HANKOOK Tire, the leading and one of the fastest growing tire companies in the world, has announced that the company has been chosen by Daimler AG as the original equipment supplier for the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. As of market launch, the new luxury sedan will initially be fitted with Hankook Tire Ventus Prime² tires ex works. “The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is recognized as one of the finest luxury cars in the world,” said Seung Hwa Suh, Vice Chairman and CEO of Hankook Tire. “We are delighted that with the Hankook Tire Ventus Prime² we have developed a tire for Daimler AG that meets all aspects of our customer's exacting requirements for their new Mercedes-Benz S-Class.” As well as meeting the demands for outstanding braking performance and excellent handling – important safety aspects for all for Mercedes-Benz cars – the engineering specifications for the Ventus Prime² focused on optimizing comfort, minimizing rolling noise and significantly reducing rolling resistance. During the extensive testing phase, Hankook Tire's ultra-high performance tire was particularly notable for its comfortable driving characteristics. Marwan Bin-Shihon, Vice President of Bin-Shihon Group Co. Ltd., exclusive distributor of Hankook Tire in Saudi Arabia, said “Bin-Shihon Group is committed to satisfy and to provide most superior products to its valued customers. This accomplishment is just another step in that direction and shall further strength of our market leadership in Saudi Arabia.”
Hankook Tire's Multi-Tread-Radius technology, applied to the Ventus Prime²'s tire contour and tailored to meet the precise requirements of Mercedes-Benz, stands out as one of the key factors for this successful development work. In combination with a particularly compact belt package design, utilizing ultra-high-tensile steel cord, an optimized tire footprint is ensured at all times, regardless of vehicle loading condition. A new nano-silica tread compound, with a specially adapted base rubber blend, has significantly reduced the tire's rolling resistance while maintaining a consistently high level of wet grip performance. Additionally, the bionic tread pattern design leads to excellent resistance to hydroplaning without negatively impacting on rolling noise. The tires for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class are currently being produced at Hankook Tire's main factory for Ultra-High-Performance tires in Geumsan, South Korea. – SG
