India’s leading carmaker Apollo Tyres has launched a premium tyre brand from the UK in India. The Vredestein brand will cater to premium and luxury segment cars and high-performance two-wheelers in India. The tyres will be manufactured at Apollo’s tyre factories in India where they have been being produced and exported for the last three years.
Official Statement
Speaking at the launch, Satish Sharma, President, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA), Apollo Tyres Ltd said “The introduction of Vredestein brand will definitely strengthen our offerings in the passenger vehicle and two-wheeler segments in India. The import restrictions on tyres imposed by the Indian Govt recently had made a strong business case for us to bring in Vredestein brand of tyres into India for high-end cars and motorcycles. Our R&D Teams have customised these tyres to provide the best safety and driving experience for the Indian conditions.
Vredestein?
Established in 1909 in the Netherlands by Emile Louis Schiff, Vredestein has 110+ years of European heritage. The Vredestein brand is known for its premium quality and designer tyres. Not only are they very durable, but they also look a class apart. The tyres are designed at the Italian studios of Frascoli Design and by automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. The brand, after marking its entry in North America is entering India with four products with tyre sizes between 15” and 20”.
Centauro NS & ST
For the two-wheelers, Vredestein has introduced the Centauro NS and ST which are designed at the Frascoli Design house in Italy. These tyres will cater to brands like BMW, Ducati, Aprilia, Triumph, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha in India. These tyres have been tested at tracks in the UK and India and have also achieved podium positions in various automotive magazine tests in Europe and the US.
Ultrac Vorti & Ultrac
The Ultrac Vorti & Ultrac are tyres made for the passenger vehicle segment and have been designed by designer Giorgetto Giugiaro who is a famous Italian automobile designer and Automotive Hall of Fame Inductee. He has designed some of the premium cars like Alfa Romeo 105/115 Series Coupés, Maserati Ghibli, BMW M1, Lotus Esprit S1, and Maserati Bora. The Volkswagen Golf Mk 1 in the famous movie series Back to the Future was designed by him as well. The Ultrac Vorti will cater to the luxury sedans like Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Land Rover and Volvo while the Ultrac will cater to premium hatches and sedans like Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and Baleno.
Vredestein Tyres will be sold via Apollo’s existing network and premium third-party resellers. Going forward, the company may consider setting up specialist counters for the Vredestein brand.