Hankook’s UHP summer and winter tyres on Audi RS Q8 as original equipment
Hankook is to equip the Audi RS Q8 with its premium tyres ex works. As with the Audi Q8 and Audi SQ8 models, the 600 hp Audi Sport vehicle will come off the production line fitted with Hankook’s ultra-high performance Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV summer tyres in 22-inch, or optionally the i*cept evo 2 SUV winter tyres in 22 or 23-inches.
Premium tyre maker Hankook is equipping the new Audi RS Q8 with its tyres as original equipment. The German car manufacturer’s Q-series is characterised by progressive design and pioneering technology. The Audi Sport vehicle demonstrates the sporting potential of this series with its 441 kW, acceleration from 0 to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds and torque of 800 Newton metres. 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 tyres 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 tyres, 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 has already built up a long tradition of original equipment at Audi. The RS models in particular have long been supplied with Hankook tyres,” says Sanghoon Lee, President of Hankook Tire Europe. “Of course, it’s always a great honour for our development engineers when Hankook summer and winter tyres are also used on top models.”
“The tyre 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 Klaus Krause, head of Hankook’s European research and development centre. “That is why the resilience of the tyre construction was of particular importance. We have also paid special attention to the performance characteristics of our tyres 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 tyres 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 tyre 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.
