The replacement for the excellent Dunlop Winter Sport 4D has been launched, and it is creatively named Dunlop Winter Sport 5.
The Winter Sport 5 started development 24 months ago and in that time has had over 400 R&D specialists working on the new tire. During the development cycle over 2,500 development tires were produced, covering more than 300,000 kms of testing which makes the Winter Sport 5 one of Dunlop's most developed and tested winter tires.
What’s new?
Dunlop has evolved the award winning predecessor with an increased number of blocks for improved snow performance, new angled centre sipes to help with ice grip, and amplified depth of grooves for better aquaplaning resistance, plus a new construction to improve fuel efficiency.
The Results?
The result of all this new technology is a tire that’s vastly improved on ice, moderately improved in the wet and dry, and has a 14% better rolling resistance, saving you money at the pumps.
The new Dunlop WinterSport 5 has already been tested in both performance and SUV sizes by AutoBild, and won both tests, beating the usually dominent Continental WinterContact TS850P.
Look out for our driving impressions in winter 2016, but for now it looks like Dunlop have produced another incredible winter tire!
The new Dunlop Winter Sport 5 will be available in 46 sizes for both cars and SUV, covering 15 inch to 19 inches.
I've also got a 2002 Diesel Polo. You will get better ride comfort using standard 5Jx14 ET35 steel rims than 6Jx15 ET43 steel rims. 185/65R14 tires are a good alternative to 165/70R14 and 195/55R15. The load index of 185/65R14 tires is 86(530kg), and as the standard tire pressure is 39psi using standard 165/70R14 tires which have a load index of 81(462kg) you can lower the tire pressure to 34psi.
In fact, it's quite interesting how increasing the load index reduces the minimum tire pressure that is needed to support the weight of the car, ie. drive the car at the tire's maximum rated speed on a hot day for half an hour.
The following figures are for the Polo Diesel 2002. Load index/tire pressure 81/39psi, 82/38psi, 83/37psi, 84/36psi, 85/35psi, 86/34psi, 87/33psi, 88/32psi, 89/31psi. The load index that I have given is for a tire that is not XL (extra load), ie. a tire that has the maximum load at 3Bar (44psi). If you have a tire that is XL, then use the load index of that tire size that is not XL. For example, an XL 185/65R14 tire has a load index of 90(600kg) but you would use the load index of that tire size in non-XL, ie. 86(530kg) when calculating the minimum tire pressure that you need. You can always increase the tire pressure if you prefer the sharper handling that this gives at the expense of a harder ride, as long as you don't exceed the maximum tire pressure. I have been known to increase my front tire pressure by 3psi over what is needed to support the weight of the car, but I rarely do this nowadays as I value comfort over performance.
So if you fitted oversize 195/65R14 tires which have a load index of 89 (580kg) at 3Bar (44psi) you could run them at 31psi. I drop the rears by 3psi if I don't have rear passengers to account for the lighter load placed on the rear tires.
In addition to fitting a 185/65R14 tire to a 5Jx14 rim, you could also unofficially fit a 195/60R14 tire to this rim width. The reason is that ETRTO (European Tire and Rim Technical Organisation) group 50 to 65 aspect ratios together in any given tire width when recommending minimum rim widths. For example 195/50, 195/55, 195/60, and 195/65 are all given the same recommended rim widths. Anyone who has studied minimum rim widths will know that as you go up in sidewall height for any given tire width, the minimum rim width goes down. Now, ETRTO give a minimum rim width of 4.5" for 185/70 and 5.5" for 205/50. So clearly a 195 with the right sidewall height will fit a 5" rim...and that height is logically between the sidewall height of the 185/70 tire and the 205/50 tire...and the sidewall height of a 195/60 tire is almost exactly slap bang in the middle of the sidewall heights of 185/70 and 205/50 tires. Similarly, both a 185/50 tire and a 205/70 tire will officially fit a 5" rim. So again logically a 195 tire will fit a 5" rim if the sidewall height is between the sidewall height of a 185/50 tire and a 205/70 tire...and guess what, the sidewall height of a 195/60 tire is the average of the sidewall height of a 185/50 tire and the sidewall height of a 205/70 tire. So again, this shows that ETRTO is wrong and you can indeed fit a 195/60 tire to a 5" rim. What is even more absurd is that ETRTO don't even recommend fitting the higher sidewall height 195/65 tire to a 5" rim...but like I've said, ETRTO have pointlessly grouped 50, 55, 60, and 65 series tires in any given tire width together when giving their recommended minimum rim widths.
175/60 tire comfortably fits a 4.5J rim. And here's the logic...165/70 fits a 4J rim and 185/50 fits a 5J rim, so 175/60 fits a 4.5J rim. Both 165/50 and 185/70 fit a 4.5J rim, so 175/60 also fits a 4.5J rim.
155/60 tire comfortably fits a 4J rim. And here's the logic...145/70 fits a 3.5J rim and 165/50 fits a 4.5J rim, so 155/60 fits a 4J rim. Both 145/50 and 165/70 fit a 4J rim, so 155/60 also fits a 4J rim.
One more alternative for you to consider is 185/65R15 fitted to 5Jx15 ET28 steel rims. These rims were originally fitted to the Audi A2, but also fit the 2002 Polo Diesel as they have the same 5x100 bolt holes and 57.1mm hub centre bore.
Using mathematics, I can show that 195/55R15 tires can be fitted to 5J rims as comfortably as 205/50 tires fit 5.5J rims. However, this is on the limit...so don't try fitting 195/50 tires to a 5J rim. If you could get 5.25J rims you could fit 195/50 tires to this rim width...but they don't make rims in 0.25" increments...so stick to 5.5J rims for 195/50 tires. I can also show mathematically that you can fit 175/55 to 4.5J rims and 215/55 to 5.5J rims as they both fit these rim widths as comfortably as 165/50 fits a 4.5J rim and as comfortably as a 185/50 fits a 5J rim and as comfortably as a 205/50 fits a 5.5J rim and as comfortably as a 225/50 fits a 6J rim...etc.
The narrower the rim width that you use, the more comfortably the ride...as the narrower rims allow the sidewalls to flex more easily...resulting in less bump impact being transferred to you. Hence fitting 185/65R14 tires to 5J rims rather than 5.5J or 6J rims will give a more comfortable ride.
Tire pressures are very important to ride comfort. You can easily notice a 3psi drop in tire pressure. However, don't a lower tire pressure than you need to support the weight of the car.
Hi all.
I've got a Polo 2002 Diesel. My tire size is 195/50 15. I have been using Continental TS800's at this size for Winter for the last few years and they have been excellent.
I've noticed that the Continental TS850 and the new TS860 don't come in this size and neither does the Dunlop WinterSport 5.
Any reason why manufacturers are skipping the 195/50 15?
If I still have the Polo for next Winter I think a new set of wheels may be needed - having calculated the correct change for wheel/tire diameters.
Thanks
Hi Paul,
It's demand. 195/50 R15 is an uncommon tire size, 195/65 R15 is the popular 15" size.
I'm sure as the TS800 comes to the end of the run Conti will introduce the size to one of their newer ranges, but for now you'll either have to sit out and wait, or look to another manufacturer who makes a wider range of sizes such as Nokian.
If its any help, the vredestein quatrac 5 is available in 195/50 r15 in H and V rating. Very good winter tire even though its an all season by designation.
But as said there will be other great winter tires available in that size.
Its not as common as it used to be but it is still used here and there and was once one of the most common sizes around...
195/50 R15 is one of the biggest sizes for cars of this class (polo, fabia, ibiza, corsa, fiesta, clio, 206, punto, etc.) - if you look around, you can find that they are usually equipped with basic and narrow 165/70 R14 or 175/70 R14 (newer ones). That's why it isn't that common.
I've actually got a fabia and use 195/50/15 in the summer and for winter use I have another set of rims (14", 6J) with 185/60 R14 tires instead. Not to mention this size is a much better option (ride comfort, fuel economy) without noticeable impact on grip.
But if you really want 15" winter tires, you still have plenty to choose: pick either Goodyear UG Performance G1, Dunlop Winter Response 2, Fulda Kristall Control HP2 or Nokian WR D3 / D4 and you won't be disappointed.
Hi Petr
Thanks for the info. I think I will go for a set of 14" steel rims as you suggest. I can then get the Continental TS860 if things get slippery this Winter!
Pault