Apollo’s Vredestien Tyres Helps Indian Big Bike Owners Breathe A Slight Sigh Of Relief

Rejoice, big bike owners. Apollo Tyres is now going to be catering to you with its Vredestien range of tyres, starting with the Centauro NS and Centauro ST models. Vredestien is a Dutch firm that specialises in premium bike and car tyres, and thanks to Apollo, these will now be made in India.

While not much has been released officially regarding the tyre sizes that’ll soon be on offer, we have got a few details from our friends at various tyre dealerships. For two wheelers, the only front tyre available will be a 120/70ZR17, which should be good for big bikes of all sizes. There will be nearly five options for the rear wheel, starting with a 150/70ZR17 and going all the way up to a 190/55ZR17. This range should cover a wide spectrum of bikes. The tyres should be suitable for something as small and potent as a Kawasaki Ninja 650 or Triumph Trident 660 to sub-litre class nakeds (aka your Triumph Street Triples, Ducati Monsters, Kawasaki Z900s), litre-class sport tourers (Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX, Ducati SuperSport 950) and maybe even road-biased ADVs like the Ducati Multistrada 950.

Just like it has done with its Alpha H1 tyres for sub-400cc bikes, Apollo should ideally get the pricing right for these tyres. Given the current tyre import restrictions, prices for such tyres in the Indian aftermarket scene are pretty absurd. Hopefully, the Vredestiens would be comparatively more affordable, though we fear they’ll still cost a pretty penny.

Here’s the company’s official press statement:

Apollo Tyres Ltd brings in premium tyre brand Vredestein to India

Will cater to high-end cars, and to the superbiking segment

October 23, 2021: Strengthening its product offering further in the Indian market, leading tyre maker, Apollo Tyres Ltd, launched the premium European brand, Vredestein in India. The Vredestein brand of tyres will be manufactured at the state-of-the-art facilities in India, and will cater to the premium and luxury segment in passenger cars, while the two-wheeler tyres from the brand would cater to the growing superbiking segment in India.

Vredestein brand, known for its designer and high-quality tyres, is entering India with tyres sizes of 15” to 20” in the passenger vehicle segment. While Vredestein Ultrac Vorti would cater to the premium luxury sedans like Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Land Rover and Volvo, Vredestein Ultrac would cater to the premium hatchback and sedans like Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and Baleno. The two-wheeler tyres from Vredestein, Centauro NS and ST, will cater to the entire sport touring and super sports range of motorcycles like BMW, Ducati, Aprilia, Triumph, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda and Yamaha.

Commenting on the launch of Vredestein brand in India, Neeraj Kanwar, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Apollo Tyres Ltd said, “India has been witnessing a high growth in the premium and luxury segment of cars, and also in the superbiking segment. This has prompted us to introduce this 100+ years old brand, Vredestein for the Indian customers. Vredestein is synonymous with premium styling and ultra high performance, which are the two most important factors considered by owners of luxury cars and superbikes. I am confident that, with Vredestein, a domestic international brand, we will become the dominant player in the luxury segment in India.”

The passenger vehicle range from Vredestein carries a signature touch of renowned automobile designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro, while the two-wheeler range has been designed by the famous Italian design house, Frascoli Design. The tyres being introduced in the Indian market, has been tested across major tracks in Europe and India, and has also achieved podium positions in various automotive magazine tests in Europe and the US.

Speaking at the launch, Satish Sharma, President, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA), Apollo Tyres Ltd said “The introduction of Vredestein brand will definitely strengthen our offerings in the passenger vehicle and two-wheeler segments in India. The import restrictions on tyres imposed by the Indian Govt recently, had made a strong business case for us to bring in Vredestein brand of tyres into India for the high-end cars and motorcycles. Our R&D Teams have customised these tyres to provide the best safety and driving experience for the Indian conditions.”

Apollo Tyres will use its existing network of business partners, especially premium tier I counters, to sell the Vredestein brand of tyres. Going forward, the company may consider setting up specialist counters for the Vredestein brand. As a new entrant into India, Vredestein has a distinct advantage of access to the trained and robust sales and service network of Apollo Tyres across the country.

Vredestein has been operating in the replacement market primarily in Europe and the US markets. Recently, the company started supplying Vredestein tyres to European OEs like Audi, VW, SEAT and Ford. Similarly in India, Apollo Tyres would be selling Vredestein brand of tyres in the replacement market initially; having said that, the company would leverage its association with global OEMs to have Vredestein ultra high performance tyres as OE fitment.

Vredestein has a rich heritage in the world of tyres. Established in the Netherlands, in 1909, company has acquired increasing international recognition over the decades as a premium tyre brand. Today, Vredestein is a distinctive tyre brand, thanks to its ongoing focus on innovation, investments in high-performance technology and stunning designs. In 2009, Vredestein was acquired by Apollo Tyres Ltd.