"New" Tire Available

[mdsalemi]

I was at our local MBCA Section's Technical Event this past Saturday, and a recently-restored 230SL was on display at the host, Motorwerks. http://www.motorwerksgroup.com/

This 230SL had a new set of rubber on it that I've never seen or heard discussed here before: Continental Vanco II

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=Vanco+2&partnum=8QR4V2&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

Don't think the car has been driven yet, but here is another BW option @ $86 each.

[mclewis]

Tire Rack describes the tire as a "light truck" tire.

[mdsalemi]

I think that has to do with load rating and maximum inflation pressure.

Aside from that there is little from Tire Rack (probably one of the largest tire retailers in the USA) in the 185-14 size, I think some Yokohama.  So, just another consideration.

[66andBlue]

Here is the the "official company reason" for this van or light truck tire:

Robust, safe and extremely durable.
The growing demand for short-distance transport of passengers and goods also leads to increased requirements so that the performance of modern day vans nears that of passenger cars.
Every fourth car – and almost every third van – in Europe are originally fitted with Continental tires. The results of various tests in the press and media plus the satisfaction and confidence of professional fleet customers testify the quality of the Vanco.
The VancoTM 2 is a class of its own. The familiar premium quality of its predecessor has been improved significantly. The Vanco 2 sets new benchmarks in the efficiency and performance criteria.

It even has a "scuff rib" - but it may not protect the wheel covers or beauty rings on our cars:
http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/automobile/themes/van-tires/summer-tires/vanco-2/details/06_scheuerleiste/tech_details_en.html
The other videos are interesting too.

[mdsalemi]

Here are the camera photos I took of the Vanco II on a 1966 230 SL last Saturday.
Not much of a scuff rib, but a nice blackwall tire at $86--

Motorwerks (where the restoration was being done for an executive of Hayes (as in Hayes-Lemmerz) is a Tire Rack dealer, and I suspect they chose it because it was the right size, and it wasn't a Yokohama.