Nova Motorsport has achieved a significant strategic milestone with the successful first tests of the Nova ZZXC – the first all-new competition tyre to be conceived, designed, developed and manufactured entirely by the company. Created specifically for Cross Car (XC), the Nova ZZXC marks an important new chapter for Nova Motorsport as the brand expands from producing proven Avon Motorsport products to developing its own original competition tyres.
Since its formation in 2024, Nova Motorsport has successfully returned key Avon Motorsport products to production and continued to support competitors across numerous disciplines. With the Nova ZZXC, the British motorsport brand has now applied decades of inherited knowledge and expertise, alongside its growing engineering capabilities, to the complete development of an original Nova Motorsport competition tyre from the ground up.
Created specifically around the demands of Cross Car racing, the ZZXC extends Nova Motorsport’s mixed-surface competition portfolio alongside its existing multi-championship-winning Rallycross (RX) and Autocross (AX) products.
The development concept for the tyre was based on Nova Motorsport’s ‘listen, design, test and deliver’ philosophy. The company listened closely to Cross Car competitors, understood the unique characteristics and qualities they required from a tyre and then designed, developed and validated a bespoke tyre to bring a new level of performance to the sport.
Nova Motorsport drew extensively upon the decades of competition tyre knowledge within its engineering team, including experience gained through the design, development and manufacture of Avon Motorsport products for Rally, Rallycross and Autocross competition.
The result is a highly innovative tyre package that offers competitors a series of unique advantages. These include individual front and rear tread designs, engineered to perform across the highly varied loose and mixed surfaces encountered in Cross Car competition in both wet and dry conditions.
The Nova ZZXC rear tyre features a distinctive asymmetrical tread pattern. Unlike a directional design, the rear tyre can be fitted on either side of the vehicle, meaning competitors typically need to carry only one spare rear tyre rather than separate left- and right-sided products.
Nova Motorsport developed the rear tyre’s outer shoulder with larger tread blocks to maximise durability under load. In contrast, a more open inner tread pattern has been created to generate greater traction. The tyre design aligns with the relatively low levels of camber typically used in Cross Car chassis set-ups.
The rear tyre has also been developed to enable competitors to adjust the profile by altering tyre pressure. Lower pressures create a flatter profile ideal for dry conditions, while increasing the pressure can create a more crowned profile better suited to wet and muddy surfaces. In these conditions, the aggressive open tread allows the larger blocks to engage more effectively while helping the tyre evacuate mud.
For the front tyres, Nova Motorsport retained the directional characteristics familiar to Cross Car competitors while developing a distinctive new tread. An arrow-shaped central block combines with larger blocks on either side, providing better management of the wear and loading generated during aggressive steering and cornering.
Both front and rear tyres incorporate Nova Motorsport’s distinctive ‘N’ brand marque within their outer shoulder designs.
Philip Carder, Product Category Manager at Nova Motorsport, said: “The Nova ZZXC is the first tyre that Nova Motorsport has taken through the complete development process, from understanding what competitors need and creating the initial design, through engineering, manufacture, track testing and, very soon, production.”
“From the outset, we were determined to create a genuine Cross Car tyre that would provide a new level of performance, rather than adapt a product developed for another discipline. Cross Car places unique demands on a tyre because of the acceleration, braking, high yaw angles and constantly changing surfaces involved. That is why we designed the front and rear tyres to have deliberately different characteristics. The rear design is particularly innovative, combining traction and durability with the flexibility to alter its working profile through tyre pressure. At the same time, the front gives drivers the directional response and confidence they expect.”
“Durability is also critical, because damage can often end a Cross Car tyre’s useful life long before the tread wears out. To address that, we also engineered the Nova ZZXC for greater robustness and resistance to damage.”
Successful Benchmark Test
Nova Motorsport conducted a comprehensive track evaluation of the Nova ZZXC at Circuit Parc de la Serra in Mollerussa, Spain, with David Méat, three-time FIA European Cross Car Champion.
The test programme evaluated the new tyre across a wide range of performance criteria, including start-line traction, acceleration, braking, steering response, cornering behaviour and durability. The Nova ZZXC was also benchmarked directly against established competitor products.
David Méat, three-time FIA European Cross Car Champion, said: “Testing on such a demanding circuit and in extreme conditions gave the Nova ZZXC nowhere to hide. It was a proper test from the first run, and I was impressed by the way the tyre responded. The rear tread design is unlike anything else in Cross Car, a completely new angle – the philosophy behind it makes sense as soon as you drive the car.
“The traction off the start was particularly strong, and that gave me a lot of confidence through the corners and into the braking areas. There was plenty of lateral grip when the tyre was loaded up, and the overall performance was very encouraging for the first test of a completely new product.”
Further validation was provided by champion driver Olivier Barré at Circuit Nicolas Klein in Is-sur-Tille, France. Trialling the Nova ZZXC during Round 6 of the French Autocross and Sprint Car Championship, Barré produced a commanding set of runs in the Super Sprint category and topped the time sheets during his time on track.
A New Chapter for Nova Motorsport
The introduction of the Nova ZZXC represents an important strategic milestone for Nova Motorsport as the British brand progresses from safeguarding and rebuilding the supply of established Avon Motorsport products towards developing an expanding range of its own contemporary competition tyres.
James Weekley, Commercial Director at Nova Motorsport, said: “When Nova Motorsport was established, we made two commitments. The first was to protect the availability and heritage of the Avon Motorsport products that competitors around the world continue to depend upon. The second was to use the extraordinary technical knowledge within this business to create the next generation of specialist competition tyres.”
“The Nova ZZXC is the clearest demonstration yet of that second commitment. This is a tyre conceived by Nova Motorsport, designed by Nova Motorsport, manufactured by Nova Motorsport and developed precisely around what Cross Car competitors need to establish a new benchmark in one of Europe’s most closely contested motorsport disciplines.”
“This represents a major strategic milestone for Nova Motorsport, but also the beginning of something much bigger. With proven products across Rallycross and Autocross and now our first dedicated Cross Car tyre, plus of course our championship-winning Hillclimb and Circuit products, we are continuing to build a focused competition portfolio around disciplines where specialist tyre knowledge and close relationships with competitors really matter.”
Nova ZZXC set for Lohéac Launch
The new Nova ZZXC will be presented at Lohéac, France, from 28-30 August 2026, during Round 6 of the eight-round Rallycross France championship.
One of the most celebrated venues in the sport, the ‘Temple of Rallycross’, is expected to attract some 50,000 spectators for a major combined weekend featuring French Rallycross, the FIA European Rallycross Championship, British Rallycross and Cross Car competition.
Nova Motorsport will be presenting the Nova ZZXC from the company’s on-site support unit as part of the service operation delivered alongside Nova Motorsport service partner Sodipneu.
Nova Motorsport ZZXC Tyre Specifications
- Front: 175/70-10 27N
- Rear: 245/45-10 32N
- Construction: Crossply
- Compounds: Soft, medium
- Application: Cross Car mixed-surface competition
- Tread design: Directional front; asymmetrical rear
- Conditions: Developed for wet and dry competition
Nova Motorsport remains dedicated to becoming the number one choice for specialist high-performance, low-volume applications, building on the exceptional heritage and technical know-how developed over decades.
