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The Bridgestone Blizzak ice and snow tire is truly unique
BLIZZAKÒ FACT SHEET
The Bridgestone Blizzak ice and snow tire is truly unique, thanks to its patented MulticellÒ tread compound.
The Multicell compound:
· The MulticellÒ compound contains thousands of microscopic cells, or pores, which resemble the consistency of Swiss cheese when examined through a microscope.
· As the Blizzak wears, the pores are exposed and create thousands of biting edges that grip the road.
· In addition to the biting action, the pores remove the thin layer of surface water, which often develops on top of icy roads, allowing the biting edges to adhere to the surface with less interference. The result is enhanced resistance to hydroplaning and greater driving and braking force on ice- and snow-covered surface.
· The pores are uniformly distributed throughout the MulticellÒ compound so as the tire wears, new pores are constantly being exposed along the tire tread surface.
Other Blizzak facts:
· The Blizzak is a studless snow tire and was developed for the Japanese market due to environmental concerns over studded snow tires.
· In a test conducted on an ice rink, a car fitted with Blizzak tires stopped an average 35 feet shorter than a similar vehicle fitted with premium all-season tires.
· The Blizzak is a dual compound (cap and base) tire. The cap features the MulticellÒ compound, and the base is comprised of a winter compound, allowing use as a basic winter tire. When the Blizzak is 50 percent worn, a tread depth indicator on the tire tread lets the motorist know that only ten percent of the remaining tread is the MulticellÒ compound.
· As with the purpose-built winter tire, the Blizzak should be used only during the winter season to maximize its life span. The motorist should switch back to all-season tires during the other seasons.
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Mark Cox, director of the Bridgestone Winter Driving SchoolDENVER, Col. (August 29, 2003) – Winter can bring with it a variety of adverse weather conditions from snow and ice to rain and fog. All of these unpredictable elements can make driving in winter very challenging. Mark Cox, director of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School in Steamboat Springs, Colo., offers some practical advice on selecting the right tires for winter driving.
“One of the most important factors in starting, steering or stopping on ice and snow is your tires,” Cox says. “It makes no difference if you have a front-wheel, four-wheel or rear-wheel drive, your vehicle will perform better in most winter driving conditions if it is equipped with purpose-built snow tires instead of all-season radials.”
Cox explains that all-season radials are designed to perform year-round and cannot have the softer rubber compounds and unique tread of snow tires.
“Tire manufacturers have certainly come a long way in improving winter traction of their all-season tires, but a dedicated snow tire is designed specifically to handle winter driving needs. And with more states outlawing or limiting the use of studded snow tires, studless snow tires are becoming more popular.”
With more than 90 sizes currently available in the United States, the Bridgestone Blizzak™ family of ice and snow tires will fit many of today’s popular vehicles, from sedans, to SUVs, to light trucks.
The Bridgestone Blizzak ice and snow tire features a revolutionary MulticellÒ rubber compound which contains thousands of microscopic cells and pores.
These cells resemble the consistency of Swiss cheese when examined through a microscope. As the Blizzak wears and the pores are exposed, they become “microdents” which create thousands of biting edges that grip the road surface. The pores are uniformly distributed throughout the MulticellÒ compound so as the tire wears, new microdents are constantly being exposed along the tire tread surface. The patented MulticellÒ compound is featured only in the Blizzak tire and is produced at only three plants in the world.
In addition to the biting action, the microdents absorb the film of water which often develops on top of icy roads, thereby allowing the biting edges to adhere to the surface with less interference. The result is greater driving and braking force on ice- and snow-covered surfaces. The Blizzak is a dual compound (cap and base) tire. The cap features the MulticellÒ compound and the base is comprised of a winter compound, allowing use as a basic winter tire. When the Blizzak is 50 to 55 percent worn, a tread depth indicator on the tire tread lets the motorist know that only ten percent of the remaining tread is the MulticellÒ compound.
“More and more state and local governments in the United States are prohibiting the use of studded snow tires to protect against road damage, but consumers still want the grip provided by a studded tire,” Cox said. “The Blizzak offers the perfect solution because it is studless, yet it delivers superb ice and snow traction.”
Nashville-based Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC, is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. BFNT develops, manufactures, and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and associate and private brand tires. The company is focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off-road, agricultural and other tires to its customers in North America
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