Tarox “investing heavily” in quality certification
Italian brake manufacturer Tarox launched its carbon ceramic ultra-high performance braking range earlier in the year, a product that draws on the company’s motorsport experience extending as far as Formula One. It continues to supply quality replacement products for models such as the Mk2 Ford Focus RS, and though the company supplies all car shapes and sizes, its managing director told Tyres & Accessories that it continues to pursue quality certification as a strategic necessity.
Continue ReadingFirst Line's Borg & Beck brake component expansion
First Line’s Borg & Beck braking programme was launched by First Line in February after more than a year’s work. The production team behind the range aimed to ensure that the programme “provides installers with a range of high quality, matching original equipment components designed to rival the ‘genuine’ or OES parts offered by the franchised dealer,” the company says. This meant that when an OES pad set incorporated a chamfered edge, shim, slot, or included a wear indicator lead, then the Borg & Beck pad set would do so too.
Continue ReadingBrembo a "Facebook leader"
Now with more than 100,000 fans on Facebook, brake manufacturer Brembo says it can boast “absolute leader status as a social networker among automotive component manufacturers worldwide”, having reached the milestone of more than 100,000 fans on Facebook. In reaching six figures, the group joins the world's top exponents of digital communication in its sector of interest — namely automotive components — as well as gaining a high profile among brands associated with other categories of merchandise.
Continue ReadingTarox releases Mk2 Focus RS brake upgrade kit
Tarox has released a brake upgrade kit for Ford’s powerful Mk2 Focus RS. The kit consists of two precision-machined 300mm two-piece discs and uprated pads. Also available is a matching rear disc upgrade.
Continue ReadingBrembo brakes honoured by German magazine for 6th time
Brembo has won the Best Brand award from Sport Auto, a German magazine dedicated to sports cars, for the sixth time. The Sport Auto Award 2012 recognised the best accessories in 12 categories including brakes, wheels, exhaust systems and sports seats.
Continue ReadingDunlop EconoDrive targets van operating costs
Dunlop has released its latest van tyre, the EconoDrive. The company says it designed the new tyre specifically to lower the cost of ownership for van owners and drivers, and claims to have employed 12 engineering upgrades and new technologies to achieve this goal.
Continue ReadingManbat targets Europe
In line with its plan to continue the strategic growth of its business Manbat, the UK's largest battery distributor, has set its sights on Europe as its makes its debut appearance at Automechanika, Frankfurt this September, promoting its three key battery brands of Numax, Lucas and VARTA to the European aftermarket.
Continue ReadingTranslogik supplies tyre inspection tools for new 'communicating' tyres
Something virtually all the tyre manufacturers currently using RFID (Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Mesnac) have in common is a connection with UK-based sensor firm Transense Technologies plc. Following the announcement that this provider of sensor systems is supplying the tyre probes being used in Michelin's recently launched “communicating tyres” fitted to buses running during the London 2012 Olympics, it is worth taking a closer look at is both companies’ desire to see the wider market adopt this technology.
Continue ReadingMichelin’s microchip RFID/TPMS tyre first of its kind
In something of a coup for the UK, Michelin chose London as the venue for the global launch of its latest RFID/TPMS truck tyre technology on 19 June. The UK truck tyre business, which has previously been referred to as something of a model for other mature European markets, was selected because it is an area where the French tyre manufacturer is dominant in the truck and especially bus segments. This fact also provided Michelin with a clear opportunity to implement its technology on a large fleet and thereby also demonstrate the performance of its technology to fleets and the market as a whole. Tyres & Accessories visited West Ham Bus Garage in East London to attend the launch of technology and see it in action.
Continue ReadingColoured tyres centre stage for Kama at Reifen
Russian tyre maker Nizhnekamskshina says that if demand for the coloured tyres it presented at Reifen 2012 is sufficient, it will begin commercial manufacture of the products. The producer of the Kama brand presented its Viatti Strada Asimmetrico tyres in white, red, green and blue. At present the coloured tyres are strictly a limited edition item.
Continue ReadingBrembo supplies two-thirds of Le Mans entrants
Fifty-six race cars from around the world took to Le Mans on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 June for the classic 24 Hours of Le Mans, and brake disc manufacturer, Brembo supplied more than two-thirds of the field with its lightweight, long-lasting brake technology. Lightness was of particular importance this year, as Audi’s No.1 R18 e-tron Quattro became the first event-winning hybrid. According to Brembo, most of the prototypes run lightweight monobloc aluminum calipers with carbon-carbon discs, 380mm in front and 355 or 332mm on the rear axle, while GT cars are required to use the heavier cast iron rotors. The Italian brake manufacturer has been dominant in its field at the 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe and this year Brembo supplied 18 LMP prototypes and 18 GT cars, including every Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche.
Continue Reading‘Ultra-fuel efficient’ Goodyear tyre coming soon
Goodyear has revealed that it is on the verge of introducing a new tyre technology "that will help car makers reach new levels of fuel efficiency and CO2 reductions in Europe. No details have been made available about the new technology, which was developed by the Goodyear Innovation Centre in Luxembourg and which is set to be revealed in the second half of this year.
Continue ReadingEkoprena production gearing up for commercial sales
It’s now been six years since Sumitomo Rubber introduced its first eco-oriented tyre containing a form of epoxidised natural rubber called Ekoprena. Yet despite Sumitomo’s success with this product, Ekoprena remains an unknown quantity in much of the wider tyre world. The rubber’s developers, the Malaysian Rubber Board, intends to change this. Last year it appointed two companies to produce Ekoprena in quantities sufficient for its commercialization. Tyres & Accessories recently spoke to Paul Brown, head of the Advanced Materials and Product Design Unit at the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre, the UK-based research centre run by the Malaysian Rubber Board, and he confirmed that commercial production of Ekoprena will get under way this year.
Continue ReadingDunlop demos sport-derived tyres at Rockingham
Dunlop held a showcase of its latest passenger car and motorcycle products, the Sport Maxx RT and the Dunlop RoadSmart II, at the Rockingham Circuit on Tuesday 17 April. 21 sports cars and 32 high performance motorcycles were gathered to demonstrate the tyres a series of workshops and hands-on demonstrations to key customers at the Northampton Circuit.
Continue ReadingThule launches 2012 roof box catalogue
Thule, the world’s largest manufacturer of car roof systems, accessories and roof boxes, has launched its 80-page 2012 catalogue, including its new 520l Excellence box. UK business manager, Peter Barker commented: “The new catalogue for 2012 includes truly innovative products, developed to the high standard our customers expect from Thule.”
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