▶ The premium tire for winter wins one of the world’s top four design awards.

 Kumho Tire announced that it has received Japan’s Good Design Award 2018 (G-Mark) in the product design category. The winning entry was the WP72, a premium comfort tire for winter that produces low levels of noise.

 The Good Design Award is the most prestigious international design competition in Japan hosted by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO). With 62 years of history, the award boasts of a long tradition and worldwide recognition. Winners are granted the G-Mark after being evaluated for their design, usability and innovative features. The award is given in 16 categories, including product, space, media, system, and solution, and Kumho won the sub-category of passenger car parts.

 Geared toward high-end sedan drivers, the Wintercraft WP72 allows for smoother and quieter driving. When it snows in Korea, the snow often melts slightly and stays slushy on the road instead of creating icy or snow-covered road conditions. The tire offers optimum performance on such roads covered with slushy snow and its zigzag grooves ensure enhanced braking performance on snow-covered roads.

 When the road temperature falls to seven degrees Celsius or lower, regular tires become stiff and experience a significant drop in safety performance in terms of grip and braking. The Wintercraft WP72 addresses this issue by using a rubber that withstands low temperatures. In addition, its sidewall features a design inspired by snowfall and snow crystal to highlight its identity as a winter tire and its distinction from other models.

 Abrasion is an important issue for winter tires. The performance of all-weather tires suffers if the tread, the outermost part of the tire that touches the ground, is worn down by more than 1.6 millimeters, whereas the threshold for winter tires is 4 millimeters. The Wintercraft WP72 has an abrasion alert icon in the shape of an hourglass, which allows the driver to check how much the tread has worn and see if the tire is safe enough in winter conditions.

 “We have been recognized for our design excellence by receiving the world’s top four design awards (the iF Design Award and the Red Dot Award of Germany, the IDEA Award of the United States and the Good Design of Japan),” said Chung Taekgyun, head of Kumho’s R&D Division, “The receipt of the award for five consecutive years since 2014 makes us even more determined to set ourselves apart from our competitors by focusing on creating better designs.”