ding.
Tire Chains In extreme weather conditions, Lotus approves the fit
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ment of Pewag Neon X3 - NX373 snow chains, used only in conjunction with winter Tires (see above) and fitted only on the rear wheels. Close attention should be paid
to the fitting and tensioning instructions supplied with the chains, and the chains should be removed as soon as
road conditions allow.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system de
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veloped by the United States National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, which grades Tires by treadwear, traction and temperature performance (This applies only
to cars sold in the United States). The grades are moulded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car Tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow
Tires, space-saver or temporary use spare Tires, Tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production Tires. While the Tires available on Lotus cars may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform to federal safety requirements.
Treadwear The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1.5) times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of Tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices, and differences in road
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characteristics and climates.
Traction - AA, A, B, C: The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A A, A, B, and C. They represent the tires ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under con
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trolled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked ‘C’ may have poor
traction performance.
WARNING: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straight ahead) traction tests and does
not include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning, or
peak traction characteristics.
Temperature - A, B, C: The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire fail
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ure. The grade ‘C’ corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car Tires must meet under Federal Motor Car Safety Standard No. 109. Grades ‘B’ and ‘A’ represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum required by law.
WARNING: The temperature grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive load
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ing, either separately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
These grades are moulded onto the sidewalls of pas
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senger car tires. All passenger car tires must conform to Federal safety requirements in addition to these grades.
Tire Placard/Label The tire and loading Information label stuck on the
driver’s door jamb specifies the correct size and pres
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