Different Types of Car Tyres

[RSM]

Performance Tyres:
Performance tyres are designed for sports cars or for people who drive swiftly. These tyres are softer and have lesser life compared to normal tyres. These tyres are suited for dry conditions as the treads of these tyres don't dissipate water to the extent that normal tyres do. As they are softer, they grip better (in dry conditions) and are better at cornering. The best example of performance tyres are slicks which are used in racing. The slicks have no tread on them. The contact patch of the tyre with the road is more resulting in better grip. But if these very tyres are used in wet conditions, they won't be able to pump out the water on a wet road . A Formula 1 slick tyre is very soft and will not last beyond 200-300km.
These tyres grip more at higher speeds and are able to withstand higher temperatures. Performance tyres are differentiated by high (usually “H” or higher) speed ratings and low aspect ratio (profile).

All Weather Tyres:
All weather tyres are used by manufacturers on most of their cars. These are the normal tyres found on all cars which are intermediate. There are a compromise between slick tyres and wet weather tyres. The tread design is also intermediate to let the water through when driving on a wet road. A performance tyre is softer compared to this tyre and corners better, but the common man won't feel that difference while cornering. These tyres are harder and have a long life.

Wet Weather Tyres:
Wet weather tyres are softer than performance tyres. These tyres need to get up to a certain temperature to grip well. They are the best tyres for rainy weather. The treads are designed to diffuse maximum amount of water coming in its way between the tyre and the road.

Snow & Mud Tyres:
Snow tyres have a deeper tread and suitable for snowy or icy terrain. The deep tread is for more grip as other tyres will lose traction on normal roads. These tyres make a lot of noise due to their tread design and wear out the tyre and the road if driven quickly on dry surfaces.

All Terrain Tyres:
A tyre commonly used on SUV's / 4WD vehicles and is designed to provide good compromise between off-road capabilities and on road manners.

Mud Tyres:
These tyres have extra deep treads which help them grip on a muddy track with loose mud where the normal tyres loose traction. These tyres cannot be used on normal roads as the treads and the road will wear out and the tread noise will be excessive.

Source - Carwale

 

[Akash]

Nice write up.That means, the car manufacturers provide us with all weather type as standard equipment.

 

[RSM]

Thread Pattern


Symmetrical: consistent across the tyre's face. Both halves of the treadface are the same design.

Asymmetrical: the tread pattern changes across the face of the tyre. These designs normally incorporates larger tread blocks on the outer portion for increased stability during cornering. The smaller inner blocks and greater use of grooves help to disperse water and heat. Asymmetrical tyres tend to also be unidirectional tyres.

Unidirectional: designed to rotate in only one direction, these tyres enhance straight-line acceleration by reducing rolling resistance. They also provide shorter stopping distance. Unidirectional tyres must be dedicated to a specific side of the vehicle, so the information on the sidewall will always include a rotational direction arrow.

 

[dhoom9]

Usually we heard AT & MT tyres. Just some information about that:-

All Terrain Tires
All Terrains - All Terrain tires or AT are a compromise. All Terrains are an attempt to offer good performance both on road as well as offroad. The ALL TERRAIN TREAD is intended to performs well under a variety of conditions found offroad while still offering acceptable on-highway performance. This is accomplished by using a tread pattern design where the lugs are tighter together than a more aggressive mud tire's tread. The result is usually a quieter ride on the street than a mud tire due to its lesser aggressive tread pattern. When compared to a street tire, All Terrain tires usually produce more noise. The payoff of an All Terrain Tire is that they performs well on a variety of terrains: rocks, sand, somewhat in the mud while still offering decent traction on the paved road. One drawback of an all terrain is that the tread design tends to pack with mud however some of the AT designs perform surprisingly well in muddy conditions. The AT All Terrain is typically the tire for the 4-wheeler who drives their 4x4 as a daily driver and will see minimal trail use and more on highway driving.
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Mud Terrain Tires

Mud Terrain Tires - MUD TIRES or MT (Mud Terrain) are as you might have gathered from the name, designed to perform most specifically in the mud. But when you look at the tread design of many mud tires, they generally perform well in other conditions such as on the rocks, in deeper snow, as well as in loose gravel and in the softer, constantly changing terrain of wooded trails. This is because mud tires are usually designed from a softer compound with wider gaps (voids) between the lugs, which grab onto anything it can hook one of its lug edges around, especially when aired down. Tread designs typically are what make or break a mud tire and vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer. Drawbacks of the MT Mud Terrain tire are they perform poorly on the highway especially in the rain where the wide lug pattern results in less of a tire footprint on the road. Even worse, the MT can be downright dangerous in icy conditions. Mud tires also tend to wear quicker than an all terrain or a street tire and depending on your perspective, the on-highway noise level can be considerably higher especially after they wear down with highway use.