Winter i*cept RS3 – Hankook launches latest generation winter tyre

With the promise of shorter braking distances on snow-covered surfaces and improved handling on icy and wet roads, Hankook Tire has introduced the Hankook Winter i*cept RS3. It says this “enhanced successor to the multiple award-winning Winter i*cept RS2” uses the latest technologies to surpass its predecessor and “offer even greater levels of safety in everyday life.”

Hankook Winter i*cept RS3 is available in the European market in 71 dimensions for 14- to 17-inch rim diameters, including four options that offer continued driving after a puncture via the Hankook Runflat System.

Enhanced snow performance

Snow-covered roads can pose a challenge for both drivers and tyres. By using new micro edges, the Hankook development team was able to increase the shoulder area of the Winter i*cept RS3, thereby improving both traction and lateral grip when cornering on snow. The new inverted V-tread and 3D sipes also provide more stable braking performance and shorter braking distances on snowy roads. Thus, compared to the previous tyre, the Winter i*cept RS3 offers up to four per cent shorter braking distances on snow-covered roads. In addition, minimising block movement with the use of sawtooth 3D sipes has also played an important role in improving grip and braking performance.

For greater safety on icy roads, the developers also improved the tyre’s tread stiffness. The result is seen in internal tests, which show that the tread blocks are one per cent stiffer horizontally and three per cent stiffer vertically compared to the Winter i*cept RS2. Drivers also benefit from significantly more grip even on ice.

Improved aquaplaning technologies

Moreover, the Winter i*cept RS3 makes use of various technologies to achieve effective tyre drainage, resulting in a high degree of driving stability, even on wet, muddy or slushy roads. As well as the wide V-shaped tread grooves, the individual blocks on the surface are also criss-crossed with small grooves. This allows water to quickly drain away and noticeably reduces the risk of aquaplaning. The new, overlaid W tread pattern also helps with this, as well as offering better steering control in the rain.

With a new generation of ‘Aqua Pine Compound’, developers were able to reduce braking distances on wet roads. Traditionally, the use of all-silica compounds comes at the expense of mileage potential. But Hankook says its new material mix, which is based on natural resins, overcomes this trade-off, achieving both a reduction in abrasion and an increase in braking efficiency. The Winter i*cept RS3 therefore achieves up to seven per cent shorter braking distances on wet roads, while offering up to ten per cent more mileage than its proven predecessor. The new material mix also provides an improved connection between the tyre and the road, thereby reducing slippage and increasing mileage.

Multiple awards for predecessors

Hankook developed the Winter i*cept RS3 as an improved version of the previous Winter i*cept RS2, which received a ‘highly recommended’ rating in the Auto Zeitung 2020 winter tyre test. In the same year, the Winter i*cept RS2 also received the highest rating from Auto Express and ADAC for its excellent handling characteristics, strong traction and very good properties on both dry and wet roads.

“Offering tyre products that ensure driver safety on the road is our top priority. This is why we are continuously investing in research and development so that we can always offer the latest technologies on the market,” says Sanghoon Lee, president of Hankook Tire Europe. “That is why we are confident that the new winter i*cept RS3, will also meet the high expectations of our customers.”

The Hankook Tire Technotrac test facility in Ivalo, Finland plays a key role in winter tyre development. The company says the site offers “the ideal conditions” for extensively testing the results of its research and development work under various winter conditions. It thus offers “a perfect basis for developing and manufacturing tyres that work perfectly on ice and snow.”