Nokian tyres are multiple test winners and they are tested under extreme Northern conditions

With the judgement “very recommendable”, Nokian V wins tyre tests in the renowned German car magazines “auto motor und sport” and “Auto”, and achieves with “good” the best verdict in the tests of German automobile association ADAC and consumer organisation Stiftung Warentest

„Very recommendable“ in the German car magazines „Auto Zeitung“ and „sport auto“

Nokian offers DSI satisfaction

Nokian tyres often win tyre tests and achieve top marks. The Finnish tyre manufacturer Nokian Tyres tests tyres in the most extreme conditions of the North with more than 75 years of experience. „Due to toughest testing Nokian tyres offer utmost safety in the wet and in the dry even in difficult conditions and they save a lot of fuel,“ Teppo Huovila explains, Vice President R & D of Nokian Tyres.

The Nokian tyre is the test winner, judged „very recommendable“, in the summer tyre test 2011 of „auto motor und sport“, one of the leading German car magazines. “Very good driving behaviour and braking ability in the wet and in the dry, a low road noise, very low rolling resistance,“ the renowned car magazine describes the safe and fuel saving Nokian V.

Environmentally friendly Nokian again is the test winner in the tyre test 2011 of the German car magazine „Auto“, judged „very recommendable“: „Very well controllable nearly neutral driving behaviour with low alternation of load reactions in the wet, good driving properties in the dry, low road noise, top mark regarding rolling resistance, very good braking behaviour in the wet” are its benefits.

Besides, Nokian wins the test in “Firmenauto”, a German company car magazine, and gets the award “Firmenauto recommendation” with the verdict “very recommendable”.

Green Nokian V also achieves with the judgement „good“ the best verdict in German automobile association ADAC and consumer protection organisation Stiftung Warentest tyre test 2011. Its “strengths” according to ADAC: “Very balanced tyre, good in all safety relevant disciplines, top mark in the wet”. The consumer protection magazine „test“ recommends Nokian V as “our advice”.

Other Nokian tyres of the world’s leading winter tyre manufacturer have achieved excellent results in this year’s summer tyre tests. „Very recommendable“ is the result of high performance tyre Nokian Z G2 in the German car magazine „Auto Zeitung“. The summary praises: „Especially in combination with Audi A3 Sportback Nokian Z G2 establishes itself as a forgiving summer tyre without any noteworthy weaknesses.” „Very recommendable“ again is the judgement of German car magazine „sport auto“ about Nokian Z G2.

For tyre change, Nokian tyres are available on good terms at local tyre dealers, as well with rims.

Very good wet properties, shortest braking distance, and low fuel consumption for Nokian tyres in the tests of „auto motor und sport“, ADAC, and Stiftung Warentest

Testing in the wet is very important because here the tyres have less grip than in the dry.

“Very good properties in the wet and a low rolling resistance help the Finnish Nokian tyre to achieve the overall victory” is the headline in “auto motor und sport”. The brand tyre is the best tyre in “overall wet” and the best in the test assessments braking distance in the wet and test value handling wet.

Nokian has got the shortest braking distance in the wet of all tyres tested by ADAC, it is 22 metres shorter than the one of the poorest tyre. In the disciplines wet and fuel consumption Nokian V is tested „good“. The environmentally friendly Nokian tyre proves its high safety excellently with the “very good” mark 1,3 in the important driving quality handling in the wet. Mark 1 is the best mark and 6 the worst mark in the German mark system.

With Stiftung Warentest, the best score of all tested tyres was reached by the Finnish premium tyre with „good (2,0)“ for „wet road“. Its handling in the wet was rated “very good”.

Developing tyres, it is difficult to solve the problem of combining best grip in the wet with optimal low rolling resistance. But it is possible: „The new tyre of the Finnish tyre manufacturer Nokian sets a good example. Measuring rolling resistance, it achieves the top value of 0,90. According to current state of technology, this is “very good,” “auto motor sport” praises. „Nevertheless, Nokian appears at its best in the wet tests. Contrary to prevailing opinion, it brakes better than all its competitors. … Nokian provides smooth handling and achieves a fair result in the aquaplaning assessment. In wet braking, the worst product has got a much longer braking distance – „nearly seven metres more than the top tyre made by Nokian.“ Good wet qualities are of particular importance because driving on wet roads is more dangerous than in the dry. With Auto Zeitung, the testers’ positive impression for the assessment wet is expressed in this way: „The Nokian forgives driving mistakes and beyond all borders still takes an effort to keep grip. Furthermore it shows a neutral resonant steering behaviour.“

„sport auto“ summarizes: „Nokian is brilliant in the wet. Its high level of grip makes it score second best in lap times. It driving behaviour is free of dangers and very neutral. The Finn performs best in braking. Regarding aquaplaning it is also among the top tyres.“ Its braking distance in the wet is, with 54,1 metres, the shortest of all tyres in the test of „Auto“, still 6,7 metres shorter than the one of the last product. The outstanding braking ability and driving behaviour on wet roads with a simultaneously low fuel consumption due to a very low rolling resistance is proven with all these independent tests.

On its own proving ground in Nokia, situated in the south of Finland, the company tests the wet grip on a circle with a radius of 40 metres to measure a tyre’s latitudinal grip. This simulates driving in a curve. The car shall not drift too far to the outside and slip off the street. Criteria are measured time and the test driver’s subjective rating. In wet handling on the 500 metres track the driver evaluates the characteristics of the tyres. Additionally the lap times give information about the quality. The tyres shall be predictable to prevent the car driver from experiencing dangerous surprises. Crucial for correct rating is the long-term experience of the test drivers and engineers.

A short braking distance on wet roads can prevent an accident, as braking distances in the rain are longer than many car drivers believe. Nokian tests the braking performance on several different surface types with different friction coefficients like smooth – Central European - asphalt, concrete, rough Northern asphalt, and very rough asphalt, this means under hardest loads, too. This way, the tyres are optimised for surfaces with different friction.

No car driver wants to aquaplane on wet roads, as here the car can not be steered and can not brake any more, either. You are completely helpless. Longitudinal aquaplaning, which occurs during driving straight ahead, is tested on a track that features a tank in which test cars are driven in a straight line. The speed at which the car aquaplanes and therefore loses the grip is measured. The water depth can be up to 15 millimetres and make increased demands on the tyres, as in the tests of the most important magazines the water is only seven millimetres deep. During lateral aquaplaning it is measured when the car is drifting out of the curve. Eight millimetres are again increased demands, as normally testing is done only with four millimetres. The curve inclination accounts to 1.5 per cent, therefore simulating an additional danger. The outer part of the curve lies lower and the inner higher, it is „hanging“. This is why you can take off there more quickly.

Nokian V: „Very good driving behaviour and braking ability in the dry“ with „auto motor und sport“, „good“ on dry roads, „very good“ braking in the dry with ADAC and Stiftung Warentest

Dry tests are very important, too, as here high speeds are possible and the streets are often dry in summer.

„Very good driving behaviour and braking ability in the dry“ „auto motor und sport“ attests the Nokian. It is rated “good” by ADAC and Stiftung Warentest in the test assessments dry and wearing and “very good” in dry braking. “Auto Zeitung” says that “the tyre shows no real weaknesses in the dry.”

Nokian’s road noise is the quietest of all tyres in „auto motor und sport“ and, measuring 70 dB(A), the lowest in the test of “Auto”.

In the dry tests of the Nordic brand, driving behaviour is assessed subjectively by the test driver on the handling lane. Fast changes of the lanes and elk tests show the limits and correspond to overtaking and avoiding when speed provides high safety and grip and stability of the tyre are crucial. They shall at once react precisely to the steering wheel movements. The slalom measures the lane stability during sudden changes of direction. Heavy duty, the rear can be pulling. Does the car stay exactly in the lane? Or is it carried to the outer limits too far? In everyday situations, the car could abandon the road.

Additionally to all this intensive driving, Nokian Tyres tests also worldwide for years on high speed tracks like Papenburg, Germany, Idiada, Spain, and in South Africa. This is necessary to improve tyre properties under maximum speeds loadings. Especially in case of UHP tyres (UHP = ultra high performance). In difficult endurance tests on wearing asphalt roads and in numerous laboratory tests wear resistance is developed.

DSI satisfaction by Nokian

The tyres of Nokian Tyres are developed, tested and manufactured in the demanding conditions of the north. They offer the best possible performance even in the most extreme conditions. If a buyer is not content with his new summer tyres of Nokian by any reason, he is allowed to exchange them for another set of tyres at his dealer within 14 days. Mounting and balancing are free of charge. This is the Nokian DSI satisfaction concept.

More safety: aquaplaning indicator and driving safety indicator

An aquaplaning indicator warns of aquaplaning with a drop symbol in the DSI driving safety indicator. It fades when the remaining profile is only four millimetres, pointing to a higher risk. To avoid aquaplaning the main grooves must have a minimum depth of four millimetres. The car driver can easily read the profile depth as numbers of 8 to 2.

Environmentally friendly: Nokian tyres save fuel and contain no high-aromatic oils

Car drivers should choose tyres, which are safe, but also environmentally friendly at the same time. Nokian tyres save fuel and achieve top or good marks in fuel consumption or rolling resistance in the tyre tests of “auto motor und sport”, ADAC, Stiftung Warentest and “Auto”. Furthermore these eco tyres produce fewer CO2 emissions. Moreover they do not contain harmful high-aromatic oils. This way, the Finnish tyres protect the environment three times.

The company is the world's first tyre manufacturer to have introduced purified, low-aromatic oils in its production, instead of high-aromatic oils. High-aromatic oils are harmful because they contain certain substances which are labelled carcinogenic.

Long-term development work in order to find safer and more environmentally friendly chemicals has enabled Nokian Tyres to abandon all agents classified as toxic in its tyre production. Ultra-modern products and production processes are environmentally friendly and safe for the car drivers, the environment, and its own factory workers. The complete tyre is free of high-aromatic oils and not only the tread.

The use of the renewable natural product canola oil is another example of Nokian Tyres’ commitment for the environment. It is used in the wear surface of the Nokian Z SUV tyre. Canola oil makes rubber tear resistant and has excellent resistance to the dynamic stresses created during driving. The new canola oil-silica compound developed for the Nokian Z SUV tyre also ensures excellent grip in the wet, particularly at low temperatures. The new compound efficiently dampens the noise generated on rough asphalt. The tyre is quiet and pleasant to drive. This eco tyre perfectly combines high safety and cost reducing environmental friendliness, the specialist from the North claims.

Environmentally friendliness belongs to the core values of Nokian Tyres, all its tyres are green and have high mileages. Nokian Tyres pays attention to environmental issues already when acquiring raw materials and designing products. Research and development follow the principle of sustainable safety: The aim is to produce wear resistant tyres that keep their good properties during their whole working life. All tyres produced with high-aromatic oils after 1 January 2010 are not allowed to be sold any longer according to the EU regulation.

Nokian Tyres s.r.o
Phone +420 222 507 761
Fax +420 241 940 635
dieter.koppner(at)nokiantyres.com
V Parku 2336/22
148 00 Praha 4
Czech Republic

Photo download:

https://www.nokiantyres.com/testingsummer
https://www.nokiantyres.com/NokianV
https://www.nokiantyres.com/nokianzg2

Further information about Nokian summer tyres:
https://www.nokiantyres.com/tyres/passenger-car/summer-tyres/

Sources:

auto motor und sport, issue No 7, 10 March 2011
Auto, issue No 8, 16. March 2011

ADAC summer tyres test 2011:
ADAC Motorwelt, issue 3 March 2011

Stiftung Warentest summer tyres test 2011:
test, issue 3/2011
http://www.test.de/themen/auto-verkehr/test/Sommerreifen-Reifen-geplatzt-4206314-4206316/

Auto Zeitung, No 5, 16th February, 2011

Nokian Tyres

Nokian Tyres is the only tyre manufacturer in the world that focuses on products and services that facilitate safe transportation in Nordic conditions. The company's innovative passenger car, van and heavy-duty machinery tyres are mainly marketed in areas that have snow, forest and changing seasons that make driving conditions demanding. Nokian Tyres also offers tyres especially tailored for the milder European climate.
Operating in Nordic conditions Nokian Tyres from Finland is one of the leading winter tyre specialists in the world and multiple test winner with over 75 years of experience. Nokian winter and summer tyres are developed and tested in harsh road conditions in Finland and shall offer high quality and top-level safety. The Nokian brand stands for environmentally friendly premium tyres. Nokian Tyres was the first tyre manufacturer to switch over to using only purified, low-aromatic oils in its production. In Scandinavia and Russia the high-value brand has a high level of awareness and a good reputation.
Nokian Tyres’ net sales for 2010 totalled approximately EUR 1,058 million, and it had 3,500 employees. The company owns the Vianor tyre chain that comprises more than 770 stores in 20 countries. Nokian Tyres Plc's shares are quoted on the Helsinki Exchanges' NASDAQ OMX.

Press contact:
Dr. Falk Köhler PR
Dr. Falk Köhler
Phone: +49 40 54 73 12 12
Fax: +49 40 54 73 12 22
E-mail: Dr.Falk.Koehler(at)Dr-Falk-Koehler.de
Ödenweg 59
22397 Hamburg
Germany

Further information:

Nokian Tyres s.r.o
Business Director Central Europe Dieter Köppner, Phone: +420 222 507 761 dieter.koppner(at)nokiantyres.com
Product Development Manager Central Europe Sven Dittmann Dipl.-Ing., Phone: +49 8143 / 444 850, sven.dittmann(at)nokiantyres.com

Nokian Tyres plc
Vice President R & D Teppo Huovila, Phone: +358 10 401 7701, Teppo.Huovila(at)nokiantyres.com