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Michelin Cross Climate
Michelin has made the bold decision to develop a summer tyre that can also work in winter. Called ‘Cross Climate’, the new tyre mixes the best of summer and winter tyre technology.
Don’t be fooled into thinking this is another all-season tyre, however. Cross Climates are strictly labelled as summer rubber that borrow tread structure and compound chemistry from their winter counterparts. This enables them to receive official winter certification, so they can legally be used during winter in countries that enforce such tyre regulations.
Independent researcher Ipsos has concluded that a staggering 65 per cent of European motorists use summer tyres year-round, while 40 per cent believe switching between summer and winter rubber isn’t worth the effort. This undoubtedly compromises both performance and safety.
Running all-seasons doesn’t solve the problem though, because as we’ll find out shortly, conventional all-seasons fall short of the mark in several areas. Michelin claims Cross Climates don’t.
The tyre certainly looks good on paper. Compared with mid-spec Michelin winter rubber, braking distances shrink by 7.6 metres from 62mph. As much as 0.67 lateral G can be achieved during wet cornering too, just beating winter rubber (which one might expect to be more suited to the wet) by 0.01G. It’s also 0.05G more than mid-spec summer tyres can manage.
The test
Michelin flew evo to the French Alps to test these claims ourselves. After equipping a Volkswagen Golf with Cross Climates, we were able to directly compare the tyre with conventional summer/winter/all-season in a series of controlled tests.
The first was wet braking. Braking from 62mph, we stopped some 5.3 metres shorter than conventional all-seasons could manage. Impressive.
The next test involved cornering on a wet road. While we didn’t have equipment to accurately measure lateral G fitted, the car was noticeably better at maintaining its line around corners than when wearing summer rubber. Understeer was significantly reduced on the Cross Climates.
The final test was to ascend a snow-covered ramp. While the Cross Climates couldn’t offer the bite of proper snow tyres, traction was mighty impressive if one used smooth, gentle throttle applications. In fact, the Cross Climates matched the all-seasons we tested. The summer rubber couldn’t even drag the car forward one-inch.
After the controlled tests, we sampled a Cross Climate-equipped Peugeot 308, also in the Alps. Conditions varied as we climbed higher, but the tyres remained secure and predictable throughout. Both road noise and feel were also substantially better than conventional all-seasons, which have a tendency to soften responses.
Technology
What is it that makes the Cross Climate such an effective all-rounder? Michelin claims the reasons lie in the tyre’s construction and tread. The former comprises two main layers: one makes up the outer tread, the second sits underneath and works to minimise heat transfer.
The tyre’s distinctive tread pattern features V-shaped blocks and self-blocking 3D sipes. The Vs optimise grip on snow, while also helping to improve lateral performance thanks to their widening widths. Sipes (hidden deep in the tread blocks) can boost traction by clawing through snow, but also improve braking performance by hunching together and firming up the tyre’s surface. Clever.
Despite the tyre’s impressive performance, Michelin accepts that the Cross Climate can’t compete with proper summer tyres in hot conditions or proper winter tyres on snow and ice. Neither does it claim that performance cars should run Cross Climates; they should stick to the summer-winter tyre cycle, but for those of us who run conventional passenger cars on a daily basis, the Cross Climate is a serious offering.
Key ratings include a European ‘A’ label for wet performance, ‘C’ for rolling resistance and one wave for external noise (the best available ranking). Winter certification is shown with the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol.
Price
Due to the complex technology within in the new Cross Climates, it was unsurprising to hear that they’ll likely retail for 10 to 20 per cent more than standard summer rubber. When you consider the tyre’s all-year usability, dependability and improvements to safety, however, it’s almost a no brainer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIStBvpKhqE
