Dealer attendees got to feel for themselves the features and attributes of several Nokian tires, including the WR G4 SUV, Hakkapeliitta 9, Hakkapeliitta R3 and Hakkapeliitta LT 3.
Mary became editor of Tire Review in April 2019. She joined Babcox Media in 1988 as the senior editor of Brake & Front End. In her 32-year career with Babcox, Mary has contributed across the brand portfolio in a variety of ways, most recently serving as the editor of ImportCar before joining the Tire Review team. Her appointment to Tire Review makes her only the 10th editor of the brand in its 118-year history.
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In a move to showcase the technological muscle of its products, Nokian Tyres invited several distributors and dealers to a tire testing event in Colorado at the Copper Mountain Ski Resort outside of Denver.
Attendees got to feel for themselves the features and attributes of several Nokian tires, including the WR G4 SUV, Hakkapeliitta 9, Hakkapeliitta R3 and Hakkapeliitta LT 3, some against OE-fitments on the rental fleet used for the testing.
Four test tracks nestled at the base of the mountain gave attendees a chance to “let it loose,” as they experienced Nokian tires firsthand. Look for full coverage of the event on tirereview.com Jan. 17 and in the February issue of Tire Review.
These breathtaking views of Copper Mountain served as the backdrop as drivers took turns testing Nokian tires on four different courses: slalom, acceleration/braking, deep snow and lateral traction.
Hans Dyhrman, Nokian director of marketing, kicked off the dealer product testing event at the Copper Mountain ski resort in Colorado, with introductory remarks about how the “Life Driven” company’s mission is to give drivers peace of mind in all conditions and that its 80 years of winter safety is built into its reputation. That mindset is coupled with a focus on sustainability whereby Nokian tires are made with sustainable ingredients at factories with a minimal environmental footprint.
Dyhrman informed a room full of distributor and dealer attendees about Nokian’s investment in marketing and the company’s true ambition to make sure it’s a consumer-trusted brand. Its all-weather campaign, to keep mountain road I-70 moving, has helped fuel the company’s 36% brand awareness growth on social media platforms, he says.
Steve Bourassa, director of product and pricing at Nokian Tyres, addressed the crowd.
Bourassa discussed the technology behind Nokian’s manufacturing, the company’s extensive R&D efforts and various attributes of its tire lineup. One of the features of its winter tires is noticeably shorter stopping distances in snow, he says.
Bourassa detailed Nokian’s Cryo Crystal 3 technology, which he said are small bio-material particles that act like built-in studs to improve ice grip, found on some of the Hakkapeliitta tires in its winter product lineup.
Tailored sipes provide improved stability and winter safety attributes, the company says.
Aramid Armor sidewalls provide unique durability and puncture resistance, Nokian says. Tire compounds with Aramid fibers make the tire more resistant to impacts and cuts that could otherwise easily damage it.
Attendees learned the key distinguishing factors between winter, all-weather and all-season tires.
The Nokian One HT for pickups and SUVs, released in October 2019, was designed to provide “peace of mind at every moment.” Nokian says it’s a breakthrough in traction and durability, making it the right choice for back roads, daily urban driving and heavy towing.
Drivers got ready to converge on this vehicle lineup to test various Nokian tires on four different courses created just for this event.
On this lateral traction test track, drivers compared studded Hakkapeliitta 9 tires with non-studded Hakkapeliitta R3 tires.
At this year's Mint 400, Team Falken drivers Cole and Sky Johnson secured a victory in the 4400 Unlimited Class and Josh Atteberry earned second place in the 4600 Stock Class. Cole and Sky Johnson equipped their 4482 IFS SXOR Motorsports Car with the new 40” Falken Wildpeak M/T tires.
“The Wildpeak M/T tire wear was phenomenal over that rocky terrain even with a ton of wheel spin from running 2WD,” Sky Johnson said. “These are super tough tires, I was not nice to them and didn’t have a flat, and if there’s ever a race to get a bunch of flat tires, the Mint 400 is one of them.”
The Majesty 9 Solus TA91 EV is ideally suited for drivers of EV coupes, sedans, and CUVs, while the Crugen HP71 EV is designed for CUVs and SUVs with an added level of all-weather performance.
Continental Tire executives talk about the status of the PLT tire market, the company’s strategic balance between OE and replacement tire offerings, and more.
The tires are labeled as snow tires, but do not have sufficient traction to perform in all snow weather conditions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
