BMW Choose Hankook tire for Original Equipment Fitment

Germany: South Korea based Hankook tire will supply, ultra-high performance and winter tire to BMW for original equipment fitment on its new 7 Series. Hankook will provide 245/50R18 Y runflat safety component (front) and 275/40 R19 Y runflat safety component (rear) sizes in summer for 7 series. Company will also provide 245/50R 18 H runflat safety component for winter use.

Hankook tire developed both the tire in Germany based Technical Centre. At present, around 50 engineer and technicians are developing new tire for European car manufacturers at Hankook European R&D centre in Hanover, Germany. The tires are however being produced in Raclamas, Hungary. BMW 7 series sedan is the seventh model of company to be OE fitted with Hankook tire. Earlier Hankook supply OE fitment tire for Mini, BMW 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Series, and the X5.

According to Ho-Youl Pae, head of Hankook Tire Europe, the company is very proud to supply ultra-high performance (UHP) and winter tires for the first time as original equipment fitment for the latest model of BMW 7 Series.

The Hankook UHP tire provide a superb driving and luxury features, with excellent wet and snow performance. The company has developed the tire with new balance between compound, tread design and construction as said by Klaus Krause, head of the Hanover based Hankook tire, European technology centre (ETC).

According to a recent report published by TechSci Research, “Germany Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020”, the country’s tire market is predominantly a replacement driven market owing to large vehicle fleet and high vehicle ownership ratio. The passenger car tire market is the most dominant tire segment of the country and this trend is expected to continue through 2020, due to the growing demand for hybrid cars in the country. Also, the high vehicle ownership coupled with moderate growth in new vehicle sales, is expected to boost tire sales further in Germany in approaching years.

As per TechSci Research, the tie-up with BMW for Original Equipment Fitment, is likely to increase the share of Hankook in Germany OEM market segment. The step taken by the company to expand its product line for OEM market, would eventually lead to increase in the market presence of the company, hence, impacting the overall Germany tire market.