The Apollo Aspire 4G summer passenger tire is one of the latest developments of this largest Indian tire manufacturer. The novelty is the result of close cooperation with the popular Vredestein company in our country, whose specialists were directly involved in its creation. This model is designed for powerful high-speed luxury sedans and station wagons with a top speed of over 180 mi / h. Eloquent evidence of this is the Y speed index assigned to some standard sizes of this tire.
Exceptional high-speed stability
Since the Apollo Aspire 4G is originally designed for very high-speed travel, special care has been taken in its development to ensure performance stability under very high loads. For this, Indian and Dutch tire workers have adopted several technical solutions related to the structure of the carcass, tread pattern, and rubber compound.
This model is equipped with an original asymmetric tread pattern, a characteristic feature of which is the presence of three wide longitudinal ribs in the central part of the tread. Each of them is made continuous, thanks to which it was possible to provide excellent directional stability, as well as lightning-fast responses to steering turns. In addition, this design of the central part of the tread has significantly reduced rolling resistance, which has led to improved fuel efficiency.
The tire carcass is characterized by high strength and low weight, which was achieved due to the multilayer construction and the use of synthetic materials. As for the rubber compound, it differs not only in the increased content of silica but also in the presence in the composition of special components that increase the thermal stability of the tread.
Apollo Aspire 4G Main Features
- Low degree of heating even after prolonged driving at high speed, thanks to special additives in the rubber compound;
- Three longitudinal ribs in the center of the tread provide excellent handling and stable behavior;
- Reinforced shoulder zones allow you to take turns and make sharp maneuvers at high speed without the risk of slipping;
- Asymmetric directional tread design provides excellent traction regardless of road conditions.
The new generation tires will be offered with W and Y speed ratings.
At the formal premiere of the new model, Apollo Managing Director Neeraj Kanwar stated that the tires are the product of an international collaboration between the company's development centers in the Netherlands and India and that following its European debut, the Apollo Aspire 4G will be available in all non-European markets where it currently has a presence. production of the company.
Apollo Vredestein BV CEO Rob Oudshoorn added that the tread pattern was developed in the Netherlands and the rubber compound in India. “We are starting to produce new tires in nine different sizes for the many vehicles in Europe,” said Odshorn. “Both Apollo summer and winter tires have been very well received in Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, Italy, and Greece. With this in mind, in 2012 we will introduce our tires to the markets of Switzerland, Austria, and Denmark. The Apollo Aspire 4G has already been tested in Spain and Germany and the results have been excellent. ”
Rob Odshorn
At the Geneva Motor Show, the Apollo Aspire 4G was installed on the Evonik Light Weight Design (LWD) concept on display in the green car pavilion. The concept was developed by Evonik in collaboration with Lotus, and Apollo notes that the tires have significantly reduced rolling resistance and fuel consumption of the ultra-light sports car.
According to Peter Becker, head of R&D at the company, the asymmetric tread of the new tires is divided into three sections: wide outer shoulders are designed to improve handling (primarily on dry surfaces), provide optimal rigidity, high lateral grip, and stability of the rear axle; The inner shoulder sections are designed to increase traction and stability on wet roads - this section contains three wide longitudinal grooves to drain water and reduce the risk of aquaplaning, and in the center is a rib with optimized stiffness for improved steering response.
“To create a tread with optimized stiffness, you need a compound with a high level of grip,” added Becker. “We used SBR and SSBR compounds with a high styrene and vinyl content, and we also added a lot of silica. This is very important as it reduces rolling resistance. As a result, the compound also allowed us to improve handling, traction, and braking performance. ”
“Our terms of reference were to improve handling by 10%, reduce braking distances and reduce rolling resistance without compromising on other performance,” said Mr. Becker. “When we compared the Apollo Aspire 4G to a 'leading brand' tire, our tires demonstrated good handling and short braking distances on dry surfaces, excellent handling and braking performance on wet surfaces, as well as good aquaplaning resistance, low rolling noise, high lateral grip, and low rolling resistance compared to competitor tires. "
Mr. Becker described the Apollo Aspire 4G as “a tire with a minimalist design for safe driving at any speed rating, capable of satisfying any customer.” Although no contracts have yet been awarded to auto companies, Becker confirmed that "key parameters required by automakers, such as steering response accuracy, lateral grip, and overall performance balance, were taken into account during development."