News Release

Yokohama Rubber to Launch European Sales of iceGUARD iG53, a Studless Tire for Passenger Cars

2020.March.04

  • Tire relation

Tokyo - The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced today that it will begin sales of the iceGUARD iG53, the latest addition to its iceGUARD brand of studless tires for passenger cars, in Europe from this autumn. The iceGUARD iG53 will be available in 16 sizes, ranging from 245/45R18 100H XL to 175/65R15 84T, 12 of which will have the H speed rating, indicating capability for running at speeds up to 210km/h.

The iceGUARD iG53 is a studless tire for passenger cars developed using Yokohama Rubber’s latest studless tire technology and its cutting-edge BluEarth technologies. In addition to excellent performance on ice and snow, the iceGUARD iG53 delivers a superbly quiet ride, low fuel consumption, and outstanding wear resistance. It is ideal for use on a wide variety of winter road conditions, both wet and dry, from ice to compacted or sherbet snow.

A new directional tread pattern featuring grooves and sipes increases the contact area and the tire’s rigidity, maximizing the edge effect on ice and snow. The tire’s use of Yokohama Rubber’s proprietary water-absorbing rubber compound enhances its water-absorption ability, enabling it to whisk away the micro-layer of water on top of ice that results in the hydroplaning phenomenon that lifts tires off of an icy surface. In addition, a low-heat generating undertread rubber reduces rolling resistance and increases tire rigidity. The tire’s sidewall is engraved with the snowflake mark that indicates its recognition in Europe as a winter tire.

The consumer tire strategy in Yokohama Rubber’s current medium-term management plan, the Grand Design 2020 (GD2020), includes a winter tire strategy that aims to assert performance leadership in winter tires supplied in Japan and overseas markets. In addition to a lineup of winter tires, studless tires and stud tires, in 2018 Yokohama Rubber introduced its first all-season tire for the European market, the BluEarth-4S AW21. The company is accelerating the development of new products and expanding the size lineup of existing products.

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The New Directional Tread Pattern

The new pattern design increases the contact area and maximizes the edge effect on the ice and snow road surface.

Sipes and Grooves

Sipes and grooves increase edge effect on ice road surface

Absorptive Tread Compound

The layer of water above the ice is the biggest contributor to loss of traction. It causes “micro hydroplaning” on icy surfaces. YOKOHAMA’s original compound technology incorporates water-absorbing compounds, putting the tire in contact with the actual ice.

Fuel Efficient Tire Construction

Tread compound consist of two layers of rubber, “CAP COMPOUND” and “UNDERTREAD COMPOUND”. The newly developed low-heat generating undertread compound increases stiffness and contribute to lowering rolling resistance.

Available Sizes