LONDON (Dec. 10, 2014) — Germany's BMW A.G. has selected a 16-inch version of Kumho Tire Co. Inc.'s Ecsta high-performance range tire as an OE fitment on its 3 Series range, the South Korean tire maker said recently.
BMW has approved the Ecsta KM KH31 in size 225/55R16 as a standard fitment on certain 3-series models, Kumho said. The tire is not a run-flat, Kumho confirmed; BMW's OE fitments tend to be highly skewed toward run-flats.
This is Kumho's second OE fitment with BMW, but its first on a BMW model. The first fitment was a V70A tire in size 215/40 ZR17 83W on the MINI John Cooper Works GP, starting in 2012.
The fitment is not restricted to Europe, Kumho said, meaning some models equipped with the Ecsta KM could be exported to the U.S. The 3-series is assembled at BMW plants in Munich and Regensburg, Germany.
“We expect this achievement to significantly enhance our brand recognition in the international arena,” said Taek-Gyun Jeong, managing director of OE development at Kumho Tire.
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