When it comes to high performance tyres, Japanese manufacturer Yokohama says there’s something for everyone in its range. From motorsport-bred circuit tyres to safety and confidence-inspiring replacement road tyres, Yokohama offers a range that caters for drivers from mild to wild.
On 2 February Brazilian firm Iochpe-Maxion S.A. announced its acquisition of wheel manufacturer Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc has been finalised. The company has now established a new combined global wheel business, Maxion Wheels, which will be headed up by former Hayes Lemmerz chief operating officer Fred Bentley. In his new role of Maxion Wheels’ chief executive officer, Bentley will report directly to Dan Ioschpe, chief executive officer of Iochpe-Maxion. The business will have its headquarters in Northville, Michigan, USA.
TGI divested its holdings in its commercial service division, Commercial Tire Service, Inc. (CTS) through a sale to Bentley Truck Services, Inc. “Our aggressive growth plans and commitment to further expanding our footprint in Latin America and the Caribbean has been the driving force behind TGI’s success. After much consideration we have decided to channel our resources and focus on the continued development of our wholesale distribution network”, said Tony Gonzalez CEO of Tire Group International. Gonzalez also stated his gratitude to the Miami-Dade County and the surrounding communities for their patronage and support of CTS over the past six years.
The UK distributor for Yokohama tyres has announced that it will introduce a new winter tyre for vans and light commercial vehicles to the market, with availability set for the third and fourth quarters of 2011. The new addition to the W.drive range, the WY01, will be aimed at van and cargo vehicles and will utilise the same technology as the W.drive tyres developed for passenger cars, according to a Yokohama HPT statement, yielding greater safety when the temperature falls below seven degrees centigrade. The compound has been created to provide increased grip from the late Autumn to the beginning of Spring.
Vredestein has announced a new collaborative partnership with Belgian body styling equipment designer Caractère. The two companies will collaborate in development and advertising along with media activities and trade fairs under the tyre maker’s ‘Premium Styling by Vredestein’ concept. The latest deal adds to similar partnerships Vredestein has already formed with Arden, Carlsson and Lumma.
It probably comes as no surprise that the fastest man on ice is a Finn. Nokian Tyres test driver Janne Laitinen set a new world speed record for driving a car on ice on March 6 when he nursed his Audi – shod with size 255/35R20 97 T XL studded Hakkapeliitta 7 tyres – up to 331.61 km/h (206.05 mph) on a 14 kilometre track laid out on the frozen Gulf of Bothnia near the city of Oulu.
According to the UK distributor for Yokohama tyres, Yokohama HPT, the British motoring public seems to be grasping the benefits of using winter tyres. Even before the recent cold snap, YHPT reported swift sales of its W.drive range of winter tyres, available for the first time in the UK this season. The consensus among those companies selling winter tyres into the British market seems to suggest that this year has seen significant growth, a development predicted in tyrepress.com articles since last year’s cold snap.
It’s been more than eight years since Her Majesty the Queen last had new tyres fitted on her Bentley, and although she’s probably not clocked up excessive miles in the limousine, some tyre and vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing tyres every six years to avoid risks associated with tyre aging. Perhaps with this in mind, a replacement set has been ordered for her 2002 Bentley – a procedure a little more involved than just popping into the local fast-fit centre.
The latest generation Porsche Cayenne went on sale at the end of May, and Yokohama Rubber reports its Advan Sport has been approved by Dr. Ing. H.c.F. Porsche AG as an original equipment tyre on the luxury 4×4. The Advan Sport will be supplied in sizes 275/45R20 110Y XL and 295/35R21 107Y XL. Versions of the Advan Sport destined for the Cayenne were jointly developed by Porsche and Yokohama Rubber and bear "N-0" and "N-1" markings on the sidewalls indicating Porsche's approval. This latest homologation joins OE approvals for the Porsche 911 Carrera 4, Audi S8 and Bentley Continental as well as various models from Mercedes-AMG.
The UK distributor for Yokohama tyres, Yokohama HPT Ltd, has announced it will supply the market with a selection of the company’s W.drive winter tyres; this is the first time Yokohama winter tyres have been available here. Adopted by manufacturers such as Audi, Bentley, Lotus and Mercedes AMG as winter options and recommended by motoring organisations around Europe, the W.drive range is designed to provide grip and safety on snow and ice and allow drivers to maintain control in all conditions.
Scorpion Exhausts has rebranded its range to herald its third decade of activity in the car and motorcycle tuning markets. The British firm based in Ripley, Derbyshire has moved to a new typeface and eye-catching ‘sting’ logo to reflect their increasing investment in the latest design and manufacturing methods. The new brand language has been designed by leading agency WDA, who can count iconic brands like Pirelli, Bentley and Total Oils amongst their eclectic list of automotive blue-chip clients.
Run-flat tyres have been added to the range of Yokohama tyres available in the UK following the arrival of the Advan Sport ZPS (Zero Pressure System). According to Yokohama HPT Ltd, the Japanese brand’s UK distributor, the newly arrived product is designed for fitment on vehicles such as the BMW 3, 5 and 7 series, Lexus GS and SC and the Mini Cooper, to provide drivers with Yokohama performance combined with run-flat capability. The tread pattern on the Advan Sport ZPS is the same as that of the original Advan Sport design, with four central grooves to displace water and the wide shoulder blocks intended to generate high levels of grip while cornering.
Rimcity Wheels, purportedly the only authorised UK dealers for Giovanna wheels – as showcased on world famous tuning programme “pimp my ride,” is offering the new 2010 range of wheels from Giovanna, Gianelle and GFG. In addition, sales of what company reports was its biggest selling wheel of 2009 (the Giovanna Dalar) are said to be “still going strong.”
Some of Rimcity’s latest sales include custom painted Lamborgini Orange Range Rover Sport fitted with chrome 24-inch Giovanna Dalars (January 2010); a white Bentley GTC fitted with matte black Giovanna Dalar wheels (February 2010); and a Matte black Porsche Cayenne Turbo S fitted with Matte Black Gianelle Santorini with a polished lip in 24-inch (February 2010).
A cooperation between Vredestein and car manufacturer Arden has been signed by Apollo Vredestein CEO Rob Oudshoorn and Arden’s Jochen Arden. Through the agreement, Vredestein reports it has now found a partner in Arden for modified vehicles from the premium Jaguar, Bentley and Range Rover and Mini brands.
The UK distributor for Yokohama tyres, Yokohama HPT, has announced that the latest high performance product from the Japanese manufacturer, the ADVAN Neova AD08, will be available in the UK from March. The Neova AD08 is the latest addition to the flagship ADVAN range, reportedly signifying the highest levels of performance, grip and safety Yokohama has to offer. The AD08 is designed to bridge the gap between the ADVAN Sport, designed specifically for high performance road cars, and the ADVAN A048, the company’s road-legal track day tyre.
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