Nokian Z SUV – coolly superior power tyre

Nokian Tyres’ product development has fashioned its newest SUV summer tyre for power, sturdiness and comfort. Large and powerful urban SUVs demand tough durability and faultless performance from tyres. Drivers want the same. According to the driver survey commissioned by Nokian Tyres in the spring of 2008, the three foremost properties of an SUV’s summer tyres are grip in the wet, durability and driving comfort.

The new Nokian Z SUV, tailored for the demanding conditions, responds to the motorist’s wishes: it rolls quickly, handles easily and precisely and is light, but still strong. The new tyre is big and impressive, but elegant and fast, this specialised product has low noise levels and enjoys extreme conditions.

Roads in poor condition with holes and an uneven surface, with suddenly changing conditions and wet are home territory for the summer tyres developed by Nokian. That is why their plus points come into their own effortlessly in excellent conditions and on smooth asphalt.

The new tyre was designed for high speed categories for European motorists who demand safety and quality. The broad size range covers V- (210 km/h), W- (270 km/h) and Y-(300 km/h) speed categories with alternatives from 17 inches to 22 inches. Retail sales of the product will start in the spring of 2009.

Nokian Z SUV - efficient, safe and precise
The choice of the surface design and solutions adopted for the Nokian Z SUV were not just a question of impressive appearance. The surface design with all its details has a significant effect on creating the desired features for this tyre: its drivability, low rolling resistance, shock absorbing capacity and low noise.

The surface design makes it safe and improves the road response. The reinforced central area of the tyre, the stiff, fixed outer shoulder as well as the technically proven inside-outside-pattern ensures excellent driving characteristics. The ribs in the central area are intended for the high speed tyres: they improve the safety of the tyre and the precise contact with the road.

The appearance of the Nokian Z SUV shows it clearly belongs to the Nokian summer tyre family: it is a stylish looking asymmetrical tyre with the shape of the inside and outside edges differing from one another.

The bead region of the new tyre, designed for fast driving and the most demanding SUV categories, has been completely renewed. The circumferential stiffening belt, jointless and strong cable as well as blocks that support the bead region increase the sensitivity and accuracy of driving pleasure. The bead region, which has been carefully tailored especially for SUV use, also protects the rim. The advantages of this thoroughly thought through construction are fast response to steering and low heat generation; the tyre remains cool and performs faultlessly in response to the driver’s commands.

The jointless nylon belt strengthens the structure of the tyre and guarantees vibration free driving at all speeds. The quiet surface geometry improves driving comfort, which reduces the effects of unevenness, holes and the rough road surface.

The new surface curvature radius guarantees excellent handling

The Nokian Z SUV’s new flat surface geometry improves drive stability particularly when cornering, changing lanes and swerving. The Nokian Z SUV handles logically and naturally even in extreme situations. The new surface geometry also reduces harmful heat generation at high driving speeds.

The inside shoulder of the tyre is shaped to ease expulsion of water and reduce the danger of aquaplaning. The polished longitudinal grooves remove water faster from between the road and the tyre. The polished grooves add the finishing touch to the stylish appearance of the tyre.

Cool Zone Concept: natural canola oil combines with tough technology

The performance of the Nokian Z SUV, designed for demanding conditions, has been lifted to the top of its class by applying the latest technology in development and production.

The most important innovations i.e. the multi-layered surface structure, canola (rape-seed) oil-silica compound and the new surface geometry make the Nokian Z SUV unique.

The lowest layer of the multi-layered surface structure is a thin layer of rubber compound which reduces heat generation and rolling resistance. The flexible compound in the intermediate layer reacts more quickly to steering movements than traditional rubber compounds. Road contact is more sensitive and precise. Excellent driving stability is positively emphasised on rutted roads.

Rough road surfaces place a lot of demands on the compound used on the wear surface. In addition, the compound has to function at different temperatures which may vary from the cold of close to zero to the heat of summer.

Canola (rape-seed oil), a renewable, natural product, 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.

Durable performance and more effective power

The successful marriage of summer silica and canola (rape-seed) oil considerably reduces the rolling resistance of the tyre which means lower fuel consumption, reduced emissions and improved effective power from the engine.

The Nokian Z SUV tyre has a particularly strong and cut resistant side wall compound as do all other Nokian urban SUV and 4x4 tyres.

The Nokian Z SUV tyre was developed and tested over several years on the rugged, rough surfaced roads of the north and on fast European tracks. Wear resistance was developed though thorough laboratory testing and tough durability driving tests on harsh asphalt surfaces.

More safety and trouble free ease of use

The Driving Safety Indicator (DSI) shows the driver the depth of the main grooves. Safe driving in wet conditions on the rutted and frost hardened roads of the north means tyres have to be in good condition.

The info-field on the side wall can be used to record recommended pressures. The correct tyre pressure improves steering and reduces damage to tyres. Correct pressures are reflected directly in fuel consumption. At best, there can be a saving of as much as half a litre per hundred kilometres driven.

The Nokian Z SUV contains no damaging high-aromatic oils at all. The new product is manufactured in Nokian Tyres’ factories in Finland and Russia using purified oils with as little environmental load as possible.

Five strengths from which you can recognise a Nokian Z SUV

Driving safety - sporty driving combined with ease of handling and confidence, with no surprises.
Grip in the wet - at home in cool conditions, considers the needs of large and powerful cars, fulfils the driver’s wishes, important safety factor.
Durable performance - tyre’s structural durability: sturdiness and toughness demanded by SUVs, withstands punctures and cuts (thanks to the rape-seed oil silica compound), low heat generation and rolling resistance i.e. excellent effective power from the engine.
Driving comfort -quiet, no worries about vibration or unevenness, pleasant road response; the journey passes pleasantly, surely and without problems.
Environmental friendliness - rolls easily, saves fuel; made from canola (rape-seed) oil and purified oils.

Nokian Z SUV, size range, spring 2009
Nokian Z SUV 235/65 R 17 108 V XL
Nokian Z SUV 235/60 R 18 107 W XL
Nokian Z SUV 255/60 R 18 112 W XL
Nokian Z SUV 235/55 R 18 104 W XL
Nokian Z SUV 255/55 R 18 109 W XL
Nokian Z SUV 255/55 R 19 111 W XL
Nokian Z SUV 255/50 R 19 107 W XL
Nokian Z SUV 235/45 R 19 99 Y XL
Nokian Z SUV 275/45 R 19 108 Y XL
Nokian Z SUV 285/45 R 19 111 Y XL
Nokian Z SUV 265/50 R 20 111 W XL
Nokian Z SUV 275/45 R 20 110 Y XL
Nokian Z SUV 275/40 R 20 106 Y XL
Nokian Z SUV 295/30 R 22 103 Y XL

For further information: Nokian Tyres plc

Nokian Z SUV product presentation

Teppo Huovila
Product Development Manager
Tel. +358 10 401 7701
[email protected]

Petri Niemi
Product Manager
Tel. +35 10 401 7646
petrij.niemi(at)nokiantyres.com

www.nokiantyres.com/nokianzsuv

www.nokiantyres.com