The Formula Renault Eurocup, which runs on Hankook tyres, has begun its 50th season in Monza. Featuring prestigious racing tracks throughout the world, all vehicles of the series will be fitted with Hankook’s high-performing racing tyres, Ventus F200 and Ventus Z217. Ventus F200 is a dry racing tyre with excellent grip, handling performance, and durability, while Ventus Z217 is a highly stable wet surface racing tyre.
The new Porsche Taycan, the manufacturer’s first all-electric sports car, will roll of production lines on specially developed Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 ev electric vehicle tyres. Supplied in size 225/55R19 XL 103Y on the front axle and 275/45R19 XL 108Y on the rear axle the tyre will be marked “NF0” on the sidewall. Hankook says the Ventus S1 evo 3 ev includes technical refinements designed to optimise the performance of electric sports cars. The new deal extends Hankook’s relationship with Porsche, and the tyre manufacturer’s increasing interest in electric vehicles. The Korean tyre manufacturer most recently announced it is supplying the Porsche Cayenne with the SUV version of the Ventus S1 evo 3. It is also tyre partner to Kyburz’s eRod roadster. Hankook was also recently unveiled as the new tyre supplier for premier electric motorsport series Formula E.
Tyrepress has published its 2020 ranking of the world’s top tyre manufacturers. Our ranking lists the top 20 tyre makers ordered by turnover from tyres in the previous calendar year. For example, Continental turned over nearly 45 billion euros in 2019, but 26.4 per cent of this was from its tyre divisions, making it the fourth largest tyre manufacturer in the world with 11.7 billion euros. The ranking presents a baseline for discussing the relative positions of the largest global players in tyre production. In 2019, we noted that Bridgestone had opened up a gap at the top of our ranking, around 2.65 billion euros ahead of second-placed Michelin in tyre turnover. This year, the French giant has reduced this gap to just over half a billion euros, reflecting its most recent acquisitions.
Hankook will supply tyres to Formula E as the series’ third generation tyre partner. The FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) confirmed Hankook after a tender process and FIA World Motor Sport Council approval. The world championship, which stages races in metropolitan areas around the globe, will run on “sustainably produced, particularly long-lasting and energy-saving Hankook tyres,” the manufacturer says. Tyres for Formula E have previously been supplied by Michelin, which was the series’ inaugural tyre partner.
Chairman Cho Yang-rai has sold his 23.59 per cent stake in Hankook Technology Group Co Ltd to his son Cho Hyun-bum. The sale makes the chief executive the largest shareholder of the parent company of South Korea’s largest tyre manufacturer, with around 42.9 per cent.
Hankook Tire has been named a GM Supplier of the Year at a virtual ceremony honoring for General Motors’ 28th annual Supplier of the Year awards. GM recognised 116 of its best suppliers from 15 countries. It said these suppliers have “consistently exceeded GM’s expectations, created outstanding value or introduced innovations to the company.” The ceremony, recognising supplier contributions in the calendar year, was delayed in March by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 17 June 2020 Hankook Technology Group vice chairman and CEO Hyun Shick Cho and Hyundai Motor Group executive vice chairman Euisun Chung hosted a signing ceremony related to construction of the HMG Driving Experience Center at Hankook Tire’s new Taean Proving Ground.
Tyre manufacturer Hankook has received a platinum medal for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement. The medal was awarded by the French rating agency Ecovadis in particular recognition of Hankook’s sustainability initiatives. The medal is awarded to companies in the top one per cent of their industry sector.
Hankook has added Instagram to its social media portfolio. The tyre maker opened its @hankooktire.europe channel on 8 June. It said the channel would offer relevant information to interested and enthusiastic followers of technical content and car topics. It will also focus on the tyre manufacturer’s sporting and motorsport activities.
Tyre maker Hankook had rounded off its 2020 off-road car tyre range with the Dynapro AT2, an all-round 4×4 tyre that features winter tyre accreditation. The Hankook Dynapro AT2 takes over from the Dynapro AT M. This covers the needs of all those customers who require high traction and safety with their off-road vehicle both on and off paved roads. Thanks to the 3PMSF symbol on the sidewall, drivers can now drive legally all year round with this tyre. The line-up covers all popular sizes in this category from 15 to 22 inches.
Hankook Tire won’t be able to call its holding firm “Hankook Technology Group” after a court decided that Hankook Tire used the name for “unfair purposes.” As a result, Hankook Technology Group will no-longer be able to use that name on the Kospi share index either.
Hankook Tire has reported consolidated global sales of KRW 1.4358 trillion (£945.0 million) for the first quarter of 2020, around 12.6 per cent less than in the opening quarter of last year. Operating profit decreased 24.8 per cent year-on-year to KRW 105.9 billion (£69.7 million).
Audi announced its withdrawal from the German Touring Car Masters (DTM), effective at the end of the 2020 season. As things stand, BMW will be the only remianing factory team at the beginning of 2021; R-Motorsport dropped out earlier in the year. Audi wants to concentrate on Formula E and customer sport in the future according to a statement from Ingolstadt. The 2020 season of DTM has yet to start, due to the Coronavirus pandemic. DTM has not started its 2020 series yet due to the Coronavirus crisis, but has announced a new Esports series with Hankook a founding partner.
Long-standing tyre partner to DTM, Hankook is entering virtual motorsport with the German touring car series. The tyre manufacturer has become a founding partner of the DTM Esports Classic Challenge. The newly created race series brings together 15 current and former drivers of the DTM and the DTM Trophy. It is also adding a further five participants from the RaceRoom community of Esports racers. These challengers will be selected from the top 100 fastest racers, who proved themselves in a qualification round for the first race which started on 27 April. Professionally commentaters will provide race summaries in English.
Marc de Mattia / DPPI
Hankook
Hankook
Hankook
General Motors
Hankook
Hankook
Hankook
Hankook
Hankook Technology; Hankook Technology Group
Stephen Goodchild
Hankook
Hankook