Sensors

Tyres designed for safety in all weathers

13th May 2019
Alex Lynn
0

For the coming summer season Nokian Tyres, the Finnish tyre manufacturer, has prepared two new products: Nokian Powerproof and Nokian Wetproof. Nokian Wetproof is a test winner in two German automotive magazines Auto Motor und Sport and ACE Lenkrad. The new summer tyres were available from spring 2019.

The varying summer conditions and different road surfaces in Europe are challenging to drivers. Temperature variations of over 40 degrees centigrade between the cold spring days and the midsummer heat, coupled with sudden thunderstorms, call for tyres that are able to adapt to different driving conditions. The new Nokian Powerproof summer tyres, designed for fast driving, masters all the forms of summer with an enjoyable balance.

The new Nokian Powerproof gives me extremely fantastic steering feedback. That is exactly the feature you want in quality tyres. When the tyre gives you confidence in driving, it also gives you safety,” said Mika Häkkinen, two-time Formula 1 World Champion, who provided his experience and insight into the testing and product development.

The extremely stable handling and logical steering of Nokian Powerproof offers peace of mind for both high-speed lane changes and sudden braking. The contact surface remains precise and exact, from rain-slick motorways to sun-scorched boulevards, and the strong structure ensures the durability. The extensive size selection of this UHP summer tyre comprises 51 products from 17 to 20 inches, with speed ratings of W (270 km/h) and Y (300 km/h).

Nokian Powerproof tyre was reportedly rated ‘exemplary’ in German AutoBild Allrad’s Summer Tire Test achieving the 2nd position. The magazine praised Nokian Powerproof’s high performance on all surfaces and especially the superb handling characteristics in wet conditions. In German magazine Gute Fahrt Nokian Powerproof achieved rating ‘Gute Fahrt Recommendation’ and the 4th position. The tyre convinced with its driving performance in wet weather, providing top performance and stability in wet braking and wet handling as well as preventing aquaplaning with good wet grip performance.

Nokian Powerproof has also been granted The Tire Performance Mark from the independent TÜV SÜD testing organisation, communicating versatile and comprehensive performance.

When enjoying the sunny and beautiful summer days, it’s easy to forget the dangers of rain-soaked roads. Sudden and heavy rain may cause the car to aquaplane, especially if there is a lot of water on the road and in the ruts. The new Nokian Wetproof tyre can prevent this. The tyre’s most important features are excellent wet braking abilities and powerful aquaplaning resistance, which make driving easy and comfortable even in rainy days. 

Jarno Röytiö, Product Development Manager for Nokian Tyres, said: “Nokian Wetproof offers the best possible combination of wet and dry properties. We have been able to improve wet grip and aquaplaning resistance a lot, which means we can offer more safety for the consumers driving in wet conditions. The development has taken us over four years and we have tested dozens of different prototypes across Europe.”

To provide maximum comfort and first-class safety, the tread area of the tyre is divided into two functional zones. This new technology called Dual Zone Safety offers an excellent combination of dry and wet performance. The Stability Zone is on the outside of the tyre and makes manoeuvring easy and confident by offering good stability and handling properties, while the Wet Safety Zone on the inside improves the wet grip and aquaplaning resistance. 

The Aqua Hybrid compound also offers added safety for rainy weather. This new-generation rubber compound with advanced polymer types and improved silica structure provides excellent wet grip and lower fuel costs.

The new Nokian Wetproof is offered in the speed categories T (190km/h), H (210 km/h), V (240 km/h) and W (270 km/h), and its comprehensive size range covers 46 items from 14 to 20”.

This season Nokian Wetproof was ranked first in two important summer tyre tests. In the test in German automotive magazine ‘Auto Motor und Sport’, Nokian Wetproof outperformed premium competitors on wet surface, being the best in the test in wet braking. 

The tyre was also praised for having reliable dry handling and being easy to control. In the summer tyre test conducted by ACE in collaboration with the German Technical Inspection Association GTÜ and Austrian ARBÖ, the new Nokian Wetproof was rated ‘highly recommended’. 

The tyre succeeded with the shortest braking distances on wet, in the aquaplaning test and with nearly perfect lateral handling on wet. As the German car club magazine ACE points out, the name Wetproof is really matching, as the new development from Nokian Tyres sets the benchmark in wet condition.

As proof of excellence, Nokian Wetproof has been granted the TÜV Tire Performance Mark. This mark from the independent TÜV SÜD testing organisation certifies that Nokian Wetproof compares favourably with premium competitors in terms of quality and performance.

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