Hankook’s Ventus S1 evo 3 tires on the new 2021 “TUNE IT! SAFE!” campaign vehicle, the BMW 850i xDrive Coupé

Tire manufacturer Hankook Tire is supporting the “TUNE IT! SAFE!” initiative as an official partner and main sponsor. This year, the campaign vehicle, designed as a police car, features Hankook’s i*cept evo 3 tires during the winter and from spring onwards, will be fitted with the ultra-high performance Ventus S1 evo 3 tires. Similar to the 2019 BMW i8 campaign vehicle, another sports car from Bavaria is on the stage for 2021: the BMW 850i xDrive Coupé. As it could not be presented at the Essen Motor Show, as is usually the case, it will be presented this year at its home – BMW-Welt in Munich.

Munich, Germany, December 17, 2020 – So close to Christmas, the next flagship vehicle of the “TUNE IT! SAFE!” campaign will be entering the New Year under the patronage of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). Premium tire manufacturer Hankook Tire has been the official partner and founding member of the initiative for safe and legal tuning since the very beginning. Tires play a key role when it comes to road safety, which is why, starting from Spring 2021, the “TUNE IT! SAFE!” BMW 850i xDrive Coupé will feature UHP Ventus S1 evo 3 tires in 255/30 ZR21 (VA) and 295/25 ZR21 (HA). During the cold season, it will feature i*cept evo 3 winter tires in 245/35R20 W (VA) and 275/30R20 V (HA). This year, the vehicle will be unveiled at the vehicle sponsor at BMW World in Munich, since the Essen Motor Show could not take place as it usually does.

“It's especially unfortunate that we haven’t been able to present the new and, as always, spectacular “TUNE IT! SAFE!” 2021 project vehicle in front of a live audience at the Essen Motor Show. This is the first time in history that it has had to be cancelled. At the same time, however, we are delighted to have the opportunity to present the 850i xDrive Police BMW at BMW World in Munich,” says Roland Hehner, Head of Product and Tuning at Hankook Tire Germany.

It’s not just the police speedster’s sporty aesthetics that are impressive. The car has been optimized for the tuning community by AC Schnitzer. Some of its features include an aerodynamics package, silencer and lowered suspension spring set on matching Hankook tires. The tuned vehicle also scores high on performance. With its V8 Biturbo engine, the vehicle reaches 620 horsepower in 3.8 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph), and reaches a top speed of up to 250 km/h (locked, 155mph).

The tire is always listed at the top of the tuning measures, which is why Hankook as a tire manufacturer has been particularly involved in the "TUNE IT! SAFE!" campaign since the beginning. The Ventus S1 evo 3 immediately achieved a top place among 53 brands in the Auto Bild 2019 summer tire test. Like its predecessors, it offers a very safe and sporty, yet comfortable driving experience in both wet and dry conditions. Consequently, the new Ventus S1 evo 3 also impressed across the board in the test and was awarded “Exemplary”. Last year’s "TUNE IT! SAFE!” vehicles, both the BMW i8 (2019) and the ABT Sportsline RS4-R (2020), were able to count on the quality of this tire.

The recently launched Winter i*cept evo 3 received the top rating “Exemplary” twice in independent tire tests by Europe’s leading automotive magazine Auto Bild and its sister publication Auto Bild sportscars. For the first time, Hankook’s development engineers opted for a directional tread pattern for their new winter flagship tire. This not only provides excellent grip on snow, but also helps to effectively reduce the risk of aquaplaning, among other things.