Radial Tyres

Cars these days have got a few more screens and driving assists than the original Citroen 2CV but the tyre technology we use today is based on the tyres that were developed for the French icon in 1948- radial tyres.

Explaining how they are made is quite complex. They have cords running across the edge of the wheel at an angle of 90 degrees to strengthen the tyre. You don’t really need to know that though.

What you do need to know is the fact that they make driving a lot easier and a lot safer too. Radial tyres give you more control over the car- which becomes even more apparent in wet conditions and it also makes driving quieter too. Radial tyres save you money on fuel as well because they have a lower rolling resistance than bias ply tyres- which came before.

For most motorists, there aren’t any disadvantages to radial tyres. They’re more expensive than cross ply but they last longer so they become cheaper in the long run- so even that negative is, well, negated.

Michelin owned Citroen at the time, which is why the 2CV was the car in question but the majority of car manufacturers in Europe and Asia followed suit. The Americans were a little bit late to the part but Ford eventually put radial tyres on one of their cars in 1970.

Flash forward to today and you won’t find any cars on the road without radial tyres.

Even with tyre technology today, it is still very easy to pick up a nail or hit a menacing pothole which can mean a short stay on the hard shoulder. To make sure you are covered in the event of a breakdown, keep a breakdown kit in an accessible location in your car. Get yours from the Drive Safe and Legal website.