Stamford Tyres (M) Sdn Bhd, the sole distributor of Falken tyres in Malaysia, has brought in the new Falken Wildpeak AT-Trail tyre.
Falken Wildpeak AT-Trail – the First and Only SUV Construction All-Terrain Tyre
The company claims the tyre is the first and only SUV construction all-terrain tyre on the market and the best tyre for tropical weather.
“Based on the vehicle sales data from the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) in the last two years, the SUV sales volume accounted for more than 30 per cent of the total vehicle sales as compared to only about 10 per cent two years back. Given the surging sales of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in Malaysia, we have decided to bring in the Wildpeak AT-Trail tyre to cater for the need of customers in this segment,” said Frankie Kong, Head of Sales for SUV & 4X4, Stamford Tyres Malaysia.
The popularity of SUVs remains high, he added. “The sales volume of SUV is even higher in the USA and many European countries, which occupied about 50 per cent of their total vehicle sales volume.”
Developed by Falken USA, he pointed out that Malaysia was the first country outside the U.S. to introduce this tyre to the market. The road conditions in the U.S are somewhat sandy in texture – which is similar to Malaysia’s road conditions. Therefore, they are confident that this tyre will be a good fit for the local road condition.
The Wildpeak AT-Trail, he said, is built for adventure, delivering rugged off-road capability without compromising on the open road experience. Engineered to match the performance of modern SUVs, the tyre strikes a balance between off-road traction and tropical weather all year round performance.
“Featuring SUV-specific design that matches an SUV’s unibody condition and higher centre of gravity, the Wildpeak AT-Trail can provide enhanced handling year-round. Falken’s patented 3D Canyon Sipe Technology interlocks the shoulders to reduce resisting wear from high torque, provide better cornering stability while improving braking performance in wet and rainy conditions. Additionally, its increased tread depth offers more traction, including in winter, than a traditional all-season tyre. All these factors have helped the Wildpeak AT-Trail earn the USTMA’s three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol for severe snow conditions.”
On-road dependability and off-road durability
According to Kong, the tyre boasts on-road dependability and off-road durability. For on-road dependability, Falken’s optimised tread design features a silica-enriched tread that compound delivers superior wear life over a wide range of conditions and temperatures. Whereas the durable 2-ply polyester construction and rugged upper sidewall features that protect the tyre from sharp rocks and off-road terrain ensures the Wildpeak AT-Trail has great off-road durability. The upper sidewall features a rugged construction and over-the-shoulder ribs to help prevent punctures from rocks, sticks, and other terrain encountered off-road. Also contributed to the tyre’s better resistance to sidewall punctures without additional material (rubber thickness) or weight is its superior carcass ply with higher linear density and strength. The weight of Wildpeak AT-Trail tyres is, therefore, lighter when compared to 4×4 construction tyres in the market.
“Tyre weight is critical to vehicle performance because it is the furthest point from the axis of rotation. This means that the tyre has the largest negative impact on power, torque, fuel economy, and even long-term reliability, often related to wear and tear. The Wildpeak AT-Trail is very similar in weight to a typical All-Season tyre, which means it is more fuel-efficient than 4×4 construction SUV tyres,” he elaborated.
In terms of noises, he said, tread pattern noise was critical in the Wildpeak AT-Trail’s development due to the unibody design of an SUV. Noises and vibrations are easily transferred from the road surface and tyres directly to the driver in a unibody SUV platform, especially when compared to a body on frame 4WD or light truck with more isolation between the driver and the road. The noise target development for the Wildpeak AT-Trail was as close as possible to an all-season tyre such as Falken Ziex CT60 A/S, but not any more noticeable than a mild AT tyre. Thus, he concluded that this tyre sacrifices very little to achieve the off-road traction and durability, as well as the potential for severe snow that one would expect from an AT category tyre. The tyre has also achieved the Tier 1 All-Season category tyre safety level while having the additional comforts of minimal cabin noise when driving.
The general feedback from the European and U.S. markets is that the Wildpeak AT-Trail is a great tyre for daily use, for long-distance driving as well as using on mild off-roads. The tyres are responsive, comfortable and emit minimal cabin noise. They have been great all-around, for surfaces with dirt, mud and ruts, and for climbing a rocky mountain road, driving in deep snow, or using for paved roads.
“Currently, the tyre is available in 12 sizes -215/65R16, 265/70R16, 215/60R17, 225/55R17, 235/55R17, 225/55R18, 225/60R18, 235/50R18, 255/55R18, 225/55R19, 255/55R19 and 265/50R20. The tyre is suited for vehicles like the Toyota Rush and RAV4, Jeep Compass, Subaru XV2.0, Crosstrek and Outback, Isuzu D-Max, Honda HRV and CRV, Mazda CX 30 and CX5, Proton X50 and X70, as well as the Perodua Aruz, Ativa, Nautica, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, VW, Hyundai, Kia, and many other vehicles. We are planning to bring in more sizes next year. “
As the Wildpeak AT-Trail is a new concept tyre best for Malaysia road conditions, the challenge will be to learn the know-how of the tyre. “We will need to spend time educating dealers and consumers the importance of choosing the real set of SUV tyres to increase the overall performance of their vehicle, including safety, handling, traction and fuel consumption,” he revealed.
大马添福胶胎以飞劲Wildpeak AT-Trail轮胎
扩大休旅车细分市场
飞劲轮胎的马来西亚独家经销商添福轮胎（马）私人有限公司引进了新款飞劲 Wildpeak AT-Trail 轮胎。该公司声称该轮胎是市场上第一条，也是唯一一条休旅车 （SUV）结构全地形轮胎，非常适合热带气候。
大马添福胶胎休旅车及四驱车销售主管江泽纬表示：“据大马汽车公会（MAA）两年前的汽车销量数据显示，过去两年仅占汽车总销量10%左右的SUV销量，如今占了30%以上。鉴于SUV在马来西亚的销量激增，我们决定引入 Wildpeak AT-Trail 轮胎以满足该细分市场客户的需求。”
他补充说，SUV 的受欢迎程度仍然很高。 “SUV在美国和许多欧洲国家的销量更高，占汽车总销量的50%左右。”
由美国飞劲开发，他指出马来西亚是美国以外第一个将这种轮胎推向市场的国家。美国的路况与马来西亚的相似，就是有些沙质。因此，他们相信这款轮胎非常适合本地的路况。
他说，Wildpeak AT-Trail 专为冒险而打造，在不影响道路体验的情况下提供坚固的越野能力。该款轮胎是特别为匹配现代 SUV 的性能而设计，在越野牵引力和全年热带气候性能之间取得平衡。
“Wildpeak AT-Trail拥有与SUV一体式和更高重心的车身相匹配的特定设计，可提供全年的增强操控性。飞劲专利的3D峡谷细沟槽技术与胎肩互锁，以减少高扭矩磨损，提供更好的轮胎转弯稳定性，同时提高轮胎在雨天和高潮湿路况的制动性能。此外，与传统的全天候轮胎相比，它较高的胎面深度提供了更大的牵引力，包括在冬季。这些因素使 Wildpeak AT-Trail 赢得了 USTMA的三峰山雪花 (3PMSF) 标志，可应付严重的雪况。”
道路可靠性和越野耐用性
据江泽纬表示，该轮胎具有道路可靠性和越野耐用性。为提高道路可靠性，飞劲优化的胎面设计采用富含二氧化硅的复合胶料。该复合材料可在各种条件和温度下提供卓越的耐磨寿命。其耐用的两层聚酯结构和坚固的上部胎壁功能可保护轮胎免受越野时会遇到的尖锐岩石、木条和其他地形的影响而穿孔，确保 Wildpeak AT-Trail 具有出色的越野耐用性。其上部胎壁采用坚固的结构和过肩肋，具有更高的线性密度和强度的卓越胎体帘布层也有助于轮胎在没有额外材料（厚橡胶）或重量的情况下更好地抵抗胎侧刺穿。因此，与市场上的四驱车结构轮胎相比， Wildpeak AT-Trail轮胎更轻。
他详细说明：“轮胎重量对车辆的性能至关重要，因为它是离旋转轴最远的点。这意味着轮胎对功率、扭矩、燃油经济性甚至长期可靠性的负面影响最大，通常与磨损有关。 Wildpeak AT-Trail的重量与典型的全天候轮胎非常相似，这意味着它比四驱车结构的SUV轮胎更省油。”
在噪音方面，他说，由于SUV的一体式设计，胎面花纹噪音对 Wildpeak AT-Trail 的开发非常重要。在SUV一体式的平台中，噪音和振动很容易从路面和轮胎直接传递给驾驶员，尤其与驾驶员和道路之间的隔离度更高的四驱车或轻型卡车相比。Wildpeak AT-Trail 在噪音目标发展方面，相当接近全天候轮胎如飞劲Ziex CT60 A/S，却不如温和的 AT 轮胎来得明显。因此，他得出的结论是这款轮胎并没有因此牺牲越野牵引力和耐用性，以及人们对 AT 类型轮胎行驶于大雪中的期望。该轮胎还达到了一级全天候轮胎的安全水平，而且在开车时因为极小的驾驶室噪音，添加了舒适度。
欧洲和美国市场的普遍反馈是Wildpeak AT-Trail 是一款非常适合日常使用、长途驾驶以及轻度越野的轮胎。轮胎反应灵敏、舒适，而且驾驶室的噪音极小。它们拥有相当全面的性能，适用于有污垢、泥泞和车辙的表面，也适合攀登岩石山路、在深雪中行驶或用于铺砌道路。
“目前，该轮胎拥有12 种可供选择的尺寸，包括215/65R16、265/70R16、215/60R17、225/55R17 、235/55R17 、225/55R18、 225/60R18 、235/50R18、255/55R18、225/55R19、255/55R19 及 265/50R20。该轮胎适用于丰田 Rush 和 RAV4、Jeep Compass、斯巴鲁（Subaru） XV2.0、Crosstrek 和 Outback、五十铃 D-Max、本田 HRV 和 CRV、马自达 CX 30 和 CX5、普腾X50 和 X70 等车辆，以及第二国产车Aruz、Ativa、Nautica、奥迪、宝马、梅赛德斯、沃尔沃、大众、现代、起亚等许多其他车辆。我们计划明年引入更多尺寸。”
由于 Wildpeak AT-Trail 是最适合马来西亚道路状况的新概念轮胎，因此挑战在于学习轮胎的专业知识。 他透露：“我们需要花时间教育代理商和消费者选择真正的 SUV 轮胎对提高车辆整体性能包括安全性、操控性、牵引力和油耗等的重要性，”
