Nokian Tyres plc introduced a new studded winter tire, the Hakkapeliitta 7, to North American-based tire dealers at a ride-and-drive event in Ivalo, Finland, last week.
The Hakkapeliitta 7 is available to select Nokian dealers, says Jari Lepisto, president of Nokian Tyres U.S. Holdings Inc. It will be available to all of the company's dealers in 49 sizes, including several run-flat sizes, next year, he adds.
The tire's features, among others, include:
* Nokian's proprietary Bear Claw Stud System, which incorporates air chambers in front of each stud that absorb the stud's impact to reduce road damage and noise levels. (A size 205/55R16 Hakkapeliitta 7 boasts 124 studs and 368 air chambers, according to Nokian officials.)
* The company's Driving Safety Indicator system, a series of numbers on the tire's tread that let vehicle owners know when the tread has worn down to unsafe levels.
* Special silica compound. (The Hakkapeliitta 7 is Nokian's first studded winter tire to use a full silica compound.)
The tire's predecessor, the Hakkapeliitta 5, is still being sold, according to Nokian officials.
A version of the Hakkapeliitta 7 designed specifically for SUVS and crossover vehicles also was unveiled during the event, which was held at Nokian's testing facility some 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle.
The Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV boasts a stronger casing than its passenger tire counterpart to help carry heavier loads.
