Tire tread for ice traction

A pneumatic tire having a tread of a rubber composition characterized by having a Shore A hardness within a range of about 45 to about 65 and by being comprised of, based on 100 parts by weight rubber of (a) about 95 to 100 phr of at least one diene-based elastomer having a Tg below -30.degree. C. and, correspondingly, zero to about 5 phr of at least one additional diene-based elastomer having a Tg of -30.degree. C. or above;

• (b) about 30 to about 110 phr of reinforcing filler selected from (i) precipitated silica containing silanol groups on the surface thereof and (ii) carbon black, wherein said reinforcing filler is composed of from about 10 to about 107 phr of said silica and about 3 to about 20 phr of carbon black;
• (c) about 2 to about 30 phr of at least one additive selected from (i) at least one organic fiber having hydroxyl groups on the surface thereof selected from cellulose fibers and wood fibers, and (ii) hollow, spherical, ceramic particles having silanol groups on the surface thereof;
• (d) at least one coupling agent having a moiety reactive with the silanol groups on said silica and said ceramic particles and with the hydroxyl groups on said cellulose and/or wood fibers and another moiety interactive with at least one of said diene-based elastomer(s).