Hankook Tire has received the 2025 Red Dot Design Award in the Product Design category for its WeatherFlex GT all-weather tyre, marking a significant achievement in the brand’s design-led development strategy.
Celebrated for its nature-inspired tread pattern and year-round versatility, the WeatherFlex GT stood out to Red Dot jurors with a biomimetic design aimed at improving grip, comfort, and durability across changing road conditions.
The WeatherFlex GT incorporates design elements modelled after broadleaf plants and conifer needles. These tread patterns provide a stable contact patch in dry, wet, and snowy conditions.
In line with European winter standards, the tyre carries the 3PMSF (Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake) certification, confirming its suitability for severe winter use.
Key technical features include:
▪ Asymmetric tread pattern for optimised grip
▪ Micro-sipes to increase winter traction
▪ Advanced rubber compound engineered for high mileage (up to 70,000 km)
▪ Noise-reducing groove layout for driver comfort
The Red Dot Design Award is one of the most respected honours in product design, with thousands of entries judged annually by an international panel. Hosted by Germany’s Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, the award acknowledges not just aesthetic appeal but also innovation, function, and product value.
This win adds to Hankook’s strong track record in the global design arena. The company has secured annual recognition from Red Dot, the iF Design Award (Germany), and IDEA (USA) since 2012.
Biomimicry is emerging as a tool for tyre manufacturers seeking both performance and sustainability. The WeatherFlex GT reflects a broader trend of integrating natural design principles to solve technical challenges—such as water dispersal, snow traction, and tread longevity, without sacrificing aesthetics. This is increasingly relevant as drivers demand year-round safety without changing tyres seasonally.
Tagged with: Hankook, WeatherFlex GT, Red Dot Design Award, all-season tyres, biomimetic tyre design, 3PMSF certification, smart tyre design, tyre safety, passenger car tyres, winter tyre regulation
Disclaimer: This content may include forward-looking statements. Views expressed are not verified or endorsed by Tyre News Media.
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