution of pressure upon contact with the main surface. These functions are quite relevant when driving on a regular track and on snow.

Specialists have taken care and developed a soft rubber for the tread. Silicon dioxide and large lamellas were used for maximum adhesion. The so-called elements open up on slippery roads and form an effective grip on the road.

On open asphalt, the blocks become stiff and the sipes are turned off or blocked by the increased lateral forces. Thus, the behavior and handling of the vehicle are improved.

The main characteristics of winter tires Pirreli Formula Ice from the manufacturer:

• high level of stability on the track and ice, good handling;
• safety of the highest category, thanks to highly efficient execution;
• test drive of tires in various climatic conditions;
• new version of RUNFLAT.

Based on the given data, we can safely call Pirelli tires the most reliable and safest.

Pirelli tire marking and test drive

The clearly highlighted Made in Russia marking will answer the question of motorists about where the Pirelli Ice Zero tires are produced.

Russian production of famous tires should not scare away buyers. Since all products manufactured at the Kirov and Voronezh plants comply with international quality and reliability standards.

The renovated Voronezh Pirelli plant began to produce high-quality Pirelli tires Ice Zero for winter ride... The test-drive on ice showed that the tires with curly spikes seriously compete with their counterparts from other manufacturers.

Nevertheless, on rolled snow, the tires are slightly inferior to competitors, since the car's handling is slightly worse.

In the snow race, the car with Pirelli tires ended up losing about 3 seconds over the 1.5 km distance. However, at the time of the test in deep snow, the tires were well ahead of their competitors.

Confident grip on wet track and regular asphalt. However, at the same time, the tires emit a serious hum. They are perfect for poorly cleaned and icy roads. For normal city driving, they can also be used if the car is insulated from extraneous noise.

New versions of tires from Pirelli

The most interesting and attractive development of the company is the Formula Ice tires. They are used for cars Vehicle and small SUVs. The concern offers its customers about 20 standard sizes of tires for all types of winter roads.

The new Pirreli Formula Ice tires are manufactured and manufactured in Italy. These tires can be used in difficult climatic conditions, where there is severe frost and icy, snowy roads. The designers took into account the fact that lately Europe has been "conquered" by snows, which are no longer a rarity.

The Italians, to a large extent, when designing and creating Ice Zero tires, counted on the large Russian market. And the local climate makes it possible to create high-quality tires for domestic roads.

Tires are made with the expectation of long-term use, and the manufacturer guarantees the preservation of the original characteristics and parameters for a long time.

Tire studding is performed using aluminum products with special tips and reinforced elements. Formula Ice Zero tires have high directional stability thanks to the ribbed ribs.

This design provides a high level of safety in winter road and good governance car.

The tread depth on the Formula Ice tire is 9.5 mm. In addition, the tread has a directional pattern for high grip on ice. Despite the soft rubber mixtures, the finished tires are fairly resistant to wear and tear.

This is a slightly modified and updated tread pattern used on other brands of the famous brand's tires. The protectors have proven themselves to be effective in removing snow and water.

Tires were originally designed for the Scandinavian countries. However, tires have already proven themselves in difficult climatic conditions in Russia, and their affordability has begun to attract an increasing number of local buyers.

Choosing Pirelli tires, every car enthusiast guarantees himself a safe ride and good handling.

Technical Pirelli characteristics Ice zero

For the first time in the history of ZR tests, the Pirelli-Winter Carving Edge spikes took the lead. They are not only very good, but also very attractive in price among imported winter tires: the price / quality ratio is 5.5. The only thing that spoils the picture is the loss of a few spikes during testing. The official response of the Pirelli company on this matter is in the winter tire test: ZR, 2011, No. 9.

Let us briefly recall its essence. Having received information about the loss of studs in Pirelli-Winter Carving Edge tires, which was discovered during our winter tests, the company carried out a thorough inspection of its tires and found out that one of the stud suppliers had unacceptable deviations in the size of the body. After notifying the supplier of this, he took urgent measures - he stabilized the size of the studs, and now Pirelli is confident that there will be no more stud losses.)

The magnificent trio - Continental, Michelin and Nokian, which in recent years have gained fame as undisputed leaders - this time unexpectedly let Pirelli take the lead. Nevertheless, everyone stayed in the super-tops group, gaining more than 900 points.

Michelin-XIN 2 - the final second place, an example of balance and stability (price / quality - 6.8).

Third place went to Nokian-HKPL 7, which remains the most expensive: price / quality ratio - 7.7.

Continental's novelty, ContiIsContact, could not stay on the podium, showing only the fourth result with a price / quality ratio of 7.3. However, in the overall standings, the tire yielded to its old rival Nokian quite a bit - only 1%.

In fifth place is the fifth model of the popular Russian brand "Gislaved", which scored 889 points.

Sixth - Goodyear-UltraGrip Extreme is inferior to the leader in points by almost 5%, but in terms of price / quality ratio (6.8) it is equivalent to Michelin.

The seventh place was taken by "Kordiant Sno-Max", thus confirming last year's title of the best "spike" of domestic design. The price / quality ratio is 4.6.

The novelty of Bridgestone, the Ice Cruiser 7000, looks better than the previous, 5000th model, but is not yet able to compete with the leaders (price / quality - 7.0).

"Kama Euro-519" is in ninth place, price / quality - 4.9.

The novelty of the rootless "Kontire" tire "Arctic Ice II" with modest characteristics showed only the tenth result. Although the price / quality ratio is the most advantageous for the buyer - 4.5.

Amtel-NordMaster ST-310 closes the line. Very weak - only 804 points, the difference with the leader is 13%. But the price / quality ratio is immodestly high, even higher than that of the Pirelli test winner - 5.6!

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Oldest tires in the test: Created in 2004-2005.

On "white" surfaces in comparison with competitors, as they say, do not roll. The weakest acceleration and lateral adhesion properties, braking is just weak. On snow, the most unreliable lateral grip and braking, sluggish acceleration. When accelerating, be careful with the gas: tires easily slip into slipping, preventing acceleration.

On a winter road, they desperately scour, slide to the side even on slight inclines, do not react to steering, so it is not possible to set the trajectory reliably. Problematic handling on any surface. The car reacts to the steering wheel with significant delays. At the entrance, it blows out, and at the turning arc, if it still manages to fit into it, it strives to unfold backwards.

Slides are long, heavily smeared. They restore grip for a very long time. Deep snow is contraindicated: even on the move and directly you can overcome only a small snowdrift, they do not want to turn. It is worth stopping, without a shovel you will not move forward or backward.

On the asphalt they go smoothly, but the direction correction is complicated by an uninformative steering wheel with an "empty" "zero".

But on dry asphalt braking is good, and on wet it is better. They don't indulge in comfort: they buzz loudly, sound any irregularities. Very tough.

Fuel consumption is slightly above average. The studs hold securely, but the protrusion is not enough to provide good grip on ice.

Tires with a mysterious pedigree. It is only known that they were developed by order of the Yaroslavl LLC "Avtoshina", produced at the factories "Amtel-Vredestein". New to the market and our test.

Insecure on winter roads. On ice, acceleration and lateral grip are average, and braking is the weakest - they lose more than 10 m to the leader! On snow, on the other hand, braking is mediocre, while acceleration and lateral traction are the weakest. When accelerating, they suddenly lose grip. On a snow-covered straight line, directional stability is not clear enough; when adjusting the direction, the rear axle steers unpleasantly.

Manageability is complex. On an icy road, before turning, the speed must be reduced in advance so as not to slip past. It is better to drive the steering wheel gently and smoothly, otherwise the grip of the front wheels with the road is lost. In deep snow, they move uncertainly, as if they are running into the snow. They do not obey the steering wheel, they do not want to turn, they get out reluctantly back.

On the asphalt they go smoothly, but the course correction is made difficult by the delay in the reactions and the easy steering of the rear axle. They buzz heavily, the noise increases with speed. Irregularities pass hard, vibrate. They brake well only on a dry surface, on a wet surface it is weak.

Fuel consumption is above average. The studs are held securely, the amount of protrusion is normal.

Created in 2008, two years later they were modernized in terms of rubber composition.

Weak on ice, more confident on snow. Acceleration and lateral grip are weak, brakes are slightly better. On snow, the brakes are unimportant, acceleration and lateral grip are average. On ice, during acceleration, they lose grip even with a smooth addition of gas. On the "white" road they prowl a little, causing the driver to feel insecure.

Small remarks about controllability. Reactions are mild, with slight delays. Speed ​​limit on ice is limited by skid. On the snow, the front axle follows a predetermined trajectory, the tail breaks into a slip, but the resulting skid is easily corrected. They overcome deep snow without stress, allow slipping, and get out well in reverse.

On the asphalt they strive to deviate from the course, the adjustment is complicated by the low information content on the steering wheel, large steering angles and steering of the rear axle. The brakes on dry surfaces are very mediocre, on wet ones - the worst of all, although the difference with the leader of the exercise is less than 3 m. They buzz on the snow, on the asphalt they make noise with the tread. They vibrate on small irregularities, shake on medium and large irregularities.

Economical at 90 km / h and even better at 60 km / h. The protrusion of the studs after running in is not enough for good grip on ice. At the same time, the increase in the projection by 0.3 mm during the "white" tests is a hint of a possible loss of pins.

Created in 2009, appeared in Russia in 2010, therefore they are participating in our test for the first time.

Modest performance on "white" roads. On ice, poor acceleration, average lateral grip, braking is slightly worse than average. On snow, they brake ineffectively, accelerate poorly and demonstrate average lateral grip properties. On ice, acceleration is possible only on the verge of slipping.

On a straight line on loose snow and ice they scour, but on the packed snow they carry the car exactly. Manageability leaves much to be desired: the car does not obey the steering wheel well on snow and ice, reacts to its turns with delays. With a loss of adhesion, they slide for a long time, the course recovers poorly.

They do not like snowdrifts: they run into deep snow, they reluctantly get under way and pull, and with slipping. They run smoothly on the asphalt, the steering wheel is notable for good information content, although the "zero" is not quite clear. On dry asphalt they slow down well, on wet asphalt they are very good.

They make a booming noise, sound irregularities. Medium and large irregularities pass rigidly, vibrate on small ones, as if overly inflated. Fuel consumption is slightly above average.

The protrusion of the studs on this model is slightly greater than on the previous 500 model - close to optimal, but still does not provide high grip on ice. They are held securely in the tire.

Production and sales started in 2009.

Strong on the ice, primarily due to the very protruding pimples. On ice the best braking and lateral grip properties, the acceleration is average. On snow, braking is better than average, good acceleration, but modest lateral grip. They prefer acceleration without slipping. On a winter road, they prowl a little, forcing them to constantly correct the trajectory.

Sluggish reactions hinder clear cornering, and they are less clear on ice than on snow. Most likely, the highly protruding spikes are to blame, which first fold and only then force the car to turn. Curve speed is limited by deep skid, which requires compensation.

In deep snow they move and maneuver reluctantly, start uncertainly. On the asphalt, they actively scour from side to side. Keeping a straight line is hampered by smeared "zero", low information content on the steering wheel, significant delays in adjustments and steering of the rear axle. On dry asphalt they slow down the worst of all, losing 4 m to the leaders. On wet asphalt braking properties are average.

They buzz loudly, crackling loudly with thorns. Vibrate on small irregularities. Increased fuel consumption at any speed. The protrusion of the studs after running in is greater than 2 mm. Such thorns do not last long, moreover, they actively scrape the asphalt. Growth rate of thorns (0.3 mm during the tests). Nevertheless, so far all the thorns are in place.

Created in 2007, rolled out to the Russian market a year later, and in 2010 found new thorns.

The ratio of grip on ice is not clear: the lateral ones are medium, the acceleration is weak, and the braking is frankly weak. On snow, lateral grip is above average, acceleration is average, braking is weak. When accelerating, they unpleasantly abruptly break into a slip and just as sharply recover.

On a snow-covered road, they walk smoothly, without complaints. They immediately react to course corrections. They are well controlled, they are distinguished by clear reactions, but they do not like sudden steering movements. Alas, our claims to the versatile behavior in extreme modes on ice and snow remained: on ice, speed is limited by skidding, on snow - by drift.

They do not behave very confidently in deep snow. With an increase in slipping, the thrust decreases, they are reluctant to maneuver. On asphalt the course is no worse than on a snowy road. I liked the clear "zero" and good information content, although when adjusting the direction, a slight steering of the rear axle was noted. On dry asphalt they slow down best of all, on a par with "Gislaved", on wet ones they are also very good. They make a little more noise than we would like, voiced small irregularities. Transmit vibrations and shocks on medium to large bumps.

Fuel consumption is modest, economical at 90 km / h. The amount of protrusion of the spikes is within reasonable limits, the growth rate of the protrusion is at the limit of the permissible.

An old-timer of our tests: created in 2006, modernized several times, and therefore the results are quite decent.

Shows a good balance of traction on white and black roads. On ice, braking is average, acceleration and lateral grip are slightly better. On snow, longitudinal grip is average, transverse - very good. Slipping acceleration is only effective on snow.

On ice it is better to work carefully with gas. They walk smoothly, a little late when taxiing. The handling is mediocre: the steering wheel has to be turned at significant angles. Speed ​​is limited by pronounced understeer. The impression is spoiled by abrupt breakdowns in sliding and the same abrupt recoveries. For this reason, the behavior is unstable when exiting the slides. Especially sharply "grab" the road rear wheels, which leads to a shooting skid.

They are reluctant to go through deep snow and only without slipping. When maneuvering, the rear wheels tend to slide into the track of the front ones. On the asphalt they go smoothly, we only noted the insufficiently informative steering wheel. Braking on dry surfaces is the best. Wet braking is not the best, but still very good. Almost no noise is heard. Vibrations and shocks are not transmitted.

Fuel consumption is increased at a speed of 60 km / h, average at 90 km / h. The protrusion of the thorns and the rate of its growth are optimal.

The novelty, which was released last year, continues the tradition of the previous model "ContiWinterViking 2", which "opened" the asymmetric protector for "spikes".

They perform best on "white" roads, weak on dry asphalt. On the ice is very good overclocking and lateral grip, braking average. On snow, braking is very good (only Nokian and Pirelli are better), lateral grip is even better, but acceleration is only average. During acceleration, slight slipping is allowed.

On a straight line they prowl slightly, require course correction, pull a little towards deep snow. They are well managed. They are distinguished by clear initial reactions. A twisting skid appears on the turning arc, which allows you to prescribe a bend. They are not afraid of snowdrifts. They admit slipping, but prefer to move vnatyag. They get out back without problems. They walk smoother on the asphalt than on the snow-covered road. A clear, understandable "zero" helps the driver to correct the direction.

On dry asphalt the brakes are weak, on a par with "Kama", on wet - medium. Buzzing with a tread on a rolled snow road. They transmit vibrations from small irregularities to the body. Fuel consumption is higher at 60 km / h and average at 90 km / h.

The protrusion of the spikes is on the verge of permissible, but, nevertheless, the spikes are held very securely.

They were born in 2009, but have already undergone modernization: the rubber composition and spikes have been updated.

Comparable with the "Continental" in terms of the balance of grip properties on "white" and "black" roads (they prefer the first). On ice they are very good at braking (the only better "Kordiant", which has strong spikes), the lateral grip properties are average, and the acceleration is better.

On the snow, the alignment is the same: braking is very good, they hold medium across, and accelerate better than anyone else. The course on a snow-covered straight line is kept very well, the steering wheel is understandable. Controllability: clear reactions at any steering wheel turning angles. Behavior is strict, the car is screwed into a turn with a slight helping skid. You can turn it over by steering or throttle. They are not afraid of snowdrifts, confidently overcome them in any regime.

On an asphalt straight, they do not feel very confident - a vague "zero", large angles when adjusting the course and steering of the rear axle interfere with a clear course. On dry asphalt the brakes are very weak (only "Kordiant" is worse), on wet - a little worse than average. They make a lot of noise, announce the change of coverage. Itching unpleasantly on small irregularities.

Economical at any speed. Protrusion of thorns on the verge of permissible. Despite this, they are very securely held in the rubber.

Created in 2009, since then they have been sold.

The only tires of the leaders equipped with spikes with a round core that is unfashionable by today's standards. The best balance of grip on all surfaces found on winter roads. On ice better lateral grip, moderate acceleration and good braking.

On snow better acceleration, average lateral grip and very decent braking. When slipping, the acceleration efficiency is slightly reduced. They walk in a straight line, they scour a little on a heterogeneous surface, as if choosing what to catch on to, but they do not stray from the planned course. Controllability is good: clear reactions, fast execution, understandable behavior. On the curve, speed is limited by light drift of the front axle.

They overcome deep snow with confidence. Easy to move, obediently maneuvering, building confidence, reliably reversing. They walk smoothly on the asphalt. Experts noted a subtle tendency to steer the rear axle when changing trajectory. Braking is average regardless of the condition of the asphalt - dry or wet.

They only make noise on the asphalt at high speed. Transmit light shocks from medium irregularities. Economical at 90 km / h, 60 km / h better than average. The size of the protrusion of the spikes and the growth rate of the protrusion do not allow doubting their durability.

The potential of tires created in 2007 is not yet fully realized.

Modernization (renewal of the carcass, rubber compound and the transition to hexagonal studs) allowed us to show excellent results: none weak characteristics in adhesion properties. On ice, acceleration and lateral grip are very good, braking is not inferior to them. On snow the best braking and lateral grip properties, average acceleration. Along the "white" straight line they walk smoothly.

I liked the very clear and understandable "zero". The handling is unconditionally good. Crisp reactions with instant feedback are paired with gentle, feline behavior. The transitions to slide and back are very smooth and predictable. In the limit, non-frightening front end demolition.

It is better to overcome deep snow on the move, and if you get up, get under way without slipping. On the asphalt straight line they go smoothly, but when adjusting the course, the experts noted a not quite clear "zero" and light steering of the rear axle. The brakes are medium on both dry and wet surfaces. They make noise with their tread and spikes, with a peak at a speed of 50-60 km / h. They transmit unpleasant shocks from medium irregularities to the body and riders.

In terms of fuel consumption, they are similar to Michelin: economical at 90 km / h, at 60 km / h the results are better than average. After running in, the stud protrusion is normal, but the 0.2 mm gain during the tests raises concerns about the stud durability. During the tests, three wheels lost 10 pieces *.

* Pirelli has already responded to our information about the lost spikes and has taken action. See ZR, 2011, No. 9.

RESULTS IN TABLES

Thank you for the technical support of the employees of the DTR AVTOVAZ car range,

Togliatti company "Volgashintorg",

Pirelli Ice Zero is a premium winter studded tire with directional tread pattern for passenger cars and crossovers.

Country of origin: England, Germany, Romania, Russia.

Pirelli Winter Ice Zero test by Finnish Test World conducted in 2016

In 2016, experts from the Finnish organization Test World conducted a large-scale test of the winter studded tire Pirelli Ice Zero in the size 205/55 R16 and compared it with 21 winter tires of budget, medium and premium class.

For clarity of the results, similar studded tires participated in the test, friction tires and high-speed tires for mild winters (eurozma).

Test results

According to the results of the test, Pirelli Ice Zero took 4th place in the overall standings.

The tire performed well on wet asphalt, ice and snow, but on a dry surface it showed a result below average. In addition, against the background of other studded tires, it turned out to be quite quiet.

Discipline		A place	A comment
	Braking on dry asphalt from 80 km / h	16	a) by the leader of the test (European type tire) - longer by 5.2 meters; b) the best studded tire - 1.4 meters longer; c) the best friction tire - 1.9 meters longer.
	Braking on wet asphalt from 80 km / h	4	Difference in stopping distance from: a) the leader of the test (European type tire) - 7.3 meters longer; b) the best studded tire - longer than 0.2 meters; c) the best friction tire - 1.7 meters shorter.
	Handling on wet asphalt	2	: a) by the leader of the test (European type bus) - longer by 2.7 sec; b) the best studded tire - 0.9 sec faster; c) better friction tire - 1.4 sec faster.
	Snow braking from 80km / h	5	Difference in stopping distance from: a) the leader of the test (studded tire) - 1.4 meters longer; b) the best friction tire - 1.4 meters shorter; c) a European-type tire - 9.3 meters shorter.
	Snow handling	11	Lap time difference from: a) by the leader of the test (studded tire) - longer by 2.2 sec; b) the best friction tire - 1.1 sec longer; c) European type bus - faster by 4.2 sec.
	Acceleration in the snow	6	To accelerate to 35 km / h, the tire took 0.2 seconds longer than the leader of the test - a friction tire.
	Braking on ice	4	Difference in stopping distance from: a) by the leader of the test (studded tire) - longer by 3.3 meters; b) the best friction tire - 12.7 meters shorter; c) a European-type tire - 39.4 meters shorter.
	Handling on ice	7	Lap time difference from: a) by the leader of the test (studded tire) - longer by 2.7 sec; b) better friction tire - 0.7 sec faster; c) European type bus - faster by 19 sec.
	Acceleration on ice	1	Test leader. The difference in acceleration time from 5 to 20 km / h s: a) the best studded tire - faster by 0.1 sec; b) the best friction tire - 3.4 sec faster; c) European type bus - 6.8 sec faster.
	Noisiness	12-13	The tire achieved the fourth highest noise level and was quieter than most other studded tires.
	Profitability	19-21	One of the worst results. In comparison with the leader of the test - a friction tire, fuel consumption is increased by 2.8%.

Review of the experts who conducted the test:

Longitudinal grip on ice is excellent, while lateral grip is slightly weaker. Because of this, in some situations there is a risk of skidding. On wet pavement, the tires are braking and well controlled. On the snow, handling is predictable and safe. As for a studded tire, it is quite quiet.

Studded Pirelli Ice Zero test from Za Rulem magazine, 2014

In 2014, an alternative tire test was carried out by the experts of the Russian "Za Rulem" in the standard size popular among crossovers - 215/65 R16 and compared it with ten studded tires of budget, medium and premium class.

In this test, Pirelli took 3rd place and also showed high results in each of the disciplines.