Dutch tyre manufacturer, Vredestein has teamed up with Giugiaro to develop what is claimed to be the world’s first tyre to take its tread pattern from nature.
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Giugiaro Design chief designer Nicola Guelfo turned to the natural world when developing a tyre intended to keep a car stable when travelling over wet ground at speed.
The distinctive new tread pattern was developed by copying the shape and lines of the veins of leaves on trees.
Placing these at irregular intervals against two deep circumferential grooves along the centre of the tyre results in a unique way of dispersing water underneath the tyre and keeping the car on the road.
The tyre, called Centre Shift System (CSS), also helps significantly reduce the high levels of noise generally produced by high-performance tyres.
Another development of the project is called the Ultimate Handling Construction (UHC). By developing an exceptionally strong side wall and maximising the width of a thick band of rubber under the tread known as the belt, the tyre keeps the car stable particularly when cornering at speed.
The new compound used within the rubber is claimed to help the car travel more smoothly over the road, reducing petrol consumption.
