Audi Q8 and Hankook tyres: the perfect pairing of performance and luxury? 

Performance, luxury, practicality, safety… Blurring the lines between a sports car and an SUV, has the Audi Q8 found the perfect tyre to match its capabilities?

If the Audi Q5 has five seats, and the Audi Q7 has seven seats… How many seats does the Audi Q8 have? That’s right: five seats. But it’s all for good reason, as Audi’s biggest Q is out to strike a slightly different balance than its lower numbered siblings. Trading in a pinch — and just a pinch — of practicality for some sports performance, without undermining its functional status as a family-ready SUV.

Combine these attributes with the Q8’s luxuriousness, and you’re into a relatively unique category, alongside the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLS and the BMW X5 SUVs. And a unique offering such as this, needs a unique tyre to match — which is where Hankook enter the fray with the Ventus S1 Evo 3. 

Already equipped to handle whatever level of performance is thrown at it, Hankook have created a custom marked tyre variant to enhance the capabilities of both car and rubber — ensuring Audi’s flagship model has a tyre to match.

Enhance that

As hinted at by the Q8’s aggressively angular styling cues, the big Audi packs something a little more potent beneath the bonnet than its siblings. With 335 hp and 500 Nm of torque, 0-62 mph is gone in a mere 5.6 seconds. Pretty quick for your average run to the shops, but fear not, should speedy sections of road feature en route, the Ventus S1 Evo 3 is here to help — adding an extra layer of safety too. 

The tyre’s Aramid reinforcement belt keeps the handling right where you want it throughout acceleration, and all way up to high speeds by providing optimised contact between rubber and road. But, what happens when this sizeable German machine reaches a corner? Not a problem: the Evo 3’s stiff outer shoulder can handle the heavy load, giving you the confidence to safely navigate through corners thanks to a 15% improvement in dry handling. 

Now, spring may be springing, but sunny weather is far from guaranteed just yet. Luckily, this dry handling comes without compromise in the wet, as interlocking grooves prevent hydroplaning and provide grip on wet rainy roads — letting the Q8 deliver performance all year round.

Grounded in reality

Despite this added performance, the Q8 is still an SUV at heart, well capable of functioning in the real world. Although slightly smaller than the Q7, the boot space is still practical at over 600 litres, while the thirstier engine can still chip in with a handy mid-30s MPG (even if that’s some way off our top fuel-efficiency picks), and the five seats offer a spacious perch for all.

Again, the bespoke Ventus S1 Evo 3 does its bit to back this real-world readiness up, ensuring that you have the longevity to go the distance. The incorporation of a highly enriched synthetic silica compound allows for improved longevity, again without impinging on driving performance. Add on Hankook’s ProMileage tech to spread forces across the tyre, and the flagship Audi shapes up as a bit of a mile muncher.

Family friendly

True to the Q range, there is polish behind the Q8’s performance, packing ‘the elegance of a four-door coupé into its luxurious interior’. 

However, there’s more than just climate control and comfy seats to keep you happy inside (especially as the chairs are heated and capable of providing massages). You also get the soothing ride which you’d expect from a luxury SUV, with adaptive air suspension damping all four of the quattro driven wheels to ensure minimal disturbance for all passengers.

But wait, there’s more. Strapped into a set of Ventus S1 Evo 3s, ride comfort is boosted further through some fancy thermal circulation and air permeability tech, allowing the tyre pattern to adapt effectively to the road. And as a bonus, the tyre grooves which contribute to this, also offer reduced pattern noise against the tarmac — creating an air of tranquillity to keep everyone comfortable whether putting the Q8 through its paces or simply doing the school run.

So, a unique car, with a bespoke tyre to take things to the next level — wherever you choose to use it. Will you be pairing your Q8 with the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3?

Hero image credit: Audi