A range of Vredestein summer, all-season, and winter tyres will be available for MINI Cooper’s Cabrio, three-, and five-door variants.
Decision to Name Vredestein as MINI Cooper’s OEM Strengthens BMW Group-Apollo Tyres Relationship
Vredestein announced on 19 August 2024 that it has been selected by BMW Group to be the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the all-new MINI Cooper. A range of Vredestein summer, all-season, and winter tyres will be available for MINI Cooper’s Cabrio, three-, and five-door variants.
The Vredestein Ultrac in size 215/40 R 18 89Y XL will be offered as a new standard summer tyre fitment for the selected MINI Cooper range, while variants of the car specified with an all-season tyre can now be fitted with the Quatrac Pro in size 215/45 R 17 91H XL.
For those markets requiring the option of a winter tyre, the MINI Cooper will now be supplied with the Vredestein Wintrac Pro in size 195/50 R 17 89H XL. The Vredestein tyres are being manufactured in Europe by Apollo Tyres and will be supplied to BMW Group’s dedicated MINI production facility in Oxford, UK.
This is the latest agreement between the BMW Group and Apollo Tyres, following a deal commencing last year to supply the Vredestein Ultrac for the X1, X2 and 5 Series models (225/55 R18 102Y XL), building on an extension of a previous agreement to supply variants of the X1 (205/65 R17 100Y XL). Apollo Tyres is also now offering the Ultrac in three different sizes (205/65R16 95W, 205/60R17 97W XL and 225/50R18 99W XL) for the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.
To further support MINI customers throughout the ownership cycle, Ultrac, Quatrac Pro, and Wintrac Pro tyres will be available on the replacement market as well as via franchised dealers of the BMW Group.
Yves Pouliquen, VP of Commercial at Apollo Tyres, said, “Our expanding relationship with BMW Group is a testament to our focus on creating tyres with a diverse range of capabilities, aligned with the Group’s strategic prioritisation of performance, driver satisfaction, safety and efficiency.”
The Tyres’ Characteristics
The Ultrac summer tyre offers outstanding wet grip performance, certified by an ‘A’ EU tyre label rating. With optimised sidewall construction and an increased flex zone, the tyre delivers driving comfort and a quiet ride even at higher speeds.
The Wintrac Pro is a dedicated performance-focused winter tyre featuring the ‘Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake’ symbol – certifying it for use in harsh conditions. With an EU tyre label rating of ‘B’ for wet grip, the tyre minimises stopping distances on wet roads and is equipped with angled centre grooves and shoulder sipes that aid grip and traction on snowy surfaces.
The Quatrac Pro is Apollo Tyres’ acclaimed ultra-high-performance all-season tyre. The Vredestein tyre offers superb handling and short braking distances in a range of conditions. Developed specifically for high-performance vehicles, the tyre has secured multiple independent test awards in leading European publications, impressing testers with its best-in-class handling and performance in the wet.
