Hankook Ventus tires mark 20th anniversary on the European market

In 2025, Hankook is celebrating 20 years since the release of the Ventus line of Ultra-High Performance class on the European market. Generally, the history of the Ventus brand began back in 1991, however, it was with the Hankook Ventus S1 evo model, featuring a recognizable pattern with wavy grooves, that the company entered the UHP segment of the European market in 2005. After that, the company consistently improved the characteristics of Ventus tires, which were marked by numerous victories in tests and were homologated by more than 30 automakers, and the success is also confirmed by the fact that over the past 20 years, sales of UHP tires from Hankook on the global market have increased by an average of 10% per year.

Following the Ventus S1 evo, in 2012, the Ventus S1 evo2 tire was introduced, which was replaced by the Ventus S1 evo2 in 2019, and this year, the fourth-generation model, named Ventus S1 evo3, has entered the market, available also in the Ventus evo version and in the Ventus evo SUV version for crossovers and SUVs.

Hankook emphasizes that with each generation change, the characteristics of the tires have improved both on dry and wet surfaces, and Ventus evo "sets a new industry standard, combining excellent traction in the rain with low rolling resistance and long service life". The tires were developed using artificial intelligence, and the focus was on achieving a balance of characteristics while ensuring the necessary safety. AI was also used in the creation of the rubber compound, which, according to the company, helped to improve the usually conflicting parameters, and in particular, the level of safety in heavy rain conditions was increased, which is also contributed by the pattern with wide grooves, which, in combination with the optimized contact area, reduces the risk of aquaplaning.

In 2021, the Hankook Ventus S1 evo Z tire of the UUHP class was also released, developed specifically for high-performance sports cars, and the manufacturer claims that compared to UHP tires, this model provides even higher traction and stability, including when cornering at high speeds.

In the OE segment, Ventus tires are supplied to automotive brands around the world, including Mercedes-AMG, BMW, Porsche, and Volkswagen, and since 2023, the company has also been the official technological partner of the Brabus tuning atelier, which uses Hankook sports tires in its projects.

The Ventus brand is also present in motorsports, and Hankook, for example, supplies tires under it for the international racing series Lamborghini Super Trofeo GT, whose stages are held on three continents, as well as for the World Rally Championship (WRC), etc.

Now, the Ventus family includes tires of different classes, from "comfort" to UHP and UUHP, and this year, the premiere of another novelty is expected, which "confirms Hankook's desire to further develop the lineup".