Hankook secures OE fitments with BMW, Mercedes

NEU-ISENBURG, Germany—Hankook Tire & Technology Co. Ltd. has solidified its high-performance OE bona fides with new fitments on sports/luxury models from BMW A.G. and Mercedes-Benz A.G.

Hankook's new OE fitment with BMW is on the German car maker's i4 Gran Coupé, an electric-driven four-door performance sedan, while its new OE business with Mercedes-Benz is for the car maker's S-Class luxury sedan range.

For the BMW i4, Hankook is supplying its Ventus S1 evo 3 ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires in both 18- and 19-inch rim diameters, including an optional 19-inch run-flat version.

The Ventus S1 evo 3 combines a reinforced sidewall with a high-strength bead core, Hankook said, resulting in sporty, dynamic driving performance and precision steering.

The tire's ultra-light rayon carcass and aramid composite belt material help reduce unwanted expansion in the rolling circumference, even at very high speeds, Hankook said, which in turn affects driving stability and precision steering.

The tread compound uses high-performance natural resins to help deliver necessary grip and "excellent" traction and braking, Hankook said.

"It is particularly complex to calibrate a tire for an electric vehicle like the BMW i4," Hankook Tire Europe President Sanghoon Lee said.

"We significantly expanded our research in this area a few years ago and this effort is now paying off. By supplying the product for the BMW i4, we are strengthening our presence in the electric sports car sector, which I'm delighted about."

Mercedes-Benz has approved a number of run-flat versions of its Ventus S1 high-performance line for the S-Class in Europe and North America.

In Europe, M-B will fit the S-Class with the Ventus S1 evo 3 summer tire in a range of sizes from 255/50 R18 to 285/40 R19 for the S-Class, as well as the Hankook Winter i*cept evo 2 in sizes 255/50 R18 and 255/45 R19 as winter tires for the car maker's top model.

In North America, Mercedes is opting for the Ventus S1 noble 2 all-weather version in size 255/45R19 as a standard fitment, while also offering an optional 255/40R20 fitment that includes Hankook's Sound Absorber technology for reduced noise generation. This tire, which uses a polyurethane foam insert to absorb noise, carries M-B's "MOE-S" sidewall label (Mercedes Original Extended Silent).

Run-flat tires approved for use on Mercedes vehicles carry the car maker's "MOE" ( Mercedes Original Extended) label to designate run-flat capable.

Hankook said its engineers were able to improve the driving behavior of both tire types "significantly" for Mercedes by using an aramid hybrid reinforcement belt.

Hankook's Lee said the tire maker views these new fitments as "confirmation that our products meet the highest requirements across different markets."