A lot of factors come into play while travelling at high speed. The vehicle’s performance, its aerodynamics, suspension and the most important of them all — tyres. Cars like the Bugatti Veyron had tyres specially developed for them to enable safe travel at speeds over 400kmph. There is a lot of tech that goes behind it and all of it is backed by years of experience. It also pays to have knowledge of the environment you’re developing the tyres for. Take JK Tyre’s new Levitas Ultra tyres for example. These premium tyres are designed and developed for high-end luxury cars and SUVs and meet global standards, but the tyres were developed with a special focus on performance on Indian roads. We were invited to NATRAX, India’s premium testing facility, to gauge the abilities of these tyres.
The crown jewel of NATRAX is its 11.3km high speed track, the longest in Asia and fifth largest track in the world. It’s the perfect place to test out the Levitas Ultra’s high-speed manners. Our test car for the day was a BMW 5 Series shod with the new Levitas tyres. Before we begin, let me put this out. The tyres are W-rated (upto 270kmph) and Y-rated (upto 300kmph), these are speeds above what most luxury cars and SUVs sold in India are capable of. Sitting at 240kmph in the BMW, the first thing that strikes you is the minimal tyre noise. I have driven on this track at above 200kmph before and at those speeds, the wind and tyre noise are the highest. The Levitas Ultra’s tread pattern features a noise-cancelling pitch sequence, which claims to minimise tyre noise at all speeds. It does work and leads to a calm driving experience even at above 200kmph. Another highlight is the car’s stability at those speeds enhanced by the grippy tyres. These tyres offer maximum contact patch as well which improves traction, thus enhancing stability.
The improved traction helps during emergency braking as well, as we found out on the braking pad. While the tyres stopped without drama in the dry, braking on the soaking wet track turned out to be a more impressive experience. The AI-optimised grooves on the tyres are designed to prevent aquaplaning and offer exceptional grip in the wet. Braking from over 120kmph the car remained stable and came to a complete stop in a short distance.
The dynamic tack brought forth the effect of the tyres on cornering grip and steering feedback. We ran the Moose test and slalom course and found the steering to react quicker and with better feedback. The Moose test track is designed to emulate an obstruction suddenly appearing in front and you having to manoeuvre around it without losing control. The Audi A6 is a heavy car but responded precisely to steering inputs as we weaved around the cones at speed. The cornering grip offered by the tyres ensured the car was stable and we were in control at all times.
Besides its grip and feedback, I was impressed with the comfort offered by the tyres. Despite running a low profile, these seem to offer a layer of cushioning beyond the suspension. They should work well on our road conditions. They are also 5-star rated for fuel savings. The tyres are made of high-grade MFX polymer as well, ensuring durability and longevity on our roads.
The JK Tyre Levitas Ultra is available in sizes ranging from 16-inches to 20-inches with plans to expand to up to 22-inches. These tyres are already on sale with prices starting at around ₹9,000, going upto ₹18,000, making them extremely accessible alternatives to foreign-brand tyres. Overall, the new JK Tyre Levitas Ultra tyres not only perform on par with international brands but also cost a lot less making them fantastic VFM offerings.
