NOKIAN TYRES

GT RADIAL

Nokian exhibits winter and summer tires

Abe Shokai, which handles a variety of imported automotive parts, exhibited two tire brand lineups it handles at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2025.

First up is Finland’s Nokian in 2017. In Japan, it is known as the Hakkapeliitta brand of premium winter tires, including studless tires, but this time they also exhibited summer tires Hakka Black, Hakka Blue, and Hakka Green.

The latest winter tire, the Hakkapeliitta R5, is available in a diverse lineup for EVs, SUVs, and other vehicles, with different compounds tailored to each vehicle’s characteristics. For SUVs, which tend to be heavy models, the company uses a compound that can withstand more weight and has excellent abrasion resistance, while for electric vehicles such as BEVs, which are quieter and have better acceleration performance, the company uses materials that take advantage of these advantages. Although the company is a small tire manufacturer, this allows it to develop products with meticulous attention to detail.

Sports images such as drifting

Exhibited next to Nokian Tires was the Indonesian-made comfort premium tire “GT Radial.” After Michelin took an equity stake in 1951, the tire was licensed for production in Thailand by the company, and is now increasingly being adopted as original equipment by Japanese manufacturers in the ASEAN region.

Due to trademark registration issues, the car will be sold under the “Giti” brand in the Chinese market, but it is being developed worldwide as a global brand. As can be seen in the image photo, it also has a sporty image, such as drifting, and the company plans to gradually introduce it to the Japanese market in the future.

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