2 Porsche WEC teams switch to Dunlop tyres
FIA World Endurance Championship Porsche teams Dempsey-Proton and Gulf Racing will run on Dunlop tyres in their global campaigns following comparative testing. Both teams have experience of working with Dunlop in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), where the brand is the sole tyre supplier to the LMGTE class. Both teams will race in the LMGTE AM class of WEC, including the Le Mans 24 hour race.
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Euro Car Parts starts 3-1-1 MOT petition
Euro Car Parts has started a petition in support of the current 3-1-1 MOT test regime. Joining industry voices such as the NTDA and IAAF, Euro Car Parts has voiced concerns that road users’ safety will be compromised if the date of a car’s first MOT is extended to four years.
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Vacu-Lug to present new generation of truck tyres at Commercial Vehicle Show
Commercial tyre retreading and management specialist, Vacu-Lug Traction Tyres will launch the first of a new generation of tyres at the CV Show (Birmingham NEC, 25-27 April). Featuring an enhanced sidewall protection system, the new 245/70R17.5 WZY2 has been manufactured to provide operators with extra protection against kerb wear.
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Leading marques considering Apollo as an OE supply partner
Apollo Tyre’s continued attendance at the Geneva show is about more than just having a stand in a prominent position a high profile motoring event. And it’s about more than communicating the brand value of its Manchester United association or the merits of its latest marketing campaign too. Those things are clearly all in place but – as Tyres & Accessories learnt during the course of the 2017 Geneva Show – this event has always been about building OE relationships.
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Yanchang/Duraturn set their sights on European assets
First ChemChina sent shockwaves through the tyre market by successfully purchasing Pirelli in 2015. This year another Chinese firm – this time tyremaker Qingdao Doublestar – made waves by offering an US$830 million bid for 42 per cent Kumho Tire in mid-March. The obvious question is what is the next tyre-related investment to come out of China?
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Tyre European Network dealers see appeal of multi-language e-jobsheet integration
The Tyre European Network (TEN), which comprises independent and professional tyre dealer networks covering 14 countries, has attended a presentation by CAM International on the integration options of e-jobsheet with the TiDaeX platform, enabling commercial tyre service work sharing across borders and languages. Hosted by Tyrenet in Liverpool, the meeting was attended by TEN service partners including Profil from the Netherlands, Top Service Team from Germany, Top Reifen Team from Austria, Dekk Partner from Norway, and Profile Euro Service from Belgium.
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Michelin launches Click2Sell website solution to tyre dealerships
Michelin has launched Click2Sell – a website solution the company refers to as “a flexible ‘website in a box’ that helps dealers build their online presence and attract new customers with ease”. While wholesalers have done similar things, Click2Sell is believed to be the only tyre manufacturer-backed website-building package to allow dealerships in the UK and Ireland the freedom to promote their chosen tyre range online. And, what’s more, the range can be either primarily Michelin tyres or a premium competitor. Click2Sell is open to any dealership.
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Tyrexpo Asia 2017 opens its doors
This is World Rubber Week, and one of three key events taking place as part of the week is Tyrexpo Asia. The Singapore-based tyre trade exhibition opened this morning, and welcoming exhibitors and visitors to the 11th edition of Tyrexpo Asia, project director Andrew Tan expressed the expectation that the show would be attended by close to 5,000 tyre industry professionals from around the region. More than 250 firms from over 20 countries are also exhibiting at Tyrexpo 2017, he added.
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Pirelli ready for start of ‘revolutionary’ new era in Formula One
Pirelli’s three nominated tyre compounds will deal with new Formula One rules it states are among the most revolutionary in recent history when the 2017 season starts in Melbourne, Australia on 24-26 March. The tyres, which are 25 per cent wider, are expected to support cars that are around five seconds faster than in 2015, and have been designed with a new philosophy: the era of “planned degradation” is over, and the tyres will run with fewer temperature peaks. This should allow the drivers to push hard during every stint, Pirelli states.
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MWSD senior management restructuring the key to wheel distributor’s next phase
The restructuring of Xlite forged aluminium wheel distributor Motor Wheel Service Distributions management team is characterised by company founder John Ellis as “the key to this year”. Add the establishment of the company’s German operations, MWheels GmbH – an important anchor in Europe’s leading market given both MWSD’s pan-European strategy and the current period of flux in Anglo-European relations – the introduction of a new generation of forged aluminium products, and the impending implementation of the EU Roadworthiness Act in May 2017 and it all adds up to an organisation entering the next stage of its development.
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Nexen Tire becomes Man City and the EPL’s first ever sleeve sponsor
Nexen Tire has become Manchester City and the English Premier League’s first ever sleeve sponsor. The move announced today (17 March 2017) at Manchester City Football Academy, came as Nexen renewed its partnership with the top-flight football club for three more years following the initial contract signed between Nexen and Manchester City (Man City) in August 2015. This takes the sponsorship right up to the 2019/2020 season. No specific financial details were revealed, but Tyres & Accessories understands that the new contract represents “increased investment on the previous deal”, according to Man City chief commercial officer, Tom Glick.
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Giti Tire rebrands UK retreading programme Genesis ahead of CV Show launch
Giti Tire has renamed its UK retread programme Giti Genesis as part of its European truck and bus rebranding project. Originally known as GT REE-Tread, the next-generation products will keep the continuity of hot cure bead-to-bead retread tyres only manufactured using Giti casings. Retreading will be conducted in partnership with a leading UK-based operation. Giti Genesis is available in two patterns: the GDR690 regional drive axle tyre is available in 295/80R22.5, 315/70R22.5 and 315/80R22.5; the GTR990 regional trailer tyre is offered in size 385/65R22.5.
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Auto Bild summer tyre test: 6 from 20 finalists given ‘exemplary’ rating
The unworthy have already been weeded out, and now Auto Bild has given the remaining 20 tyres from the original 52 candidates in its 2017 summer test a thorough going over. The size 225/50 R17 tyres were fitted to a BMW 320d for evaluation in a range of disciplines not covered in the preliminary round, including aquaplaning, rolling resistance, mileage and noise. Victory went to the top-ranked rubber from the initial test, the Continental PremiumContact 6.
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Automechanika Birmingham 2017 part of UK automotive’s reshoring efforts
Not only is Automechanika Birmingham 2017 set to be 70 per cent bigger than last years inaugural show, this years event seeks to connect the aftermarket with industry and government to support inward investment. Speaking at a press conference in central London on 9 March, Automechanika Birmingham event director Simon Albert and SMMT chief executive shared how they will bring the UK automotive industry together as part of efforts to “boost supply chain reshoring and make British cars more British” while at the same connecting the manufacturing and aftermarket sectors with each other. UK vehicle manufacturing output has continued to grow over recent
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From exemplary to not recommended: Auto Bild Sportscars tyre test
Tyres are black and round, but a shared shape and colour doesn’t mean all tyres perform the same. This truth was readily apparent in this year’s summer tyre test from Auto Bild Sportscars. The German magazine for sport and performance car fans evaluated nine size 235/35 R19 tyres. One of its aims in doing so was to reveal “dangerous beguilers” amongst the many models on the market today. What it found amongst the tested tyres was performance ranging from ‘exemplary’ to ‘not recommended’.
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