Hankook Tire wins another original equipment order covering both summer and winter tires for the current BMW X3.
BMW X3 can be delivered with the Ventus S1 evo² SUV in size 225/60 R18 104 W XL or Hankook Tire’s winter i*cept evo² SUV in 225/60 R18 104 H XL for a dynamic sporty appearance, or with the all-season tire Kinergy GT.
The BMW Group required Hankook Tire’s engineers to develop a tire that offers a high performance without compromising comfort, thus not only doing justice to the brand’s sporty reputation but also matching the comfortable yet agile character of the BMW X3.
© Hankook Tire
© Hankook Tire
“The fact that our summer and winter tires are now being used as original equipment not only for the BMW 7 Series but also for the BMW X3 is a testament to the engineering performance of our tire developers and proof of the high quality of our products,” said Hyun Bum Cho, President & CEO of Hankook Tire. “Hankook Tire’s investment in its own winter testing ground “Technotrac” in Ivalo, Finland, which provides us with a very good basis for the development of winter tires for original fitment as well, is certainly paying off on the European market, which is a very important market for us.”
To meet these requirements, the Ventus S1 evo² SUV with the star marking for the BMW X3 has been fitted with a specially adapted bead filler. This has been specifically designed for more sporty vehicles and offers the necessary rigidity to guarantee high steering precision that does justice to the vehicle’s driving dynamics and still gently cushions the increased weight of an SUV. To be able to cope with high temperatures the Ventus S1 evo² SUV is exposed to driving at approved speeds of up to 270km/h and the reinforced layers are made of a specially developed heat-resistant hybrid textile. The high rigidity of the lower sidewall also achieves particularly good handling characteristics.
Like the summer tires, the winter i*cept evo² SUV with the star marking has been designed to provide optimum support for the driving dynamics of the BMW X3 even in wintry weather conditions. Development work focussed particularly on good track performance as well as on low rolling resistance. By minimizing block movement and wear, 3D sipes applied to the entire tread area ensure additional driving stability as well as improving the general handling properties with the aid of maximized edge effects. A highly dispersible nano-silica compound is used, which prevents hardening of the tire at low temperatures and thus ensures better grip on wintry and wet roads through greater elasticity of the tire contact area, as shown by the short braking distances. The rolling noise is pleasantly quiet for a winter tire, thus increasing driving comfort and reducing noise pollution for the environment.
