“A tire specially designed for harsh winter conditions…” - with such a preamble, as a rule, the presentation of most tire novelties of the winter season begins. But in the history of Pirelli Ice Zero, the key word can be considered "specially", since, according to the developers, this is a 100% new product.
The master class on the ice of the lake was held by none other than the four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen. Photo: Stanislav Shustitsky
It is no secret that our compatriots treat winter tires developed in the southern regions of the planet with prejudice. It is clear Scandinavia, where the whole process, from the idea to the tests of prototypes, takes place, as they say, in natural conditions determined by the "habitat". And what kind of winter is it in Italy? But Pirelli engineers strongly disagree with this opinion. And at the same time they refer to the rich sports experience of the company. In this case, we are not talking about the company's participation in the "royal" races of "Formula 1" (although this fact speaks of the serious scientific potential of the Italian company). This refers to Pirelli's 40 years of experience in the design and manufacture of rally tires. The value of such experience cannot be overestimated, since a winter tire must have a number of innovative solutions that provide a high level of grip on snow, ice and mixed surfaces. And rally is exactly the kind of motor sport where battles take place in natural and weather conditions and on public roads. And it is not surprising that the Ice Zero test took place in Lapland, in Kuusamo, where the driving academy of the four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen is located. Of course, Juha himself conducted a master class on the ice of a frozen lake. But the main attention was paid to the presentation and testing of the new product - the Pirelli Ice Zero tires.
Overview
A few words about continuity. Pirelli would not be a company with racing roots if it did not produce "civilian" tires with high speed indexes in each of its segments. Ten years ago, the Winter Sottozero supercar tire was launched, allowing speeds of up to 240 km / h, and in 2008, a speed of 270 km / h was reached. Among the consumers of Pirelli tires, including winter models, are such well-known supercar manufacturers as Aston Martin, Maserati, Bentley, Ferrari, Mercedes, Lamborghini (Pirelli has been cooperating with this company since 1963). As already mentioned, the Pirelli engineers said that the Ice Zero studded tire is one hundred percent new product. Nevertheless, certain solutions and technologies used in the Sottozero and Sottozero II models were used in its development.
Improves the penetration of the stud on an icy road. Photo: Stanislav Shustitsky
The fact that a winter tire is a "child of compromises" has been said many times, and it really is: such a product must behave stably on various surfaces and in all weather conditions. Moreover, when it comes to a premium product. However, the very designation Zero in the Pirelli tire line suggests "zero compromises". But nevertheless ... Take, for example, ice coverage, which is considered one of the most difficult for tire designers. It would seem that the simplest solution would be to increase the number of thorns. But this inevitably increases the noise emitted by the tire when driving, and it is still very difficult to ensure high standards for rolling resistance and good tire performance on dry and wet asphalt. In addition, there are strict European regulations that define the maximum number of studs per running meter of a tire. The solution for the Ice Zero was an innovative cleat with an original solution to the base and top. With this solution, the double core provides traction on ice, and the large surface area maintains traction and significantly improves the tire's braking behavior. In fact, everything happens like this: during braking, the double core destroys the ice surface (in tests, the core provided stable penetration into the ice surface at temperatures of minus 20-25 ° C), and the wide spike base helps stabilize the tire's behavior. Taking into account the difficult weather conditions in winter and, accordingly, the various characteristics of the road surface, special attention was paid to the stability of the studs: they are fixed in such a way that their lateral displacement does not exceed a few degrees. When it comes to road testing, I would point out that the innovative spike works really well on icy surfaces. In any case, the performance in the "acceleration - deceleration" modes was not bad.
Reinforced stud attachment helps maintain stability on ice. Photo: Stanislav Shustitsky
The Pirelli developers are convinced that even summer tires with widths from 205 to 295 mm require a special approach. It's all about aquaplaning resistance. What then can we say about winter models, when under the wheels the wet asphalt is often replaced by snow slush! Hence the special design of the sipes and grooves in the Ice Zero construction, the width of which varies depending on the tire width - up to 265 mm and beyond, where the density of the sipes is higher. The important point is that all the design and testing work was carried out in close cooperation directly with the car manufacturers. Another significant factor in the development of winter tires is the need to take into account the large seasonal temperature differences at which the tires are used - from extremely low to positive. Therefore, the composition of the rubber compound must quickly adapt to such a wide temperature range. The solution was a compound with complex polymer bonds. Tire profile and contact patch optimization are equally important components in Ice Zero's construction. Speaking about them, the Pirelli developers reiterate once again that Ice Zero is a completely new product, which uses solutions that are completely unrelated to the designs of the previous models. The main goal of these innovative solutions is to provide good handling and effective braking both on rolled snow surfaces and on dry asphalt. This is, again, to the question of compromises ...
Increased contact patch for better dry grip. Photo: Stanislav Shustitsky
And finally, with regard to potential consumers of this premium product "from Pirelli": Ice Zero is available in 30 sizes - from 16 to 21 inches and is designed for both mono and four-wheel drive vehicles.
Pirelli Ice Zero. Photo: Stanislav Shustitsky
Pirelli Ice Zero. Photo: Stanislav Shustitsky
Pirelli Ice Zero. Photo: Stanislav Shustitsky
Among the advantages of Pirelli Ice Zero, the manufacturer promises good grip on ice both during acceleration and during braking, as well as improved grip on snow due to an increase in the number of transverse sipes. And if the first statement is justified by the specific shape of the stud, then the second should be read adjusted for the age of the model - after all, enough time has passed since 2013, when these tires debuted. However, the density of sipes on winter tires is not growing as rapidly as the power of video cards or the bitcoin rate, and a clear proof of the success of the tire is the fact that since 2013 it has continued to find its customers. Let's see what exactly attracts them.
First meeting
Large blocks of the tread pattern, a well-defined shoulder area, a really high density of transverse sipes, as well as "toothy" edges of the beginning of these sipes with an increased width - this is what immediately catches the eye in addition to the shape of the spike. Meanwhile, it is on the thorns that the manufacturer focuses on the main attention - and his statements look justified. The spike is made in the form of a "cut arrow" looking in the direction of the picture: during acceleration, it rests against the surface with two sharp edges, and slows down with a wide "cut" front part. At the same time, at the lateral shift, it is also sharp, but narrow - apparently, the emphasis is placed on the edges, which should effectively bite into the ice. Well, to ensure durability and stability of performance, the wide base of the stud, hidden under the "stamp" around it, is called upon.
All this sounds and looks in combination with the traditional clarifications about "testing in the harshest winter conditions" quite well: the deep and large tread should really provide good self-cleaning on the snow and decent cross-country ability - especially since the tire is addressed to both car owners and owners of SUVs. A wide "directional" spike should also perform better than a conventional "normal" one. It remains only to check whether this is so.
Road test
Already the first "running-in" hundreds of kilometers, passing at near-zero temperatures, made it possible to understand that the rubber is really soft, and large tread blocks have a positive effect not only on driving on snow, but also on water drainage from the contact patch. Rubber does not "float" at any city speed and does not fail in snow and mud, and braking on wet asphalt always remains predictable, even in spite of studding.
The drop in temperature and the end of the run did not bring disappointment: Ice Zero brakes very confidently on clean cold asphalt, without, of course, canceling out the need to keep the distance adjusted for ice “bald spots”.
But the difference in the dynamics of acceleration and braking on an icy road, adjusted for the asymmetry of the spike, could not be felt with the “back”: in both cases, the decisive factor was not the shape, but the width. But I was pleased with the behavior of the car on new tires when cornering: the demolition was achieved only with a clear overestimation of the capabilities of the car itself at the entrance to the turn. The predictability of slip stalls remained entirely on the choice of speed: if the car did not "crawl" outward at the entrance to the turn, then until the very end of the maneuver it remained on the set trajectory.
However, there were some remarks - the main and, perhaps, the only one was the noise background. Despite the standard stud heights and quite "urban" tread pattern, the noise from the tires subjectively seemed a little higher than expected. Perhaps this should be attributed to the "age" of the tires: since 2013, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, and Ice Zero may simply not be the quietest in the lineup. However, noise on clean asphalt is an inevitable scourge of all studded tires, and in our case there is no question of any outstanding level of this noise: you just need to take into account that it will directly depend on the sound insulation of a particular car. But even a subjectively noticeable background noise did not add to itself the equally noticeable vibrations - according to this indicator, the Pirelli test subjects are in complete order.
Off-road tests
Off-road tests in our case, of course, ended in several "unpaved" kilometers from the hard asphalt - it would be too naive to count on a full-fledged off-road on "civilian" tires and a low passenger car. But it was possible to check the behavior of the tires both on rolled and loose snow - and in both cases it did not cause any concern. Rolled snow is delivered by Ice Zero as uniformly as ice: acceleration and deceleration are predictable and confident. On loose snow, fresh rubber clearly makes a fresh track until it hits either the maximum ascent angle or the maximum depth of the snow cover. True, in the first case, it simply slips, hinting that the section can be overcome by the move, but in the second it starts to dig in - therefore, it is not worth slipping "to the last", hoping for a self-cleaning of the tread and a miracle, and not only on this one, but and on any other sensible winter tires.
Well, in urban conditions, the capabilities of the new Pirelli were more than enough: in the absence of heavy snowfalls, the courtyards have not yet turned into "ice battles", but the snow and ice have already taken their positions. Despite this, both the maneuverability and, importantly, the maneuverability in cramped conditions turned out to be exhaustively sufficient for a confident visit to any adjoining territories. Braking at low speeds can be called exemplary at all - slippage is minimal.
Price
14 inch tire
from 3,000 rubles
It's too early to talk about the strength and durability of rubber - for this you need to leave not a few months, but at least a full season. However, the primary confirmation of the strength of the sidewalls are several "baptisms of fire" at rigid joints and in large pits, which left no reason to doubt the quality of rubber and cord on the tires. By the way, the Ice Zero assortment also includes tires with Run Flat technology - this is especially important given the "versatility" for passenger cars and SUVs, and is also aimed at expensive cars.
Financial samples
The focus on expensive cars, however, was not the only one for Pirelli: Ice Zero is available in sizes from 14 to 22 inches. At the same time, in any of the landing diameters, it turns out to be slightly above the middle of the price range, which is fully justified both by the age of the model and by its positioning. The cost of a 14-inch tire starts at about three thousand rubles - this is by no means the lowest indicator, but its "payback" after the first acquaintance is beyond doubt. It seems that it is this combination of good performance, average price, wide off-road-car positioning and availability of Run Flat versions that provides Pirelli Ice Zero with a sufficient consumer audience. Case is closed!
Automobile passenger tires Pirelli Winter Ice Zero are one of the best developments of the Italian tire concern. It combines advanced technologies designed to improve vehicle handling and dynamics on snowy and icy roads. The unique design of the spikes with pointed tips significantly increases the vehicle's flotation on ice and prevents uncontrolled drifts.
Increased density of lamelling
Compared to previous generations of Pirelli tires, this model has a more dense arrangement of sipes on the tread area. The total number of these functional elements has been increased by almost 20%. A characteristic feature of the tire is that in the central part of the tread, the sipes are located at different angles relative to each other, forming a V-shaped pattern. Thanks to this arrangement, the tire confidently holds the road in both longitudinal and transverse directions.
Pirelli Dual Stud Stud Technology
The studs used in the Pirelli Winter Ice Zero winter tires are of a composite construction. They use double, elongated cores. The studs are made of a hardened metal alloy - tungsten carbide. This material is able to withstand colossal loads, so that the tips of the studs do not deform and do not wear out during prolonged intensive use.
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The innovative stud provides maximum safety when driving in ice and snow conditions. Thanks to her, the car in such conditions remains as controllable and dynamic as on a dry road surface. Spikes prevent the wheels from slipping on the ice crust and densely packed snow, so the car owner does not risk getting into an accident due to loss of control on a slippery track.
Modified compound composition
Unique additives based on high molecular weight polymers have been added to the rubber compound. These components strengthen the interatomic bonds between the particles of the compound, and also ensure the constant elasticity and elasticity of the rubber. Therefore, the tires do not turn to stone even during a sharp cold snap, down to -30 degrees Celsius. They remain soft and flexible at any temperature, while maintaining their grip and traction characteristics.
Synonyms: Pirelli Winter Ice Zero, Pirelli Winter Ice Zero, Pirelli Winter Ice Zero, Pirelli Winter Ice Zero, Pirelli Winter Ice Zero.
Some car enthusiasts choose tires based on what manufacturers tell them in their advertisements. They study the characteristics offered on the official website and make decisions about rubber based only on dry facts. But have you ever thought about the fact that these "dry facts" could be created solely to force you to buy a specific tire model without thinking about the consequences? In fact, this does not mean that you should not trust any manufacturer - naturally, first of all, you should familiarize yourself with what is offered to you in a particular case. However, making a choice based only on data from the manufacturer, then you run the risk of finding yourself in a difficult situation where the quality level does not correspond to the declared one. That is why you should also listen to what buyers say about a particular tire model, that is, those people who have already purchased and tested the tires you are interested in. This article will consider the tires "Pirelli Ice Zero" - reviews about them are quite common, but this article will collect the main points that are touched upon in these reviews, and there will be both positive and negative points. If you study the information that the manufacturer provides you, then you can not expect that there will be at least one word about the shortcomings of rubber - everyone seeks to display their products from the best point of view, and even if there is no outright lie on the official page, then some the truth there may well be silent. So what about Pirelli Ice Zero tires? Most of the reviews about this model are positive - 65 percent of people rated this rubber at five points and only five percent gave it one. Well, if there is at least five percent of absolutely negative reviews, then you should still figure out more specifically, what's what.
What are these tires?
Clear course when using tires
What do people write on the Internet about Pirelli Ice Zero winter tires? Reviews, of course, are very diverse and in many ways do not agree with each other, but according to some trends, specific advantages and disadvantages can be identified. For example, in most cases, people point out that thanks to this rubber, they manage to keep a clear course of the car at all times, no matter how severe the weather conditions are. What's more, both on ice and on snow, these tires do not cause problems when cornering, so you can rest assured your safety. Separately, we can say about braking - many users noted that it happens very well on ice, a little worse on snow, but still good enough, but there are some difficulties with driving in very deep snow - no one reported that they were stuck in the snow , but problems in the snowdrifts were still noticed. But in general, we can say that the manufacturers did not deceive, talking about what performance Pirelli Ice Zero winter tires demonstrate on snow and ice - user reviews confirm this.
Thorns
Another positive point, which is confirmed by the reviews of Pirelli Winter Ice Zero tires, is the spike. As you remember, the description indicated that the spikes are made using a special advanced technology, due to which they increase the effectiveness of rubber on an icy or snowy road surface, and also have greater stability, that is, in other words, they do not fall out. Almost all the reviews available on the net confirm this - the spikes don't really fall out, especially if you drive carefully. Even those people who reported that they sometimes recklessly, developed high speeds, braked sharply when cornering, report that they erased the rubber by half, but lost only a couple of studs. So the advanced technology is actually functional and helps the cleats stay in place for much longer than any conventional model. So if you drive carefully and wisely, then such rubber can serve you for a very long time. But are there really only positive reviews about Pirelli Ice Zero winter tires? In fact, they are the majority, but even those people who were satisfied with the overall quality of this model sometimes point to certain drawbacks, one of which is the functionality of rubber on dry asphalt.
Dry asphalt
It's no secret that winter tires are designed to drive on a snowy or icy road without any problems and without the danger of skids, side exits or even car overturns. However, there is one not the most pleasant moment that you should always consider when buying tires. As you have already seen, the owners' reviews about Pirelli Ice Zero tires are most often positive, but here it is worth making a reservation that in most cases the rubber was used in those conditions that are ideal for this rubber. But not always during the whole winter the road is completely covered with snow or ice - periodically there is also clean dry asphalt. And this is where this model gets into trouble. The manufacturer notes that the performance of this rubber on dry asphalt is lower than in extreme conditions, but still reports that it is very high. That is why, if you drive for a long time on dry asphalt, you can wear out your tires much faster than you would like. So take note of what the Pirelli Ice Zero rubber reviews tell you and use it in really extreme road conditions. If you have half of the winter dry or warm enough, then you should choose less extreme rubber.
Value for money
Also, people are amazed at what price Pirelli Ice Zero winter tires can be purchased - reviews often contain information that tires of this quality can be purchased only for much more impressive money. If you are interested in specifics, then on average you have to pay thirteen thousand rubles for this model, which, of course, is much higher than the price of an average winter tire, but the quality is actually amazing. And if we compare specifically the price and quality, then in relation to these indicators, this rubber wins by a large margin. What about the Pirelli Ice Zero Friction? User reviews can also be found on this matter, but they will have slightly different content, because this rubber is very different from the original - it does not use spikes, and instead of them, a special technology for making the rubber itself is used, to which special microelements are added that replace in terms of their functionality, thorns. The price for this model, respectively, is higher, but in terms of performance, we can safely say that it also rises, but not as much as the price.
Noise
What else do you need to know before purchasing Pirelli Ice Zero tires? The reviews also contain information about what the noise level of these tires is. Everyone knows that when driving on asphalt it can make a lot of unnecessary sounds just because of the friction of the studs. However, at the same time, people who use this rubber exclusively in extreme conditions refute this information, saying that this model is much quieter than most of the leading products on the market today. The conclusion from this can be made the following - if you use these tires in winter, then you have nothing to fear, the level of comfort will be quite high. But if your temperature often rises above zero, then you need to prepare for the noise that Pirelli Winter Ice Zero rubber can make. Reviews also demonstrate that the concept of noise is relative, and the fact that one person causes significant discomfort may be the norm for another. Therefore, you should still try this rubber in a test mode before purchasing it.
Controllability
Separately, it is worth paying attention to what kind of car handling the Pirelli Ice Zero tires will give you. Feedback from those people who have been driving this rubber for more than the first winter can convince you that you will not have any problems in order to control your car on a wide variety of surfaces. Here, too, no one unanimously agrees - some people think that on a snowy road the performance of tires increases in comparison with what they demonstrate on ice, while others report that it is on ice that this model behaves most efficiently. But everyone agrees that compared to many cheaper winter tire options, this model is much safer and more enjoyable to drive. There are no drifts, strong roll, slippage and other troubles that often happen to drivers on winter roads. Therefore, this rubber can be a kind of guarantor of quality, and you can safely purchase it, but at the same time it is worth remembering that in winter you need to be able to drive, regardless of the quality of the tires. There are people who scold tires for skids and slippages, but when they describe the situation in more detail, it becomes clear that they themselves are to blame for what happened. Therefore, you should practice driving in extreme conditions in order to learn how to drive competently. However, please note that for this you are better off choosing the basic version of Pirelli Ice Zero tires. The velcro, which, in principle, is also very good reviews, will be too difficult for you to drive if you are just starting to drive in extreme weather conditions. Friction winter tires, that is, those that function without studs, require serious driving skills to get the best out of them.
Passability
With ice, everything is clear - rubber is very grippy and allows excellent control of the car even on the most slippery surface, but what about snow? Many models of winter tires have already demonstrated that they cannot cope with serious drifts - tenacity was lost in deep snow, and the car could get stuck in serious snowdrifts. But people who used this model report that even in the deepest snowdrifts, when it seemed to them that they drove where they could not leave, the rubber saved them. What can we say about the usual snow coating, with which the tires were dealt with without any problems at all. Therefore, if you know that you have to drive on snowy roads or even on snow that completely covers the road surface, then this rubber is ideal for you, because its cross-country ability even in the deepest snow is close to ideal.
Strength
Particularly noteworthy is the durability of these tires - a lot is said about the degree of wear in the reviews. The fact that tires wear out quickly is reported only by those who like to recklessly on the roads, or those who use these tires on dry asphalt more than necessary. As for the conditions in which these tires must be used, wear is minimal here, so if you know how to drive a car in winter, know how to do it carefully, then the wear of the rubber will be a very pleasant surprise for you. And in combination with the low loss of studs (some neat drivers even reported that after two seasons they did not drop a single stud), a very reliable and durable rubber is obtained. Also pay attention to its impact resistance - even if you fall into any hole or some similar incident happens to you, due to which excessive physical impact will be exerted on the tire, thanks to its structure, it can even take a rather powerful blow. thereby retaining the shape. Users of this model practically do not report in their reviews about "hernias" and other similar consequences of blows.
Side drift
The last little thing to watch out for is side drift when driving on ice. If, when driving straight and when braking, these tires function just perfectly, then during lateral movement there may be a slight drift - this is a feature of all types of studded rubber, but the manufacturer positions its products as ideal, so you should still know that it is not perfect, and the car still requires close attention when driving in extreme conditions.
Winter studded tire. The main features declared by the manufacturer:
- designed to improve handling and performance on ice,
- at the same time guaranteeing the driver a high level of safety,
- tested in the most difficult winter conditions,
- available in RUNFLAT version.
Excellent ice performance and safety.
Achievements
Made in the list of the best winter tires,.
Test results 205/55 R16 "Autoview" 2018
Overall rating: 8.3 points, seventh place.
Number of spikes: 130.
Tire weight: 9.1 kg.
Spike protrusion after test: 1.1 mm.
Traction performance on ice.
+ Grip and handling on snow.
+ Permeability.
- Noise.
- Handling on ice.
Before and after break-in, these tires have enough aggression on the ice - especially in corners.
The situation is better in the snow. But on the asphalt, Pirelli's main problem is a low-frequency hum in the speed range of 60–100 km / h.
Results of the test 195/65 R15 "Behind the wheel" 2018
888 points,.
Number of spikes: 110.
Tire weight: 8.3 kg.
Protrusion of thorns after the test: 1.3… 1.6 mm.
- Minor remarks about handling on snow with active driving and extreme maneuvering.
- Noisy.
- Low running smoothness.
Very good tires. They are strong on asphalt, will not fail on snow and ice, and will help save fuel. Except that the ride comfort leaves much to be desired.
Tire test result 205/55 R16 Autoreview 2015
Overall rating: 8.50.
+ Adhesion properties on ice.
+ Permeability.
+ Adhesion on wet asphalt.
- Noise.
- Handling in the snow.
How many thorns: 130.
Stud protrusion: 1.3 mm.
The “Made in Russia” marking made in small print is lost in a number of other inscriptions on the sidewall. But the Russian origin of Pirelli tires should not scare away buyers. The recently modernized Voronezh plant produces high-quality tires, and this fully applies to the factory studding: Ice Zero tires with curly spikes on the ice step on the heels of the test leaders. However, they are losing ground on packed snow, especially on the handling track, where the lag behind the leader is more than three seconds on a 1.5-mile circle. But how - the best!
Decent grip on asphalt, especially wet. But here's another problem: a loud obsessive hum.
Suitable tires for poorly cleaned icy roads. For city driving, they will also go - if the car is with good sound insulation.
The result of the test for studded tires 205/55 R16 "Behind the wheel" 2015
914 points.
+ .
+ High grip on ice.
+ Very good braking properties on asphalt.
+ High cross-country ability.
- Low level of comfort.
- Minor remarks about handling and directional stability.
How many thorns: 130.
Protrusion of studs before tests: 1.4 ... 2 mm.
Protrusion of pins after tests: 1.5 ... 2 mm.
Will give confidence on any winter roads.
