Recreating a historic motoring exploit, the 3,600-mile challenge will visit 15 countries in just 120 hours. Kumho’s Ecsta PS71 EV tyre is an original fit on the Kia EV6 and it is this specialist product in 235/55R19 size that the challenge car will be equipped with throughout the trial.
For the first time since being acquired by China’s Doublestar four years ago, Kumho Tire has published an annual report. Under the title ‘Up and Running’, the South Korean tyre maker reports on the course of the 2021 business year, which the manufacturer closed with a turnover of KRW 2.6 trillion won (£1.65 billion), a year-on-year increase of 20 per cent.
Kumho has launched a new winter tyre for the medium to large car and SUV market, the Wintercraft WP52. The new tyre follows the introduction of a new all-season van tyre from the Korean manufacturer, the PorTran 4S CX11, which added features from the lauded Solus 4S HA32 all-season car tyre to its existing winter van range. Kumho has established itself as a tyre supplier to Europe’s biggest winter tyre markets in the Nordic and Central Europe regions with a comprehensive range of well-regarded products, and is strengthening its position in the region’s growing all-season market.
Kumho presented its latest tyres and award-winning technologies at Autopromotec 2022. It also used the opportunity to underline its new approach to the Italian market, similar to its UK strategy, as Carlo Citarella, managing director of Kumho Tire Italia, explained. He said that Autopromotec gave the company “a great opportunity for the whole Kumho Tire Italia Team to speak directly with our customers, following the new direct approach to the market. Only by talking directly with the customer can we better understand the retailer’s needs and offer a service that lives up to their expectations.“ The manufacturer’s tyre range has been calibrated to meet these expectations. The latest tyres on stand included the Ecsta PS71, Ecsta HS52 and Ecsta PS71 EV summer tyres, the new Wintercraft WP52 and the all-season Solus HA32.
BKT supplier and family-run tyre wholesaler RH Claydon (RHC) has announced the official opening date of its new depot in Carlisle’s Kingmoor Park North enterprise zone. From Monday 1 August the site will be open for deliveries and collections between 8 am and 5:30 pm Monday and for collection 9 am to 12 pm Saturdays. This depot is the company’s eighth site and will allow a greater coverage of the north and border areas.
Kumho’s surprise victory in the 2021 in Auto Bild’s 52-tyre summer tyre test with its Ecsta HS51 high-performance tyre did not prevent the manufacturer from replacing the tyre with the Ecsta HS52 successor high performance tyre. Some sizes are already available at Kumho dealerships nationwide, with the balance of the line-up due shortly.
The global launch of two new Kumho tyres will take place at The Tire Cologne trade fair, which opens tomorrow. At its 300+ m² exhibition presence (Hall 6, Booth B10-C19), Kumho Tyre will present the WinterCraft WP52, successor to the WP51 winter tyre, and its Kumho Road Venture AT52 all-terrain tyre.
Continuing our ongoing series of Torque from the top special interviews with influential industry figures, here Tyres & Accessories hears from Keon Park managing director, Kumho Tyre UK, who shares Kumho’s perspective on the challenges and triumphs of the last couple of years as well as the well-known brand’s hopes for the future.
“Torque from the Top” is a regularly feature in the print edition of Tyres & Accessories magazine. Not a subscriber? No problem, click here to become one.
Kumho has been awarded two iF Design Awards. The Korean manufacturer was recognised for its new high-performance tyre, the Ecsta HS52, and one for its latest future tyre concept, Fin-Sread.
Hot on the heels of its all-weather PorTran 4S CX11 van tyre comes Kumho’s new WP52 – a winter pattern for medium to large passenger cars and SUVs. The company’s cold weather range now comprises five models of car & SUV tyre and two van tyre lines.
South Korean tyre makers can once again compete head-to-head on the baseball field, with Kumho Tire resuming its sponsorship of the Kia Tigers after a four-year hiatus. It joins Hankook Tire, sponsor of the Doosan Bears, in the top-level KBO League.
Kumho Tire is ranked among the top 12 per cent of the automotive parts industry in Morgan Stanley Capital International’s (MSCI) recent environmental, social, and governance (ESG) evaluation. The tyre maker has improved its evaluation score has been steadily rising year-on-year, having received a BBB grade in 2019, an A grade in 2021, and an AA grade this year.
Tyre comparison website Tyre Reviews has put ten popular tyres for performance cars to the test, making the brand-new Continental SportContact 7 a winner in its first outing on the independent assessment circuit. Reviewer Jonathan Benson fitted the ten tyre combinations to a BMW-powered Toyota Supra in sizes 255/35 R19 (front) and 275/35 R19 (rear) for the test, which he conducted over nine disciplines at Conti’s Contidrom facility. Given that the tyre was proven at the circuit, and is at least 12 months newer than any other product in this test, it is perhaps a little unsurprising that the SportContact 7 prevailed, but with reasonably comfortable first-place finishes in the dry and wet handling and braking tests, Tyre Reviews concludes that the tyre sets “a new standard for the UUHP segment.”
Kumho is bringing the follow-up to its highly rated Ecsta HS51 to the replacement tyre market in 2022. The Ecsta HS52 will be available from Kumho dealers this spring. The tyre, the latest in the Korean tyre manufacturer’s Ecsta range for performance cars comes after its predecessor’s triumph in Auto Bild’s March 2021 summer tyre test, when it topped a list of 53 candidates. By the end of 2022 the HS52 will be available in 46 sizes to fit rim diameters between 14 and 18 inches.
Kumho Tire representatives have confirmed reports that the South Korean tyremaker has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Saudi tyre business Black Arrow Tire Co (Blatco). However, the two parties differ on the degree of progress made with the talks.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
Kumho
Kumho
Kumho
Kumho
Blatco