Originally Posted By: turboseize
Originally Posted By: edyvw
I know, BUT we are talking about tires available in North America, and those are Michelin Xi2 (SUV's) and Xi3. You can sometimes find for SUV's Alpin LA2, Latitude Pilot and for cars Pilot PA4.
Xi3 can be found in some sizes on our side of the pond, too, but is very rare in central europe. Some online retailer have them in some obscure sizes, but that's it. Just about as common as Hakkas, that is, you can get them, if you really want to have them, but they're not advertised by the manufacturer nor the big retail chains, and the local dealers won't have them in stock.
The X-ice brand exists in scandinavia, with the xi3 as well as the x-ice north (which are studded). So both seem to be nordic compound tyres.
What I don't really get is why Michelin withholds the alpin series from Northern America. The continent is big enough and the climates diverse enough, that there should be some use for something in between the extremely snow- and ice-capable nordic compound tyres that don't cope well with water and slush, and the not-so snow-capable all seasons...
No need for Alpin. Alpin is also high performance winter tire. Xi2 for example for SUV's comes in T speed index, Xi3 in T and H.
Considering very strict speed limits, no need for tires like that. Then roads are not clean as good as in Europe. Country is just too big, and road crews cannot make it everywhere, which requires tires more oriented toward deeper snow, slush etc.
That being said, Good Year does not bring Ultra Grip from Europe here (except UG SUV), Continental does not have TS here (except for SUV TS 830P), etc.