The incoming 2021 Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman models will be available with a cool set of ultra-high performance (UHP) Hankook tires. This is set to happen at the beginning of spring thanks to another partnership between Porsche and Hankook.
The tire includes the Ventus S1 evo 3 that is tailor-made for Porsche. It’s available in size 235/40 ZR19 (92Y) N-0 for the front axle and 265/40 ZR19 (98Y) N-0 for the rear axle.
It is worth noting that Hankook Tire already supplies original equipment tires for the Porsche Cayenne and Taycan. These ride on the Ventus S1 evo 3 premium options in EV and SUV specifications.
“Porsche stands for particularly high-performance sports cars, delivering a high level of driving pleasure and, at the same time, full suitability for everyday use. However, this also makes tire development very complex,” says Sanghoon Lee, President of Hankook Tire Europe. “We are therefore very pleased with this original equipment, as it demonstrates the impressive performance of our products across the entire range.”
The Ventus S1 evo 3 comes with a high-strength bead core that ensures there’s stability in high driving. While working together with the reinforced sidewall, it also optimizes steering precision, straight-line stability, and dynamic, sporty handling.
Hankook added a light rayon carcass into the tire’s construction to further improve steering precision and driving stability. This is together with a special aramid composite material that is included in the belt area.
The technology reduces unwanted expansion of the rolling circumference by up to 60% even at high speeds. Compared to conventional materials, this is a huge breakthrough. The unique tread compound also uses high-performance natural resins to provide excellent traction, the necessary grip, and braking performance both on wet and dry roads.
“Our engineers aimed to ensure that the Ventus S1 evo3 would outperform its predecessor in almost all areas and become the most successful original equipment tread for Hankook on the market to date. The result of their work is an ultra-high performance tire that can provide optimum support for the excellent dynamics of sports cars such as the Porsche 718 Boxster,” explained, Klaus Krause, Head of the European Hankook Development Center based in Hanover.
“Sports cars with a mid-engine are always something special. That’s why the special driving experience of the Porsche 718 Boxster played a big role in the test drives,” confirms Aleix Alcaraz, development driver at Hankook Tire, responsible for the sports car division. “The result is a tire that is in perfect harmony with the vehicle. Good grip in every situation, the necessary lateral stiffness, and high steering precision, all of which are essential for both safety and driving pleasure with a sports car. This is exactly what our tire delivers.”