Hankook Tire is continuing its significant inroads into the premium segment of German automobile manufacturers and is now supplying Ultra High Performance (UHP) tires as original equipment for the new Porsche Macan. This is the first time a model from the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer is being factory fitted with Hankook Tire's UHP tires. The pattern being used is the Ventus S1 evo2 SUV, which was introduced in 2014, providing a tread designed especially for this vehicle category with particularly sporty and dynamic genes. Ventus S1 evo² SUV will be fitted in either 18 or 19 inch diameter in mixed tire sizes: 235/60R18 (front) and 255/55R18 (rear) or 235/55R19 (front) and 255/50R19 (rear). “Our flagship tire is also outfitted with innovative technologies and sophisticated designer features for high performance SUV's and we are excited that Porsche, another German premium automobile manufacturer, shows their confidence in our products as original equipment”, said Seung Hwa Suh, Vice Chairman and CEO of Hankook Tire. “Like its little brother from the car segment, the Ventus S1 evo2 SUV provides a sporty and direct driving experience combined with safety and comfort, making it another exceptional example of Kontrol Technology, our philosophy of incorporating technology, top performance, and safety in all of our products.” The concept behind the SUV model derived from Hankook Tire's UHP-flagship, the Ventus S1 evo2, is again aimed at drivers of high-performance, dynamic vehicles; driver's that demand sports-like performance from their tires across all parameters without compromising on features like driving comfort or low rolling noise. “With the new Ventus S1 evo2 SUV we have developed an UHP tire that optimally supports the character of sporty and dynamic vehicles like the new Porsche Macan,” said Sang-ju Lee, Chief Technology Officer of Hankook Tire. The particularly sophisticated technology of the Ventus S1 evo2 SUV with its multiple tread radius and double-layer rayon carcass provides a maximum tread contact area under all conditions. The tire impresses not only with outstanding hydroplaning behavior but also with optimum road contact for perfect balance in both wet and dry conditions. Driving control and safety at high speeds are also significantly improved. The innovative DTM inspired 3-layer block design with its special staircase arrangement of the outer rib blocks, provides an improved tire contact area as tire wear progresses thereby guaranteeing more effective traction performance throughout the entire life cycle of the tire. The Ventus S1 evo2 SUV is equipped with a highly developed newest generation silica compound with an optimized cross-linking system that improves wet traction, wear characteristics and thermal ageing resistance. The high-grip stirene-polymer formula enables additionally improved wet properties. A refined cooling system, with surface enlarging fins anchored to the base of the tread grooves and micro-turbulence generating dimples arranged on the outer edges of the shoulder block enable faster heat dissipation for more stable handling characteristics and longer tire durability. In order to make the driving experience even more comfortable the Hankook Tire's UHP flagship tire is equipped with an aerodynamically shaped sidewall that further reduces tire noise and highlights the tire's sporty look. The Ventus S1 evo2 SUV line-up is manufactured primarily in the company's European state-of-the-art factory in Hungary. Its line-up consists of currently 37 sizes between 17 and 22 inch diameter with tread width reaching from 225 to 315 mm in nominal aspect ratios 65 to 30, mainly in extra-load version (XL) and speed indices W/Y. — SG
