Tire manufacturer "Matador": whose brand, history of foundation and development, features and characteristics of products, popular models and reviews about Matador
Content
Tire manufacturer Matador traditionally uses synthetic rubber to make tires. This approach is not only a guarantee of obtaining high-quality and durable products, but also a way to protect nature.
Russian motorists more often choose products of foreign brands. Among the most famous is the manufacturer of tires "Matador". Tires attract drivers with a reasonable price-quality ratio.
Manufacturer country
The company is based in Germany, as it has long been owned by the Continental AG concern. But tires are produced not only at German tire factories. Production is carried out on the territory of Slovakia, Portugal, the Czech Republic.
When the brand's passenger tires became popular in Russia, the company began their localized production at the facilities of the Omsk Tire Plant. This happened in 1995 and continued until 2013. Reviews about the tire manufacturer Matador of domestic origin were negative.
Brand logo
The cost of localized products was lower than the "original", but it did not gain popularity among Russian motorists - users reasonably claimed that the quality in this case was much worse than foreign products. Now all tires of the brand are produced exclusively in the EU.
History of origin and development
By 1905, the Matador tire-producing country, Slovakia, was faced with a shortage of quality rubber products. The newly opened company in the first months specialized in the production of a wide range of rubber goods.
After 1932 (Czechoslovakia was formed in 1918), the manufacturer's headquarters moved to Prague. The company began to deal with tires in 1925. Until 1941, the only official country producing Matador tires was Czechoslovakia.
Factory for the production of tires "Matador"
The story continued in 1946, when sales resumed, but under the Barum brand. And only a few years after the acquisition of production by the German concern Continental AG, the company regained its former name. Since the 50s, the manufacturer has been continuously developing, expanding its model range and improving tire production methods.
Production features
Tire manufacturer Matador traditionally uses synthetic rubber to make tires. This approach is not only a guarantee of obtaining high-quality and durable products, but also a way to protect nature. To strengthen the design of tires, technologists use a combination of:
- breaker made of high-strength steel;
- textile rubber cord;
- steel rings to reinforce the side.
The rubber compound also contains silicon silicate and sulfur, which provide wear resistance and durability.
A feature of tires of this brand has always been a visual tread wear indicator (Visual Alignment Indicator, VAI). In addition to the need to replace the wheel due to age, it also indicates possible problems with wheel alignment and suspension. Until 2012, such tires were not imported into our country. Today, the manufacturer of automotive rubber Matador exports them to the Russian Federation.
Another distinguishing feature of these tires is the ContiSeal technology, which is actively advertised by the manufacturer on the Internet. This development is designed to protect the wheels from a puncture. During production, a layer of polymeric viscous material is applied to the inner surface of the tires, capable of tightening punctures with a diameter of up to 2,5-5 mm.
ContiSeal technology
The main characteristics of rubber
Matador tires have several advantages over tires of the same price category:
- acceptable cost;
- durability;
- wear resistance;
- a wide range of standard sizes.
Russian motorists like good handling in all road conditions, traction both on straight sections and in corners.
Tires "Matador"
At the same time, in the course of operation, the shortcomings of these tires are also revealed. So, despite all the reinforcing structural elements, there is a high probability of the formation of hernias when falling into pits at speed. Also, motorists with experience suggest monitoring tire pressure - when it is lowered, rubber wear accelerates sharply.
Tire options and popular models
An overview of typical and common types of products that the tire manufacturer Matador produces for the Russian market is available in all company catalogs (the selection of goods is very conveniently organized in them).
Summer tires
| Mark | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Matador MP 16 Star 2 | ● simple balancing; ● moderate cost; ● softness and comfort when driving on broken roads. | ● there are complaints about the stability of the car on wet pavement, in corners; ● excessively "delicate" cord and sidewall are prone to creases. |
| Matador MP 47 Hectorra 3 | ● softness; ● high manageability; ● good grip on all types of road surfaces. | ● cost; ● High profile tires are prone to buckling.
|
| Matador MP 82 Conquer SUV 2 | ● acceptable cost; ● elasticity, allowing you to ride on the most broken roads; ● simple balancing - sometimes weights are not required at all during tire fitting; ● confident braking. | Despite the SUV index in the title, tires are more suitable for the city and good primers. |
| MP 44 Elite 3 Killer | ● quiet running; ● good directional stability over the entire speed range. | ● speed of wear; ● The cord is easily pierced and punched through broken road sections. |
MP 44 Elite 3 Killer
Regardless of where the specific Matador rubber manufacturer is located, all summer models have approximately the same advantages. They are characterized by softness, comfort, simple balancing, favorable cost. But all the positive qualities directly depend on the age of the rubber - the older it is, the more the performance deteriorates.
Winter tires
| Model | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Matador Ermak (studded) | ● low noise; ● the tire retains operational properties down to -40 °С (and even lower); ● durability; ● strength; ● the ability to stud rubber (tires are sold as a friction clutch). | ● rubber does not like asphalt rutting and snowy edges; ● at temperatures below -30 °С, it becomes noticeably “tanned”, increasing the load on the suspension elements. |
| Matador MP 50 Sibir Ice (studs) | ● strength; ● durability of studding; ● directional stability on rolled snow and icy roads; ● low cost and wide choice of standard sizes. | ● noise; ● rigidity; ● there are complaints about the strength of the sidewall; ● over time, pressure begins to bleed through the spikes; ● As the speed increases, the stability of the vehicle deteriorates markedly. |
| Matador MP 92 Sibir Snow Suv M + S (friction model) | ● ride comfort comparable to summer, soft rubber, joints and road bumps pass silently; ● good grip on snow-covered surfaces, good cross-country ability on the snow layer. | ● there are complaints about wear resistance, strength of the sidewall and cord; ● flotation on icy roads is mediocre. |
| Matador MP 54 Sibir Snow M + S ("Velcro") | ● the best combination of cost, performance; See also: Rating of summer tires with a strong sidewall - the best models of popular manufacturers ● tires are inexpensive, with good cross-country ability on snow, porridge from reagents; ● Tires provide high ride comfort. | High tendency to stall on icy surfaces, turns in such conditions must be passed by reducing speed |
And in this case, the country-manufacturer of winter tires "Matador" does not affect the performance of tires in any way. All of them are characterized by good grip on a winter snowy track, but friction models have questions in terms of keeping on clean ice. The positive qualities of tires deteriorate sharply as they age, it is better to choose “fresher” goods in the store.
