Hankook to offer AA tyres from 2013

Following the preview of AA-labeled and close-to-production prototypes of Hankook’s core products, the Ventus S1 evo² and the Kinergy Eco, the manufacturer reports that both AA-labelled versions are to be launched in 2013.

According to Hankook, the South Korean tyre manufacturer has already tested its entire range of products covered by the legislation. Furthermore the majority of Hankook products currently available in the market are said to “already shine with excellent test results”, according to the label criteria. 

New label finder online service

In support of its labelling strategy, Hankook is offering an addition online tool to its website visitors. As part of the current discussion regarding the tyre label the manufacturer has developed a “Label Finder“. According to the company, the Label Finder provides an overview of the label results of each individual Hankook tyre model and allows users to compare different tyre models and sizes with regard to wet braking and fuel efficiency.   

“Our products have always been designed with a special focus on safety and the environment, long before the emergence of the new EU guidelines,” explaines Jin-Wook Choi, president and CEO of the European division of Hankook Tire. “As a result of our continuous investments in research and about fifty per cent of all sizes of our current passenger car tyre series Ventus S1 evo², Ventus Prime² and Kinergy Eco already achieve top label certifications of CA or BB for the replacement market segment with more to come.”

“Purchasers of tyres profit from our Label Finder because it offers more transparency, since here the individual tyre models and sizes are easier to compare amongst each other in terms of safety, operating efficiency and ecology“, added Hee-Se Ahn, Hankook Tire Vice-President for Marketing & Sales in Europe. At the same time he reminds us, “A large number of relevant tyre features will not be shown by the label. Detailed consultations in the specialist tyre shop as well as test results from independent magazines and associations are and remain additional informative tools for the individual tyre purchase.“