Audi Selects Hankook Tire as Original Equipment for 2021 Audi RS Q8

- Hankook Tire to equip the new Audi RS Q8 with its premium UHP winter and summer tires

- Hankook's Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV or i*cept evo 2 SUV to be fitted

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Jan 19, 2021, 11:02 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global leading tire company Hankook Tire is equipping the new Audi RS Q8 with its tires as original equipment. The German car manufacturer's Q-series is characterized by progressive design and pioneering technology. The Audi Sport vehicle demonstrates the sporting potential of this series with power rating of 591 horsepower / 590ft-lbs torque, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. The performance of the Audi RS Q8 with its quattro all-wheel drive and RS-specific elements is immediately evident. This athleticism is enhanced by Hankook's original equipment tires the Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV in 295/40 ZR22 112Y XL AO. To ensure safe driving in the cold season, Audi customers can order the winter tires, i*cept evo 2 in the size 275/40 R22 107V XL AO (suitable for snow chains) or optionally the 295/35 R23 108W XL AO.

Hankook Tire is supplying the new Audi RS Q8 with its premium UHP winter and summer tires.

"Hankook has already built up a long tradition of original equipment at Audi. The RS models in particular have long been supplied with Hankook tires," says Hyunjun Cho, Head of Hankook OE Division. "Of course, it's always a great honor for our development engineers when Hankook summer and winter tires are also used on top models."

"The tire design for a very sporty – and at the same time majestic – vehicle like the Audi RS Q8 is particularly demanding. As with the other large models in the Q series, higher load capacities generally apply, which must be guaranteed at high speeds," explains Moonhwa Hong, Vice President of Hankook OE Development Department. "That is why the resilience of the tire construction was of particular importance. We have also paid special attention to the performance characteristics of our tires in both wet and dry conditions."

The Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV has significantly increased sidewall strength compared to standard products thanks to "bead packing," the use of a special nylon material in the sidewall area. The two-layer carcass and the use of an aramid composite material reduce the unwanted expansion of the rolling circumference at high speeds by up to 60 percent compared to previous profiles. The tires therefore have very high driving stability and steering precision, as well as increased durability due to lower overall heat development. The sporty and dynamic performance on both dry and wet roads is further enhanced by a new tread compound using high-performance natural resins. As a result, the Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV achieves a consistently high level of performance across a wide range of temperatures and conditions.

The multi-award-winning Hankook Winter i*cept evo 2 with an asymmetrical tread design is the optional winter tire for the Audi RS Q8. The outer side of the tread with its wide block tread pattern provides improved handling characteristics and precise lateral guidance, especially in dry conditions, while the inner side of the tread with its increased number of tread block edges and sipes ensures excellent braking and traction performance on snow, slush and wet roads.

About Hankook Tire America Corp.
Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing and marketing to deliver high-quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Hankook America markets and distributes a complete line of high-performance and ultra-high-performance passenger tires, light truck and SUV tires as well as medium truck and bus tires in the United States. Hankook Tire America is a subsidiary of Hankook & Company Co., Ltd., a Forbes Global 2000 company headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

SOURCE Hankook Tire America Corp.