Hankook UHP Tire as OE on New Audi RS5 Coupe

Hankook has announced that it will be supplying Hankook Ventus S1 evo² tyres as OE tyres for the Audi RS5 coupe. The UHP tires will be supplied in 19- and 20-inch sizes. Hankook got its first OE fitment for an Audi RS model in 2016, when the two-seater Audi Sport TT RS was fitted with S1 evo² tyres on 19-inch wheels.

The RS 5 Coupé is Audi’s first RS model that follows the brand’s new design philosophy for the RS range. It comes with a new V6 bi-turbo engine that is high on both performance and efficiency – a unique combination. Hence, in spite of its positioning as a highly sporty vehicle, the Audi RS 5 Coupé is remarkably efficient and practical when it comes to daily use.

This is true when it comes to the tyres, too. Hankook took particular care during the development of the tyres to ensure that comfort was not compromised when it came to achieving a sporty look. The tyre offers excellent grip and traction while it sets high standards when it comes to durability. The tyres come with Hankook’s new “sound absorber” technology and will be used in sizes 265/35 R 19 98 Y XL while the bigger tyre in 275/30 R 20 97Y XL size is available on an optional basis.

For bagging the OE fitment, Hankook Ventus S1 evo² tyres underwent a rigorous approval process for each RS model from Audi Sport GmbH to ensure that the tyres are not only roadworthy but are also sporty. As part of the testing process, the tyres had to undertake ten laps of the iconic “Nordschleife” track at the German Nürburgring circuit and exhibit only the wear and tear that a normal shopping trip would cause.

The Hankook tyres cleared this test with flying colours as they sport an innovative DTM inspired 3-layer block design, with a special staircase arrangement of the outer rib blocks, for ensuring an evenly gripping contact area even as the tyre wears out, thus guaranteeing very good traction performance throughout the lifetime of the tire.

The tyres also exhibit short braking distances and above-average wet braking performance highlighting the fact that drivers can depend on their tyres in all kinds of terrain and conditions. Thanks to its multiple tread radius and rayon carcass, the Ventus S1 evo² tyres provides motorists with maximum tread contact, even if the driver quickly needs to take evasive action in the case of an impending collision or on wet roads in urban traffic. The advanced styrene-polymer-silica mixture used for the tread compound is the factor that significantly enhances the wet grip.

Another notable feature of this tyre is its incorporation of “sound absorber” technology that is already being used for the tyres on the current Audi Q7 and SQ7. They considerably reduce cavity noise. This is the outcome of the development process in which the Hankook team focused on reducing noise to a level that is the same as that of sporty, low aspect ratio tires at higher speeds. The sound absorber technology increases ride comfort and hitherto only used in tyres for powerful large SUVs. Now it has become a part of Hankook’s passenger car flagship model, the Ventus S1 evo². With all these features, Audi has opted for a Hankook tyre that offers the right combination of sporty and dynamic driving with a high level of comfort.