Cooper Tire recently released a new tire designed to improve driving on snow and ice for SUVs and pickups. The tire was tested in four countries in three different continents. It’s dubbed the Discoverer Snow Claw, and comes with patented Snow Groove technology from Cooper.
The technology traps snow in the tire grooves to help with handling, stopping and traction. It helps the tire to remain supple in extreme winter. The tire is also engineered to allow for the inclusion of tire studs. It is rated for severe weather conditions, specifically snow and winter performance. It’s also a holder of the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol for winter excellence.
It takes over from the Discoverer M+S in Cooper Tire’s product lineup. It will be one of three winter options that buyers can choose. The other two include the Discoverer Evolution Winter and the Discoverer True North which are designed for smaller SUVs and cars. The Discoverer True North is currently designed for daily commuters who drive on treated and plowed roads as well as those that have to deal with black and slush ice during winter months. The Evolution, on the other hand, is for deep snow and untreated roads.
Speaking about the Discoverer Snow Claw, Andrea Berryman, director of product development, said that the new addition to Cooper tires provides the technology needed to drive safely under unpredictable weather conditions such as winter.
The tire will be released in 23 different sizes that fit between 16 and 22 inches of rim diameter. Cooper added that this will include fitments for 1-ton and 3/4 pickup trucks as well as commercial fitments for transit vans. Snowplow operators, as well as sprint and cargo vans, are also included.
Despite it replacing the Discoverer M+S tire, Cooper will still run 8 sizes of the M+S to accommodate older vehicle fitments. Its launch will give SUV and pickup drivers a great option for snow performance and extreme ice traction. Dealers can begin ordering the Snow Crawl as from April. Consumers will get to use the product in October. Cooper is yet to release any information about pricing.