Azenis FK453 available at Philip White Tyres

Falken’s new flgaship high peformance tyre is the Azenis FK 453 is now available from Irish distributor, Philip White Tyres.

The all new FK453 delivers improved grip and lower noise levels as well as a ‘Y’ speed rating option.

A replacement for the Japanese firm’s FK452, revered by many car enthusiasts for its blend of performance and affordability, the Azenis FK453 will be available in a total of 62 sizes, including a 20” version, to fit sports and performance cars such as the VW Golf GTI, BMW 1 Series M Coupe, Porsche 911 and Audi RS5.

To ensure the tyre was appropriate for European roads and climate, Falken used its engineering team based in Frankfurt to develop the specification.

In addition to testing on European public roads and private proving grounds, engineers also gained feedback from Falken’s racing drivers at the Nürburgring who tested the tyres.

The resulting “NUR-Spec” design incorporates a more warp resistant casing and additional nylon-reinforced cover ply to increase high-speed stability. This construction is complemented by a rounder tyre shoulder, optimising pressure deployment on the tread area.

In contrast to the previous FK452, dry handling has been improved by 25 per cent whilst handling on wet surfaces is enhanced by 30 per cent, delivering useful gains in control for lane changes and higher speed cornering. A combination of tread pattern and compound changes has led to eight per cent reduction over the FK452 in braking distance on wet surfaces.

To break the water film and deflect the water more effectively than conventional tread patterns, Falken has implemented three central tread grooves and staggered sipes integrated into the first tread bar on the tyre shoulder. In line with its other new products such as the ZE914, Falken has increased the silica proportion. The strain characteristics of silica offer a larger contact area and better grip for the same tyre diameter, resulting in stronger interaction with the road surface.