AM MAGAZINE SHELL - Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine

NEWSHANKOOK ROLLS ONAlready the world’s seventh largest tyre manufacturer,Hankook Tyre shows no sign of letting up.As Forbes Asia recently reported,Hankook Tyre is the world’s fastest-growingtyre manufacturer, challenging thetraditional powerhouses by focusing ontechnology and design.Australia features prominently inHankook Tyre’s growth, and this year thecompany is introducing a host of newproducts to suit all Australian drivers - fromweekend off-road warriors to theperformance focused and environmentallyconscious.At the heart of these products is HankookTyre’s innovative design philosophy, KontrolTechnology, with the ‘k’ standing for‘kinetic’.Kontrol Technology delivers a range ofdriving benefits including performance,comfort, safety and minimal environmentalimpact.The philosophy focuses on perfecting thebalance between the driver, car and the roadwhile in motion.Hankook Tyre invests five percentof revenue into research anddevelopment annually.This commitment toexcellence is displayedby the exceptionaltechnology and designevident in Hankookproducts such as theVentus v12 evo, thenew Hankook ultrahighperformance tyre.The Ventus v12 evouses a High TG Polymerand Specific Resincompound, which providessuperior wet traction and braking.It also features a solid centre rib blockthat enhances braking performance, ensuresoptimal ground contact pressure andprovides intuitive control response forexcellent handling.A high-density nylon reinforcement beltensures an even distribution of groundcontact pressure while cornering.Other features enhancing the Ventus v12evo pattern design include a sophisticated3D effect on the block edge, linear groovesand an aggressive Y-shape pattern design,which effectively channels water away fromthe tyre, increasing safety and stability inwet conditions.Hankook Tyre Design Team SeniorManager, HoHyung Oh, said a strategicdesign approach is crucial for the initialconcept to become a competitive product.“Originality, trends and design identityare top priority during the design process.Hankook Tyre strives to create new andoriginal styles which accommodate userneeds to the fullest possible extent,” Mr Ohsaid.Consumers can also be confidentthat they are contributing tominimising environmentaldamage by making aresponsible tyre choice.“Hankook Tyre places particularemphasis on the concept phase, where freshinnovative ideas are analysed anddeveloped.”Mr Oh said launching a new productwithout a differentiated conceptis meaningless.“Our design processallows us to develop highperformance productsthat push boundariesand help Hankook Tyrebecome a leadingglobaltyremanufacturer,” he said.“This emphasis ontechnology and designallows Hankook Tyre to offerpremium-quality tyres atcompetitive pricing.”Forbes Asia recently reported thatHankook Tyre President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer, Suh Seung-Hwa, believes the highquality of Hankook tyres deserves apremium price.That Forbes Asia company profilereported Hankook’s investments in researchand development, at its research centres inSouth Korea, China, Japan, Germany andthe U.S. have paid off.Hankook has won high scores in recentGerman auto magazine consumer tests.Aside from the Ventus v12 evo, two morenew Hankook tyres which utilise innovativeKontrol Technology and Hankook’s uniquesilica compound will be unveiled in comingmonths.A new Hankook all-terrain tyre, theDynapro ATm is designed to handle bothextreme off-road conditions as well as onroaddriving, and can change the way a 4WDperforms.A new environmentally friendly tyre, alsodeveloped using Kontrol Technology, isplanned for an upcoming release inAustralia.The 'enfren' combines a number oftechnologies including a special silicacompound technology, structural designefficiencies and production technologies toenhance rolling resistance performance,reduce energy consumption and CO2emissions.According to official Korea AutomotiveTechnology Institute testing, enfrenimproves fuel economy by two percent andreduces CO2 emissions by 4.1 g/km.Hankook Tyre Australia AssociateMarketing Manager, José Angeles, said thetyre is revolutionary.“The enfren has the potential to saveAustralian consumers a significant amountof money by decreasing wear and fuelcosts,” he said.“Consumers can also be confident thatthey are contributing to minimisingenvironmental damage by making aresponsible tyre choice.”Hankook Tyre is planning on releasingenfren in Australia later this year.“Hankook Tyre is proud to continue tomake waves in the industry by consistentlyproducing more affordable, class leading,quality tyres that are an increasinglyrelevant choice for Australian consumers,”Mr Angeles said.For further information contact MarketingManager, Jose Angeles on 02 9929 0928AU T O M O T I V E A F T E R M A R K E T M AG A Z I N E AU G U ST 2 0 0 8 17