Following a claimed development time of just six months, Apollo Tyres has rolled out its new Amazer 3G, a tyre specifically intended for fitment on Mahindra and Mahindra’s first electric car, the e2o. The rolling resistance optimised Amazer 3G is standard fitment for the e2o in size 155/70 R13 – a size the vehicle manufacture exclusively acquires from Apollo.
Heuver Tyrewholesale is well known for its distribution of the Aeolus brand in eight key European markets, however the wholesaler is active throughout most of Europe and also offers a number of competitive ranges for the countries where it doesn’t deal in Aeolus. This year, another brand has been added to this portfolio.
Leeds City Council fitted GT Radial’s Champiro WinterPro cold weather tyres to its Community Meals fleet this winter on the recommendation of its tyre partner, Earthmover Tyres. Thanks to the addition of seasonal rubber, the Council said its 16 Citroen Berlingos delivered more than 420 meals safely every day across the city, regardless of the inclement weather.
Speaking as principal guest at the opening of Tyrexpo Asia 2013, the secretary-general of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) has predicted strong global demand for tyres through the coming decade. Dr Stephen Evans said that large scale Chinese and Indian car registration growth is projected to help increase the world’s vehicle pool by more than 50 per cent in the next decade. The ninth staging of the show opened in Singapore on 19 March, with more than 250 exhibitors in tyre, rubber, equipment, machinery and accessory suppliers participating.
Michelin has announced that it will fit its specially developed Pilot Super Sport ZP as original equipment on the full 2014 range of Chevrolet Corvette Stingray models. Michelin reveals that the deal has come about as a result of its relationship with Chevrolet at the American Le Mans Series. The French tyre giant previously gained fitments for the 2009 Corvette ZR1 and 2011 Corvette Z06.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries high performance tyre brand Falken is to supply its ZIEX ZE912 tyre to two grass roots motorsport series in the northwest of England, after agreeing to a new sponsorship and support scheme. Drivers in the Association of North Western Car Clubs (ANWCC) K11 Micra Challenge and the Under 17 Motor AutoSOLO Championship for Standard Cars will have access to free and subsidised tyres to qualifying competitors and others involved with the championship respectively.
Dutch OTR tyre manufacturer Magna Tyres Group has announced details of a “strategic relationship” with wholesaler Interpneu. Beginning in April 2013 the agreement is described as “an important step” in introducing and building the Magna brand in Germany. Based in Waalwijk, Netherlands Magna says it is seeking to expand having manufactured compounds for three decades.
With much of the grid employing different tyre strategies at the season-opening Australian grand prix, Pirelli’s Motorsport director Paul Hembery believes that the winning drive by Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen displayed the best understanding of the “deliberately bold” selection of rubber. Raikkonen won the Australian Grand Prix using a two stop strategy, having started the race on the P Zero Red supersoft tyre and then completing two stints on the P Zero White medium tyre. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, the Finnish driver’s closest rival used a three-stop strategy, as did the rest of the top six.
The Isle of Man TT, Post-TT races and Ulster GP and North West 200 are amongst the racing activities Metzeler has planned for its anniversary year. The tyre maker, which started in 1863 as a firm selling rubber and elastic goods in the German city of Munich, says it will hold a ‘Road Racing’ summer spectacular to mark its century and a half.
It’s taken almost 49 years, but on 14 March Cooper Tire & Rubber’s Texarkana factory in the US state of Arkansas produced its 350 millionth tyre. The tyre maker says 7 million tyres are produced in Texarkana every year these days, giving the plant an annual output that’s a far cry from the early years; the first tyre was produced at the factory on 16 April 1964, and it took 24 years before the millionth tyre was manufactured.
Information released by Pirelli indicates that its new commercial vehicle second brand, Formula, will be released in steer, drive and trailer fitments; the initial line-up includes five steer sizes, five drive sizes and three trailer sizes. At present, European label ratings are only available for two steer and two drive sizes; the 295/80 R 22.5 and 315/80 R 22.5 steer tyres both achieved a ‘B’ rating for wet grip, ‘C’ for rolling resistance and 72dB external noise. The size 295/80 R 22.5 and 315/80 R 22.5 drive tyres were both rated as ‘B’ for wet grip, ‘D’ for rolling resistance and 74dB for external noise. The other nine sizes are ‘in preparation’.
Australian fast fit chain Kmart Tyre & Auto has turned its back on short-term price promotions in favour of a new “everyday low prices” marketing strategy. The company implemented the tagline ‘No sales’…’Just low tyre prices that stay low’ to promote this strategy online and in its print and radio advertising. The fast fit network, which encompasses more than 250 outlets, also intends to introduce Facebook and Twitter pages in the near future.
Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the corporate family rating of Germany’s A.T.U. Auto-Teile-Unger Investment GmbH & Co. KG from Caa1 to Caa2 and the company’s probability of default rating from Caa1-PD to Caa2-PD, while affirming the Caa3 rating of the issuer's 143 million euro senior subordinated floating rate notes. At the same time, Moody's has downgraded the 75 million euro senior secured floating rate notes issued by ATU from B3 to Caa1. The outlook on all the existing ratings has been changed to negative from stable.
In addition to reporting its 2012 results, US-based aluminium wheel manufacturer Superior Industries International, Inc. has announced plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Mexico to expand capacity and meet anticipated growth in product demand.
Taiwan’s Federal Tyres recently appointed Rito Marketing its exclusive distributor in Malaysia. Commenting on the decision, Jerry Lai, Asia sales executive of Federal’s Global Sales Division, commented: “Rito Marketing is a firm with an excellent reputation and we are sure they will be a first-rate ambassador in Malaysia for the Federal brand, as we hope our local customers will benefit from our product expertise and Rito’s market knowledge.”
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