This year Mini Sport are stocking the Nankang SV-3 Winter Tyre, however we have limited stock and winter is fast approaching!
The best of the British weather has been and gone and it is likely that the snow will be here soon, making the roads slippery and treacherous. The best and most cost effective way of dealing with this weather is to fit some winter tyres.
Winter Tyres are often under rated but the extra grip and reassurance whilst driving is noticeable straight away. Below 7°C you would stop 11 metres sooner than with summer tyres (when braking on an icy road from just 20mph).
Winter tyres usually have a snowflake symbol on the tyre wall and are most importantly made of a flexible, high-silica compound and also have deeper tread allowing for better performance. Some tyres do not include the snowflake symbol but only have the M+S symbol meaning Mud+Snow however this only indicates deeper tread, not a better rubber compound. Nordic and Studded Tyres are also available but these are not advised as they are designed for climates that stay below freezing for prolonged periods of time.
There can be a lot of confusion surrounding winter tyres but it is just a case of switching over the tyres when the temperature drops. There does not have to be snow or ice for your winter tyres to perform. In fact they are proven to be more affective than regular tyres in the dry, when the temperature is 7°C or below. They also wear a similar amount as your regular summer tyres so these tyres could last you two or three winters, milage depending and your summer tyres will last you longer because of it! Be sure to store your unused tyres properly though, laid flat on the ground with the tread off the floor.
Refit your regular tyres around March or if you want to be more precise, when the average temperature rises over 7°C. Although changing your tyres twice a year may seem awkward and unnecessary the benefits are well worth it.
We advise that you fit 4 Winter Tyres or 4 standard Tyres and not mix and match because of the difference in grip. You can browse our range of Mini wheels and tyres here – and don’t forget to click on each individual product page to learn more about their particular components/requirements.