Getting a Grip
General Tire’s New Grabbers
General Tire’s new Grabbers
Without the correct tyres for your vehicle, what was supposed to be a pleasant trip can turn into a nightmare journey. Ferdi de Vos attended the launch of the acclaimed new all-terrain General Grabber AT3 and extreme-terrain X3.
You may have the right vehicle, the right music, the right gear, and right company for a road trip, but if you do not have the right footwear on your steed – more so if you want to go off-road – you may not get very far …
This was again demonstrated during the recent launch of the new Grabber AT3 and Grabber X3 tyres held at the General Tire Adventure Academy on the picturesque Klipbokkop Mountain Reserve close to Worcester in the Western Cape.
With these new offerings, General Tire, a brand of Continental Tyre South Africa (CTSA), builds on its proven performance in the replacement 4×4 tyre segment.
The Grabber AT3 replaces the Grabber AT, the multiple award-winning tyre of General Tire, designed for all-terrain applications, while the aggressive new Grabber X3 is now the flagship mudterrain tyre that delivers uncompromising off-road performance coupled with good on-road manners.
The new AT3, developed to meet the needs of drivers of sport utility vehicle (SUV), bakkies, and off-road vehicles, who demand exceptional off-road abilities and confident on-road manners, retains the 50/50 on/off-road bias of its predecessor.
The boldly styled Grabber X3 relies on its 80/20 off-road bias, matched to exceptional performance and durability to conquer the most challenging 4×4 terrains.
Says Ryan Visagie, Product Communications Manager at CTSA: “As one of the leading
contenders in the all-terrain replacement category,the Grabberat3 continues our proud legacy with superb all-round performance and dependability.”
He added that the Grabber X3 tyres have several innovative features to ensure that they excel in the harshest off-road conditions. The new AT3 and X3 join the existing Grabber GT, specifically designed for high-performance SUVS, and the Altimax passenger car tyre range.
The AT3 features three innovative General Tire technologies – Tracgen, Duragen, and Comfort Balance – to enhance all-round performance and durability, and is available in 13 sizes catering for 15- to 20-inch rim diameters. This line-up will soon be bolstered with nine reinforced light truck (LT) offerings in 15- to 18-inch sizes, designed for heavy duty applications.
On a route consisting of mixed surface roads, using new 2.4-litre derivatives of the Fiat Fullback pickup, it was clear that the on and off-road performance of the new AT3 was improved in key areas, including noise levels and irregular wear. Traction in sand and muddy conditions has also been improved, along with cut-andchip resistance.
The new X3 takes the General Tire brand promise of “Anywhere is Possible” to new heights. Fitted to Jeep Wranglers, it was ideally suited to conquer three of the most challenging off-road conditions: mud, dirt, and rock (hence the name: X3).
The X3, available in five sizes encompassing 15- to 17-inch rim sizes, has a three-ply construction and uses an enhanced version of the General Tire Duragen technology to guarantee exceptional durability and puncture resistance – as was clear in some rigorous off-road challenges consisting of deep mud and sky-high dunes.
When next you need new boots for your SUV, crossover or one-ton bakkie, do consider the new Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyre. And, if you are serious about offroading, the heavy-duty X3 – built on the proven capability of previous Grabber MT – is just the boot for your Jeep, Landie, or Land Cruiser.
It was clear that the on and offroad performance of the new AT3 was improved in key areas, including noise levels, irregular wear, traction in sand and mud, as well as cut-andchip resistance.