New Audi SQ8 TDI also with Hankook tires as original equipment

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 11 December 2019 – Premium tire maker Hankook now equips the new Audi SQ8 TDI with its tires ex works. Progressive design and pioneering technology characterize the Q family of the Ingolstadt-based car manufacturer. The Audi SQ8 TDI in particular emphasizes the sportiness of the Q8 series: a 435 hp engine with permanent Quattro all-wheel drive and a maximum torque of 900 Newton meters accelerates the vehicle to 100 km/h within 4.8 seconds. The combination of coupé, sports car and SUV with the Q8-typical design elements, such as the octagon single frame radiator grille, is completed with Hankook’s original equipment tires in dimensions of 21 or 22 inches. Two Hankook tire lines are used for the four-door SUV: the ultra-high-performance summer and winter treads Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV and Winter i*cept evo 2 SUV respectively in 285/45 R21 113 Y XL and V XL. In future, a 22-inch summer tire dimension (Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV in 285/40 R22) will follow.

"We are very pleased that the Audi SQ8 TDI will also come off the production line with Hankook tires, among others," explains Hyunjun Cho, Head of OE Division. "As a long-standing partner, we have been equipping many particularly sporty Audi models. As with the Audi Q8, we are proud to also be supplying our modern ultra-high performance tires for the Audi SQ8 TDI."

"The essential requirement in the development process was the tire design. As with the Audi Q8, the Audi SQ8 TDI as a large SUV generally has a higher vehicle load index in order to provide the vehicle load to be fulfilled in combination with the possible high speeds. The durability of the tire construction was of course particularly important. In addition, we paid special attention to the required vehicle attributes in both wet and dry conditions," explains Moonhwa Hong, Vice President of OE Development Department.

By the way Ventus S1 evo 3 is constructed with “bead packing”, a special nylon material in the sidewall area, which increases the sidewall strength. The two-layer carcass and the use of an aramid composite material reduce the unwanted growth of the unwinding circumference at high to very high speeds (over 300 km/h) by up to 60 percent compared to previously used fabrics. This gives the tire significantly better driving stability and a longer service life due to less heat generation and thus remains at a consistently high level of grip even over a very wide temperature range. The sporty dynamic performance on both dry and wet roads is guaranteed by a special tread compound using high-performance natural resins.