Studly Q Celsius tires for safe winter driving

What's a northeastern driver to do when wintry roads spell danger for everyday tires, while normal conditions hamper breaking ability for the studded variety? Well, Q's Celsius tires have traction studs that protrude and retract on your command -- practical and 007 slick, like something Q would install for use in rescuing Halle Berry from a gigantic ice palace. How it works: when you're ready to enter extreme weather mode, the tires use their own air supply to fill a secondary chamber that pushes the studs through the surface, past the tread. Then when conditions clear up, the studs retract back below the tread and the surplus air is released. We're not sure how much this upgrade will cost to add little cool to your lemon, but some extra cash might be worth the added safety, not to mention ditching the hassle of seasonal tire switching.

[Via Autoblog]

[Mike @ Mar 15th 2007 5:21PM]

Break != brake.

[mogbert @ Mar 15th 2007 5:36PM]

Anyone else reminded of a toy from 20 years ago called "The Animal"?
It was a toy truck that when it reached a blockade where the axels would spin but the wheels wouldn't, these giant claws would come out of the tires to claw it's way over it.
These tires kinda remind me of that...

[sandiegocali @ Mar 15th 2007 10:23PM]

This is why I live in San Diego, SUCKERS !!!!!!!

[Manny @ Jun 6th 2007 1:06PM]

i am originally from tampa but i now live in cambridge, just outside of boston. its a very nice place 9 months of the year, and my very first winter was one of the hardest in about thirty years. by far the worst thing to get used to was the driving. i had to talk to all of my neighbors and co workers and even checked online for links.... but mostly i learned the hardway.

thankfully nothing major happened, but there were definately a couple of scares along the way.

http://www.autoworlddirect.com/Winter_Driving.html

that was one of the useful sites but trust me, the only way to learn is to (slowly) get out on the road and pump those breaks!!