Nokian Tyres releases new winter range on 80th anniversary

ERJ staff report (TP)

Nokia, Finland − Nokian Tyres introduced three new products in its Hakkapeliitta winter tire range as it celebrates the 80th anniversary of its first winter tire.

Nokian Tyres developed and manufactured the world's first winter tire to combat the "northern winter frost" in 1934. Kelirengas (“Weather Tire”) was designed for trucks. Two years later, the engineers at the tire factory came up with a new solution for drivers of early passenger cars: the Snow-Hakkapeliitta, a “true innovation” that increased safety on slippery winter roads.

The studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV, tailor-made for the ever-growing sports utility vehicle segment, and the Nokian Hakkapeliitta C3 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta CR3, developed for use on vans and delivery vehicles, continue the advance of the latest generation of Hakkapeliittas.

Kim Gran, President and CEO for Nokian Tyres, said: “We are extremely happy about the enthusiasm that consumers have shown our new generation of Hakkapeliittas, which offers winter safety like never before.

“Our success in magazine tests was also astounding. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 passenger car tire has won all but one of the magazine tests in the Nordic countries and Russia. The new products being introduced now utilise the same state of the art technology. These new winter products are the most modern in their fields, and their entire ranges will be available to new user groups during the autumn season of 2014.”

The firm is introducing the new products to its most important interest groups at its own testing centre in Ivalo (northern Finland) in the coming weeks. In addition to the launch in Ivalo, the Nordic countries and Russia will have their own promotional tours. All of the Hakkapeliitta products are aimed at the company’s core markets in the Nordic countries and Russia. The tires will start shipping to retailers in early 2014.

The exact product information for the new products will be published in early February.

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Press release from Nokian Tyres