At an event in Pennsylvania this evening, General Tire unveiled an all-new tire in its off-road arsenal, the mud-terrain Grabber X3. The new Grabber X3 model will actually replace the outgoing Grabber tire to provide more mass appeal in the marketplace since it will cater to a wider range of SUV and truck owners. The X3 moniker actually relates to the three areas it is designed to excel in for extreme use: mud, dirt and rock.

But General Tire knows that the new Grabber X3 won’t simply be an off-road thrasher, and it is designed to offer great “streetable” manners, as the company puts it. The X3 will be offered in both OEM replacement sizes, while serious trail bashers who demand more will be happy to know the X3 will be offered up to a 37” tire. GT will offer 29 different sizes in the tire, with 13 flotation sizes ranging from 31” to 37” (fitting 15” to 20” rims), while there will be another 16 LT metric sizes fitting 16” to 20” rims. Although the tire will be available with red lettering, in some sizes it will also be available in black lettering as well (which explains why there’s 42 actual part numbers for only 29 sizes).

General Tire put more than three years into the development of this tire, and whereas the Grabber was more of a desert tire the Grabber X3 will offer wide mass appeal for Jeeps, SUVs and trucks alike. General says that for mud performance, the X3 offers a high-void pattern on the tread, with evacuation channels to eject mud and avoid caking, while alternating shoulder scoops are employed to grab a hold of loose terrain. The block chamfers and traction notches in the tread design aid the X3’s dirt grip, while the stone bumpers (which alternate between raised lines and “Grabber” lettering – see above) help prevent stone/rock retention and drilling. General Tire says the X3’s tire compound is chip and cut resistant and features a three-ply construction for great overall durability. The X3 also features large sidewall lugs for added traction and a “deflection pad” and “deflection ribs” for sidewall protection.

We’ll have the chance to drive the tires tomorrow and will provide a first impression of the performance soon, but for now here’s a closer look at General Tire’s first venture into the mud-terrain market. This is the first time we’ve seen something new from GT in a while. What do you think?