A relaxing journey on winter roads

New Nokian Snowproof P tire provides smooth ride on winter roads

Scandinavian premium tire manufacturer Nokian Tires is introducing a new Ultra-High Performance (UHP) tire for winter in Central and Eastern Europe. The new Nokian Snowproof P is a sporty and modern combination designed to bring peace of mind to car drivers. It provides high performance and reliable winter traction – just what you need when changing lanes quickly or driving on rainy country roads. The new Nokian Tires Alpine Performance concept guarantees first-class safety for everyday driving with improved traction, shorter braking distances and cornering safety.

According to a Nokian Tires consumer survey, nearly 60% of drivers in Central Europe believe that specialized winter tires are the most important element in a car that contributes to safe driving in the winter months. Almost 70% of respondents believe that traction and handling in winter conditions are the most important characteristics, while safety in extreme situations, such as snowy roads and traction in the rain, are among the top three. For drivers of powerful and high-performance cars, dry grip, precise high-speed handling and driving comfort are important. *

 “Safety and balanced driving performance have always been at the core of our product development philosophy. Our mission is to make your journey safe and predictable every day of winter. When we were developing our new high performance winter product, we paid special attention to improving grip on snowy and wet roads,” says Marko Rantonen, Development Manager at Nokian Tires.

The introduction of the new ultra-high performance tire is a natural continuation of the expansion of the Nokian Tires winter tire series to the markets of Central and Eastern Europe. Nokian Snowproof P is available in H (210 km / h), V (240 km / h) and W (270 km / h) speed indices, and the full size range is from 17 to 21 inches. The new Nokian Snowproof P will be available to consumers in the fall of 2020. The diverse range of Nokian Tires winter models for cars and SUVs also includes Nokian Snowproof, Nokian WR D4 and Nokian WR SUV 4. An extensive range of modern cars covers almost 200 cars. the size.

Nokian Snowproof P was developed by Nokian Tires, the world's northernmost tire manufacturer and inventor of winter tires. The company has hundreds of patents for winter safety and is one of the world leaders in the field of safety and sustainable development.

Alpine Performance - Precise driving experience and improved winter traction

Unexpected changes in winter weather have recently become commonplace throughout Europe. Extremes are becoming more common; from mild, almost absent winter to heavy snow and ice. Road conditions can become insidious overnight when water and rain freeze, making the highway slippery and dangerous.

Although the weather can be unpredictable, your tires cannot afford it. The new Alpine Performance concept used in the Nokian Snowproof P delivers an exceptional combination of reliable grip in winter, and provides a predictable and balanced driving experience. The concept consists of an optimized tread pattern combined with a specially developed thick notch and the new Alpine Performance rubber compound.

The biggest change compared to the previous Nokian WR A4 model can be found in the tread pattern. The transition from an asymmetric to a directional and symmetrical tread pattern provides predictable and controlled behavior in any conditions and increases the overall safety of the tire.

A new tread pattern with adjusted lateral and longitudinal grooves allows the tire to maximize the contact area between it and the road, improving traction and much-needed cornering accuracy. An optimized contact area ensures uniform wear until a new matrix to support the tread block provides logical and predictable control. The tire provides a stable feel on the road and a quick turn, both at high speeds and in harsh winter conditions.

 “Changing lanes on a crowded highway or entering a congested road from an icy intersection can be a challenge. In line with our product development philosophy, the new Nokian Snowproof P ensures maximum safety in all driving conditions and remains manageable and reliable within the limits of possible grip. Our new Alpine Performance Concept is specifically designed to deliver a balanced feel on dry highways, crowded city streets and snowy mountain roads. It provides much-needed traction and control in sportier driving and in varying and often choppy winter conditions,” explains Rantonen.

Safety in the rain

Nokian Snowproof P covers all variations of winter conditions, providing reliable performance on wet, rainy and snowy roads. One of the main challenges when dealing with the road is rain, especially when it appears between the lanes of a busy highway. Designed to prevent dangerous aquaplaning in the rain, the new tread features a narrow notch and connected grooves that effectively remove water and rain between the tire and the road. The polished grooves also speed up the removal of water, providing added safety and helping riders move in the rain while giving the tire a beautiful and stylish look.

To further improve tire performance when wet, the new Alpine Performance rubber compound is designed to withstand a wide temperature range. Despite the fact that Nokian Snowproof P is an integral part in harsh and cold winter days, the model works fine in milder weather. The new rubber compound increases grip on wet roads without compromising other winter tire properties. Thanks to the easy tread and modern rubber compound, the sporty Nokian Snowproof P has low rolling resistance and excellent wear characteristics in various conditions.

Universal “Snow Nails” between the tread blocks located in the shoulder of the tire provide balanced grip on ice and snow, especially when braking and accelerating. "Amplifiers" of brakes and acceleration on the tread blocks help to improve the longitudinal traction.

Various emergency safety tests

The improved grip properties of snow and wet snow at Nokian Snowproof are the result of more than four years of development. Studies show that rain is one of the most dangerous and frightening elements when driving in winter. The combination of melting snow, water cushion and road surface, as well as potential ice is dangerous even for experienced drivers. A unique method of testing aquaplaning in wet snow, available on a test track in Nokia, Finland, allows for a long time to develop the characteristics of wet snow.

The tread pattern, construction and rubber compounds are state-of-the-art Finnish expertise, requiring thousands of hours of computer simulations, lab comparisons and real-life testing under various conditions. The development includes testing in the arctic conditions of Lapland, at the "White Hell" test center of Nokian Tires in Ivalo, Finland. In addition to the ice and snow area, the wet and dry performance of the new product has been carefully tuned on several European test tracks in Germany, Austria and Spain.

Nokian Tires also had the pleasure of continuing to work with Mika Hakkinen, the world champion in Formula 1.

 “His tire expertise was first applied to the Nokian Powerproof passenger car model, then he continued to work with our own Nokian Powerproof SUV test teams, and now he has helped develop our new Nokian Snowproof P. tire,” explains Marko Rantonen. ,

Hakinen believes that the Nokian Snowproof P is the perfect combination of first-class performance and driving pleasure. Above all, he values ​​the safety and ease of daily driving.

 “The tire performs reliably at high and low speeds on slippery roads. You can enjoy precise and simple operation even under extreme conditions. No matter what winter offers, Nokian Snowproof P gives you the confidence to drive, which in turn ensures safe and trouble-free driving,” says Hakinen.

Nokian Snowproof P - Quiet driving on winter roads

• Steady performance with first-class winter traction
• Reliable and accurate control at high speed
• Low rolling resistance, which saves fuel and protects the environment

Main innovations:

Alpine Performance Concept. Excellent winter traction and reliable handling. An optimized tread pattern allows the tire to provide the maximum possible contact area between the tire and the road, improving traction in the winter, logical handling and cornering accuracy. Specially designed recess provides excellent lateral and longitudinal grip, providing safe and controlled movement. Alpine Performance rubber compound copes with cold winter conditions, providing excellent performance even in mild weather over a wide temperature range. The new tread compound enhances wet grip without compromising other winter tire properties. Low rolling resistance provides easy movement, saves fuel and protects the environment.

Snow Claws: balanced grip on ice and snow. The snow nail adheres effectively when driving in soft snow, providing first-class grip when braking during acceleration.

Brake and acceleration booster: specially designed to improve traction with snow. The sharp toothed pattern of the amplifiers improves the longitudinal grip needed for braking and acceleration.

Individual channels for resistance to aquaplaning and aquaplaning in wet snow. Separate channels accelerate the removal of slurry and water, store water efficiently and quickly divert it from the tire and the road surface. Polished grooves also accelerate water drainage, providing added safety and helping drivers move in the rain.

The matrix for maintaining the tread block provides stable and logical control. The tire remains stable and easy to drive both at high speeds and in harsh winter conditions.