Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 13th September 2021 – Premium tyre maker Hankook will equip the latest version of the Porsche Panamera with its new Ultra Ultra High Performance (UUHP) tread. Depending on the model or on the customer’s request, bespoke Ventus S1 evo Z tyres are used in sizes 265/45 ZR19 105Y XL ND0 for the front axle and 295/40 ZR19 108Y XL ND0 for the rear axle, or 275/40 ZR20 (106Y) XL ND0 at the front and 315/35 ZR20 (110Y) XL ND0 at the rear. In addition to the release tests which are customary in this vehicle segment, the mixed tyres used for the Porsche Panamera were also extensively tested at maximum speed on the legendary German Nürburgring Nordschleife racetrack, known as the Green Hell. This ensures that the tyre construction is particularly robust and able to cope with ‘sporty’ demands at all times.
“The Porsche Panamera is a high performing four-passenger sports car with outstanding comfort,” says Sanghoon Lee, President of Hankook Tire Europe. “As such, we are very pleased to be the first to equip this model, as it shows that our products are extremely competitive even in the high-end segment. Additional tyres for future Porsche models are already in development at Hankook.”
The Hankook Ventus S1 evo Z was developed specifically for the high-end vehicle segment, which is particularly demanding when it comes to tyres, therefore it is equipped with an aramide composite material in a double-layer carcass. This allows deformations to be prevented that would otherwise lead to an undesired increase in the rolling circumference and thus result in less precise driving behaviour at high speeds, despite the possible heat development that can occur during heavy use. Aramide fibres are extremely heat-resistant and are characterised by their high strength as well as good damping properties with a low weight relative to their size. High-strength steel in the belt and bead areas gives the new Hankook tread additional stability. Combined with the reinforced sidewall, this ensures stability on the straights and steering precision at high and maximum speeds as well as sporty, dynamic handling.
“Our new Ventus S1 evo Z has been specifically developed to ensure high performance of premium segment sports cars across various conditions,” explains Klaus Krause, Head of Hankook's European Research and Development Centre, “these tyres support the excellent dynamics and comfort of the Porsche Panamera, allowing both the driver and the passengers to travel as comfortably as possible.”
Another focus when developing the Ventus S1 evo Z was high grip in different weather conditions. The tread compound used was ‘borrowed’ from motorsport to ensure optimal interaction between fillers, silica and natural resins. In addition, the compound includes the latest generation of functionally designed polymers, which ensures a consistently high grip across a wide range of applications. The compound technology used in production also originates from Hankook’s racing tyre development, which uses smaller production volumes and material batches. These are processed over significantly longer periods of time in a way that protects the materials used in the compound.
As is usual with particularly sporty tyres, the Hankook Ventus S1 evo Z also uses an asymmetrically designed tread pattern with a focus on particularly sporty handling behaviour. The arrangement of the individual tread blocks in relation to each other was developed to ensure optimum block stiffness in various driving situations. Three main drainage grooves positioned in the inner tread area of the wheel ensure water is drained rapidly on wet roads. In addition, special attention has been paid to the outer tread area of the tyre, where a significantly increased tread-positive proportion considers the requirements for high-performance cornering and precise lateral guidance, especially for very sporty driving in dry conditions.
The new Hankook Ventus S1 evo Z is currently used as original equipment by leading premium manufacturers on predominantly sporty cars, and will be available in 15 sizes ranging from 19 to 21 inches with tread widths between 225 and 315 mm in cross-sections from the 45 to 30 series. In the coming year, additional sizes will further complement the line-up, especially in the high-end range.
