SEOUL, South Korea—Ford Motor Co. has selected Hankook Tire Co. Ltd.'s Dynapro HT all-season radial as a standard original equipment fitment on the 2015 Lincoln Navigator, primarily for North American models, according to Hankook.
This fitment, in size 275/55R20T AS, is Hankook's third with Ford's luxury brand. The others are for the MKT and MKZ.
Byung Il Woo, vice president, global OE at Hankook Tire, said the 2015 Navigator is “one of the most anticipated vehicles in the full-sized luxury SUV segment” and called Lincoln a preferred brand choice in the premium segment.
“Hankook Tire's OE business is expanding especially with premium auto brands, and this is a clear indicator of growing recognition of our leading, advanced tire technology and increasing brand value in the global automotive market,” Woo said.
Hankook says the Dynapro HT offers “distinctive features ideal for SUVs that enable an impressive driving experience.” Among these is an optimized tread compound for longer tread life with improved snow traction and all-season performance.
The HT's high stiffness center block offers enhanced steering response, Hankook said, while the tire's enlarged tread footprint provides improved grip with reduced noise generation.
The 2015 Navigator is rolling out this fall, with prices starting at $62,475, including destination and delivery fees, Ford said earlier this year.
The new model features Lincoln's latest design theme, a signature split-wing grille.
Under the hood, Lincoln has dropped the 5.4-liter V-8 engine in favor of a version of Ford's 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, which has become popular on the F-150 pickup.