Off Road In Peru With Cosmo Tires New GRIPIT XT

Can the Cosmo Tires GRIPIT XT keep up with the demands of a Texan?

Over the summer, when the Texas sun turns any metal surface into a skillet and AC repair technicians start shopping for Corvettes, a bold and stylish tire company based in Miami gave me an unexpected opportunity to escape the triple-digit heat and enjoy a winter break in South America. Cosmo Tire Company has garnered a reputation for quality among drivers seeking reliable rubber for their light-duty trucks and passenger vehicles.

Like any good tire brand, it has proven durability under pressure in the demanding motorsport disciplines from drift, endurance, autocross, and off-road 4x4s. I’m talking about none other than Cosmo Tires.

I jumped at the chance to fly south of the equator and enjoy the cool breeze under the snuggling embrace of a windbreaker while my fellow Texans were putting their undergarments in the freezer before getting dressed for work (don’t knock until you try it). 

Cosmos Tires invited me to represent The Gentlemen Racer on an expedition to Peru for several nights of culture, landscape, and adventure. But this was no flight of fancy for the sake of leisure. I had been sent on an assignment by the man himself, Michael Satterfield, on a gonzo mission to observe and report on the latest in all-terrain design, the global debut of the new Cosmo Tires GRIPIT XT light truck off-road tire.

Cosmo Tires GRIPIT XT Desert Dune Off-Road Testing

Sand around my boots meant it was time to do the job. Get behind the wheel and experience the grip of the new Cosmo Tires GRIPIT XT in real-world conditions on dynamic terrain. I took the reins of a mid-size Chinese-built JMC pickup truck and tackled a desert obstacle course in the sand dunes of Ica, Peru. Here, the GRIPIT XT off-road tires were put to the test as we used them to claw through the soft, steep terrain.

Most people never realize what goes into a tire besides air. You must consider tread design, rubber compound, and sidewall construction to find a balance between durability and longevity, while also factoring in cost and value. One even has to consider the volume of noise a tire emits when it rolls over asphalt at speed.

With that, here are the Cosmo Tires GRIPIT XT feature highlights:

• Unique Sidewall/Shoulder Claw Design: Hand-drawn by the CEO himself, Tony Gonzalez.
• Quiet Kat Technology: Geometric isolation™ grooves designed to break up airflow and reduce road noise on-road during highway and city driving.
• Scalloped Shoulder Lugs (patent pending): Protrusions and intrusions for improved traction in sand, mud, and snow.
• Bead Claw reinforcement (patent pending): Heartbeat-shaped extrusions improve bead retention for better performance over loose surfaces like sand and snow.
• Direct Super Silica (DSS) compound: Durability designed to resist cuts while boosting grip on wet surfaces and lowering rolling resistance to improve efficiency.
• Ultimate Tire Technology (UTT): Reinforced bead and internal structure for optimal strength in all-terrain.
• Construction strength: Constructed using a 3-ply sidewall and up to 12 plies of under-tread reinforcement.
• 50,000-mile warranty + Hassle-Free Warranty: Cosmo Tires’ warranty includes road hazard protection and workmanship coverage.

My favorite detail on the GRIPIT XT is the hand-drawn tread design. It adds an artisan quality to the meticulous engineering, testing, and technology it took to design these tires. Moreover, it highlights why Cosmo Tires stands out from the competition.

They put the same level of attention and dedication to style as they do to performance. Because who says a good tire can’t also look cool? Who says tires can’t have interesting names like El Jefe, Mucho Macho, and RoadHunter, to name a few, within the expansive Cosmo Tires catalog?

GRIPIT XT: Desert Sand Dune Testing

The Cosmo Tires GRIPIT XT performed excellently off-road, traversing the sand dunes. The vehicles used for testing were the JMC Grand Avenue mid-size pickup truck. Built by Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC) Group, this truck looks like an off-brand Ford Ranger because it shares many components, including the 2.3L turbocharged engine. The JMC Grand Avenue is new to South America, having debuted in 2024.

We had the option of driving different variants, including the base model featuring a 2.3L turbo-diesel engine with a six-speed manual transmission, to the top-of-the-line off-road focused Grand Avenue Pro. This model comes loaded with a snorkel, a premium interior, better ground clearance, and a 254-horsepower 2.3L turbo gasoline engine with an exhaust note that sounds like a tiger gargling the blood of its prey. 

It also comes standard with an eight-speed automatic and a dial to select one of seven drive modes. Including features like crawl control and “tank turn” which reduces the truck’s turning radius down to 16 feet. Not bad for a pickup truck that retails for under $30K.

The 2.3L turbo diesel engines in these trucks don’t crack 200 hp, meaning we had to raise the RPMs high to get up and over the sand dunes and provide the Cosmo Tires the desired momentum to claw, dig, and grip like a camel. Driving the Pro with the extra horsepower provided ample opportunities to create rooster tails and propel forward without worry.

I got stuck once because I forgot to shift into 4Low before setting off. A mistake that revealed itself on the side of a steep sand dune as I leaned my weight over to the passenger side out of fear that the truck would tilt over and send me tumbling down like Jack and Jill in a cloud of embarrassment. Nevertheless, the tires didn’t let me down, allowing me to carefully reverse out of the holes I dug and push through to get down the hill with the truck and my dignity intact.

Meeting the Cosmo Tire Family

Cosmo Tires is a relatively new kid in an old neighborhood of tire manufacturers, some of which can date back to the days Teddy Roosevelt was fanning a six-shooter with his band of Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War.

Founded in 1995, Cosmo Tires has strived as a family-owned business spearheaded by the brothers Tony Gonzalez, CEO and founder, and Joaquin Gonzalez, President of Cosmo Tires. Many of Cosmo Tires managers and chief operators are lifelong friends and family who joined the team over the years building an internal infrastructure with deep roots.

Tony is unlike any CEO I’ve met before with an extensive background in the arts. He’s an artist, designer, songwriter, car collector, music producer, and film producer.

Typically, when I meet a CEO, head of marketing, head of sales, or any high brass within a company, I have to filter through their PR-orchestrated phrasing and media-trained responses like a post-game interview. Not here. Here I could have a genuine conversation and gain a better understanding of the company and the people who manage Cosmo Tires.

What I learned from speaking with the Cosmo Tire family is that it is just that, a family. As someone fortunate enough to have friendships older than the first iPhone, it was truly inspiring to witness a tight-knit group of people enjoy the success of their teamwork. Loyalty going the distance, you don’t see that anymore or not as often as one should.

More importantly, I learned that Cosmo Tires stands by its goal to offer the best quality at a good price.

Where to Buy Cosmo Tires GRIPIT XT

Find a Cosmo Tire dealer near you using the Locator feature on CosmoTires.com. Check out their wide selection of tires for SUVs, trucks, off-road, high-performance, and commercial vehicles like buses and trailers.

You can also order through online sellers like Priority Tire, Walmart, and Amazon.