Hankook secures OE fitment on Porsche Cayenne SUV

Nürburgring, Germany — German luxury/sports car maker Porsche AG has selected 21-inch versions of the Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV as an OE fitment on its Cayenne four-door all-wheel-drive hatchback SUV.

The fitment — sizes 285/40 ZR 21 (109Y) XL front axle and 315/35 ZR 21 (111Y) XL rear axle — started with the 2019 Cayenne and will continue on the redeveloped, third-generation 2020 Cayenne, according to Hankook Tire & Technology Co. Ltd.

This is the South Korean tire maker's second OE contract with Porsche. The first was four years ago on the Macan, the Cayenne's smaller SUV sibling.

The new Cayenne is the quickest version in the model's 17-year life, according to Porsche, thanks to a more powerful 3-liter single-turbo V6 that creates 335 hp. 

The new Cayenne is rated at 5.9 seconds for 0 to 60 mph acceleration with a top speed of 152 mph, while also capable of carrying four adults and a payload of up to 1,862 pounds.

The 2020 model is the first Cayenne with staggered front/rear tire/wheel fitments, Porsche said, a change made to enhance agility, stability, driving dynamics and comfort.

Hankook said the Ventus evo3 UHP tire delivers "high steering precision and very sporty handling" in both wet and dry conditions, thanks to a design that is based on technology derived from its motorsports engagement with the DTM German Touring Car Championship.

"Due to the vehicle load in combination with sporty drivability, low rolling resistance and high load capacity, it was very challenging to develop the tire design for the Porsche Cayenne," Klaus Krause, head of Hankook's European Research and Development Centre, said.

The Ventus S1 evo 3 SUV uses a new generation of "innovative materials" based on high-performance natural resins in the tread compound, which Hankook claims increases the grip level both at peak power and over a wide temperature range.

In addition, special polyamide materials in the sidewall ensure high driving stability even under load, Hankook said, while a hybrid aramid cap ply over the steel cord belts helps ensure high resistance and durability.