What Car? Announce Hankook as Associate Sponsor for Motoring Oscars 25th July, 2011

Hankook one of the world’s largest and fastest growing tyre manufacturers is to become an Associate Sponsor of the 2012 Motoring Oscars, the What Car? Car of The Year Awards. Hankook are also to sponsor the Ultra Low Carbon Award Category.

What Car? publishing director Andrew Golby said: “We’re delighted to welcome Hankook as a partner of the What Car? Awards. Like us, they recognise the increasing importance of low-carbon vehicles, and our readers feel the same way. Car buyers are placing an increasing priority upon energy-efficient technologies, and look to What Car? for guidance. The ultra-low-carbon category is an accolade that every manufacturer will be keen to win, and we look forward to announcing the result of our judging next January.”

Tony Lee, Managing Director Hankook UK said. “Hankook are pleased to become Associate Sponsor of the What Car? 2012 awards, and to also sponsor the Ultra-Low-Carbon category which is very much in line with the launch of our new Kinergy Eco tyre range. Looking after the environment and reducing our CO2 footprint are becoming an increasing concern for today’s consumer.

“The Kinergy Eco tyre combines the very latest materials, like silica nanoparticles, which are not commonplace in this segment, and cutting-edge compound technologies.  This has allowed Hankook to reduce the rolling resistance of the Kinergy Eco by 12 percent.  The energy savings is reflected in lower fuel consumption, thereby contributing to an improved overall CO2 footprint.”

The benefits of the sponsorship agreement includes the alignment with the most authoritative and trusted brand in motoring, brand positioning and awareness to an audience of key influencers and decision makers from the motoring industry.

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards are acknowledged by many as the UK Motoring Oscars.  It is the automotive industry’s best known and most influential awards ceremony and the event is coveted by car makers both in the UK and overseas.  The What Car? awards issue is a key influencer for consumers in their car buying decision making process and is the brands best selling issue and driver of website traffic.

The event is to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane in London on the 11^th January with top class entertainment yet to be announced.  Previous headline acts have included Jonathan Ross, Jimmy Carr, Al Murray and Jo Brand.

About WHAT CAR?

What Car?, the UK’s biggest car-buying brand, has two magazines, a market-leading website and several established brand extensions. Its flagship magazine has helped Britain’s car buyers make purchasing decisions for more than 30 years, and its tests are widely regarded as the most trusted source of new-car advice.

Latest National Readership survey results indicate that 797,000 people read What Car? magazine every month (NRS Jan-Jun 2010).

whatcar.com is the UK’s leading car-buying website, offering trusted reviews and data on every new car. A winner of numerous awards and accolades, whatcar.com is recognised as one of the UK’s leading consumer websites for car purchases and attracts over 2 million visits per month.

What Car? is owned by Haymarket Media Group – the United Kingdom’s largest independently owned publishing company with a portfolio of more than 150 titles, ranging from specialist consumer magazines to business titles and customer publications, published via wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and under licence worldwide.

About HANKOOK UK

Hankook is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing tyre manufacturers for innovative, high-quality and high-performance radial tyres for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, RVs, trucks, and buses as well as motorsports (circuit racing/rallies).  Hankook sells its products in more than 180 countries with production facilities in Asia and Europe currently producing over 86 million tyres annually.

Hankook Tyres were first introduced into the UK in the early 1980s and since then the company has progressively built a level of brand awareness and reputation for quality equalling that of many longer established brands.  The extensive range of tyres are available through a network of quality retailers in support of which Hankook is committed to on-going development and further strategic expansion.

The company invests five percent of its revenues in Research and Development every year.  Their five Research and Development centres in Korea, Germany, USA, China and Japan develop the very latest in market-specific, customised and innovative technologies.  They greatly contribute in providing optimal tyre solutions designed to meet the regional requirements and demands of their customers.

Internationally leading car manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Opel, and Volkswagen rely on tyres made by Hankook for their original equipment.

Hankook are also involved with several internationally renowned motorsport events including the international touring car series DTM with Audi and Mercedes-Benz and the Le Mans 24 Hour Race with Ferrari.

The company invests some five percent of its revenues in Research and Development every year.  Such research has led to the introduction of the Kinergy Eco line of tyres which combines state-of-the-art tyre technology in the areas of safety, handling, and comfort with the environmental consciousness that is becoming an increasingly important criterion for today’s vehicles.

The Kinergy Eco tyre combines the very latest materials, like silica nanoparticles, which are not commonplace in this segment, and cutting-edge compound technologies.  This has allowed Hankook to reduce the rolling resistance of the Kinergy Eco by 12 percent.  The energy savings is reflected in lower fuel consumption, thereby contributing to an improved overall CO2 footprint.