With sights set on exponential growth in North America, Nokian Tyres on Sept. 21 launched an innovative all-season tire product, the Nokian eNTYRE C/S, designed to meet the needs of the growing CUV and SUV product category. The new product, designed specifically for the North American marketplace, is intended will help further strengthen the Nokian product offering for passenger vehicles.
The new eNTYRE C/S balances performance with durability, passenger comfort and safety. The tire is designed to perform predictably and safely regardless of driving conditions or outside temperatures. In addition to dry, wet and wintery road conditions, it also handles potholes, berms and uneven pavement. Sidewalls are reinforced and strengthened with cut aramid fibers, providing durability and puncture resistance to protect against damage and blowouts. Rubber compounds include the same carbon black as the company’s OTR and Rockproof tires, providing protection against cutting and chipping on rough road surfaces.
The tire also features a stiff shoulder with expanded blocks offering stability and great longitudinal support. Additionally, the shoulder blocks are attached to each other at the edges with a longitudinal support bridge, improving the handling properties.
When testing the tires on actual highways, side roads and unpaved gravel trails as part of the product launch, in addition to strong handling and responsiveness, the tires were surprisingly quiet. With comfort a priority in its design, the Nokian eNTYRE C/S includes noise-reduction innovations. Among them is the “silent groove design” which uses circular dimples, much like the surface of a golf ball, along the walls of the longitudinal center rib to control air flow. These indentations minimize the sounds made by the edges of the traverse grooves reducing the howling noise from the tires on pavement. In addition, the sidewall has silencing technology to reduce noise and vibration from the driving tread surface. “Clinch rubber compound” is also used on the sidewall which increases the flexibility of the product against the wheel flange, providing the bead area with more durability while reducing interior rolling noise, so sound is not transferred through the wheels and into the passenger cabin.
When asked what he was most proud of regarding the tire’s design, Matti Morri of Finland, manager of technical customer service with Nokian Tyres (who goes by the internal nickname “Mr. Tire”), said, “I think I’m most proud of the good compromise between the safety features and comfort, and how it does so well with wet handling and wet braking – that is very important. We also have a very strong construction, triple steel belts, and very strong construction of the sidewall, as well as the compounds we used.”
According to the company, the tire’s tread pattern is designed to work in all four seasons and has four main grooves connected with lateral sipes, ensuring water and slush speed away from under the car. The main grooves’ high-polish finish makes them usher water away even better, efficiently resisting hydroplaning while enhancing the tire’s styling. There are also soft soil and snow grip enhancers for muddy or snowy conditions. The main grooves are also deeper than usual, resulting in excellent mileage.
“The Nokian eNTYRE C/S was developed specifically for North America where drivers want a safe-riding tire that performs year-round,” said Tommi Heinonen, head of Nokian Tyres North America. “Widening our selection of all-season products is a direct result of our North American investment strategy and yet another example of Nokian Tyres’ continued commitment to customers in the U.S. and Canada.”
Currently in production, the Nokian eNTYRE C/S will be available to dealers in early 2018. The product features low rolling resistance as well as Nokian’s 65,000-mile limited treadwear warranty. Sizes cover the more popular CUV/SUV fitments and include: 265/75R16 116 T; 215/70R16 100 H; 215/65R16 98 H; 215/65R17 99 T; 225/65R17 102 H; 235/65R17 104 T; 245/65R17 107 T; 215/60R17 96 T; 225/60R17 99 T; 235/60R17 102 T; 235/55R17 99 H; 235/65R18 106 H; 255/65R18 111 T; 225/60R18 100H; 235/60R18 103 H; 245/60R18 105H; 265/60R18 110 H; 215/55R18 95H; 225/55R18 95 H; 225/55R18 98 H; 235/55R18 100 H; 235/50R18 97 H; 255/60R19 109H; 225/55R19 99 H; 235/55R19 101 H; 245/55R19 103 H; 235/55R20 102 H; 245/50R20 102 H; 255/50R20 105 H; 265/50R20 107 H; 255/45R20 105 H. (“T” indicates a speed rating of 118 mph; “H” indicates a speed rating of 130 mph.)
