Andrew is an editor for WhatTyre, Tyrepress, and Tyres & Accessories magazine. He has more than a decade of experience in editing, writing, and journalism.
Pirelli has become one of 37 companies confirmed as Global Compact LEAD of the United Nations. The tyre manufacturer is the only company in the Automobiles & Parts sector at the global level. The Global Compact LEAD gathers the groups with the greatest commitment in the world to the implementation of the Ten Principles of the Global Compact of the United Nations.
Skip hire, recycling and aggregates business PSH Environmental has specified Michelin’s X Mine D2 Pro tyres across its fleet of Volvo wheeled loaders. As a result, the company says it has eliminated all instances of punctures. Nigel Parker, who runs PSH Environmental alongside his brother Martyn, says: “We fit the Michelin product because it is by far the best option for our wheeled loaders. The Volvos are fantastic machines, working in a very tough environment and we use a premium tyre to ensure we get the best out of them and avoid costly downtime.
Falken has been awarded the Best Event Film at the 2021 International Motor Film Awards. The film ‘Whatever Comes Our Way’ was shot in September 2020, during what was probably the most unusual race in the almost 50-year history of the Nürburgring 24-hour race, with hardly any spectators lining the Nordschleife circuit. Another Falken production, ‘Pass the Wheel’, starring Peter Dumbreck in a classic Porsche 911 was also nominated for Best Journalistic Film.
After a Covid-enforced delay, Auto Express has published its 2021 Summer Tyre Test, with Hankook leading a list of nine top tyre brands. Each of the nine tyres displayed strengths in at least one of the test segments. The UK magazine used Continental’s Contidrom proving ground near Hanover in Germany to conduct its objective performance tests, enlisting the help of a local independent tyre tester to get around travel restrictions in the country before verifying the results. The problems of testing tyres in Europe with rules around travel in flux also affected the way Auto Express was able to get tyres to the proving ground; rather than acquire tyres on the open market, it asked manufacturers to send sets, verifying the test-topping tyres against regular production models after the fact. The magazine used the size 225/45 R17, as it had previously in 2018 – a very popular UK size for compact to medium-sized family cars, and in this case one fitted to the tyre test mainstay Volkswagen Golf.
Bridgestone has developed a broad range of technologies and partnerships designed to address the coming wave of electric vehicles. The tyre manufacturer has said its tyre range for electric vehicles will make up one-fifth of its original equipment range by 2024. These tyres contain several technologies that Bridgestone has been developing over the last few years. It worked with BMW to develop dedicated tyres for the i3, i3s and i8 EVs, with its proprietary ologic technology. Ologic offers rolling resistance and aerodynamics benefits. Bridgestone’s Enliten technology meanwhile helps to reduce the weight of tyres by 10 per cent without compromising on wear life – rolling resistance can be reduced by up to 20 per cent, according to the company.
Giti Tire’s Martin Gibson dominated the latest event of the 2021 British Truck Racing Championship (BTRC) at Donington. Giti Tire’s EU Testing Centre and Motorsport UK manager secured two victories, two second places and three fastest laps over five races. The four podium finishes represent his best single weekend return in three years of truck racing for Giti Tire Motorsport. He won races starting from both the front and rear of the grid in the reverse positions format.
Freddie Hunt, professional racing driver and son of Formula One legend James Hunt, is the latest big name to compete in the GT Radial car number 97 in the 2021 Fun Cup Endurance Championship. He follows Isle of Man TT legend John McGuiness and Steve Peat, multiple World and British Downhill Mountain Bike Champion in taking the seat in this year’s series. Racing at Croft with Ellis Hadley, senior test engineer at Giti Tire, the team finished a respectable 10th place having started 17th on the grid for the four-hour endurance race.
The growth of the electric vehicle market is reaching a stage where early adopters are beginning to invest in maintaining their vehicles in greater numbers. Electric vehicles are generally heavier with a different weight distribution to cars with internal combustion engines, but tyre brand Landsail contends that drivers do not need to spend big on dedicated electric vehicle tyres. It says its LS588 and LS388 ranges offer a range of options with the correct load and speed rating for EVs.
Vehicle manufacturers’ accelerated development of battery and hybrid technology to significantly reduce vehicle emissions is being supported by tyre manufacturers. Tyres influence fundamental characteristics, such as the efficiency, the range, and the low running noise of electric vehicles, so tyre-makers are innovating quickly to address these key performance characteristics, while not compromising on the tyre’s core safety functions. Yokohama states that it has played a key role in developing its range of tyres to meet the requirements of this next generation of vehicles.
Michelin approved motorcycle dealer FWR has completed a major depot refurbishment, including the installation of a new two-wheel MOT station. One of the longest standing motorcycle partner dealers in the Michelin Quality Centre (MQC) network is now owned by racer Bob Collins. With the company affected severely by the pandemic, Collins and his team used the time wisely, renovating its site in Kennington Road, London.
Davanti Tyres has become back-of-shirt sponsor of JD Cymru Premier side Bala Town. Bala have enjoyed two decades of success to reach the pinnacle of Welsh football. It hopes the new partnership can help the club build on this summer’s foray into the UEFA European Conference League. Davanti said North Wales independent tyre retailers have “strongly supported the brand” since its 2015 launch, adding that the region has been “a cornerstone” as it expanded its network across the UK and into more than 70 countries. The sponsorship shows how Davanti is investing in raising its brand profile with Bala Town to actively support local retailers through its Make It Happen partnership programme. The brand, headquartered in the North-West of England is also the official tyre partner of Everton FC.
Hankook is supplying its new Ventus S1 evo Z ultra-ultra-high performance tyres for the new Porsche Panamera in 19 and 20-inch variants. The tyre-maker extensively tested the tyre at maximum speed on the Nürburgring Nordschleife racetrack, a popular proving ground for sporty handling and longevity. “The Porsche Panamera is a high performing four-passenger sports car with outstanding comfort,” says Sanghoon Lee, president of Hankook Tire Europe. “As such, we are very pleased to be the first to equip this model, as it shows that our products are extremely competitive even in the high-end segment. Additional tyres for future Porsche models are already in development at Hankook.” The tyre made its debut on the Mini John Cooper Works GP in late 2020.
Pirelli chief financial officer Francesco Tanzi will leave his position on 31 December to pursue new professional challenges. According to Pirelli, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer Marco Tronchetti Provera will introduce a successor to the board of directors at its meeting on 11 November.
Bridgestone has announced a new long-term partnership with electric vehicle charging solutions supplier EVBox. The partnership aims to expand Europe’s charging infrastructure with the installation of up to 3,500 new charging ports across Bridgestone’s European retail and service network – including Bridgestone’s retail brands like Speedy and First Stop – in a five-year project. Bridgestone calls the partnership the latest part of its commitment to help shape a sustainable future of mobility, supporting the adoption of EVs. The project will begin in France and Italy and expand into the UK, Germany, Poland, Spain, and other European countries.
Pirelli is partnering with Geotab, a global leader in connected transportation. The new partnership sees Pirelli’s Cyber Fleet system available on the Geotab Marketplace. The new integrated offer, which aims to assist in improving fleets’ operating efficiency and sustainability, will be rolled out initially in key European markets before being extended to the United States, Canada and Brazil, Pirelli said.
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