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Test results for WESTLAKE tires are getting better in Germany
In Germany, Austria and Switzerland the winter tire market is very attractive. In these three countries the part of winter tires in the sales figures of the replacement market is more than the summer tire segment. A lot of influence in the clients decisions which brand he will buy comes from test results in the big car magazines.
In most of the tests Chinese products were at the very end of the pack with results of insufficient, unsatisfactory or even dangerous. The test crews bought the tires from international tire jobbers and sometimes they tested products which are normally not sold in central Europe. Since three years ZhongCe Rubber takes influence in the choice of their products and is in permanent contact with the test crews. Jan Hennen, former head of press department at Michelin, is since 2011 working as a consultant and contact person to the press and testing persons in the central Europe region.
After the first better results in Gute Fahrt (Volkswagen group magazine), Camping Caravaning (magazine for camping cars) and in Auto Bild 2012 we now received two results for the winter tire WESTLAKE SW 608 in the most important winter tests for this season. Auto, Motor & Sport, the magazine with the longest tradition, tested 10 tires from all premium brands. Here we got the last position, but more important is the “partially recommended” judgement equal with Toyo. This judgement is the third-best level between six grades. The gap to the premium brands is nearly small in this test.
Even more interesting is the actual winter test in Germanys biggest magazine, Auto Bild. This test is divided in three steps. In the first round 50 brands were tested only in the most important criteria wet braking. Here WESTLAKE received the 11th position and reached the second step for only the 20 best brands. Now the snow braking results cancels the next 5 tires with the poorest results. The best 15 of the brands with the added wet and snow braking results got into the final test with all criteria. For the first time ever WESTLAKE reaches this complete test and leaves a lot of well known brands and all other Chinese tires behind.
At least the WESTLAKE SW 608 finished on the 14th rank with top results in noise and aquaplaning straight, good results in wet and average in dry or winter conditions. The test result “recommended” is between all the premium brands like a test win for WESTLAKE. The gap to the leaders is no longer very far away.
