We’re often accused of spending too much time either watching films or surfing online, so it is heartening that TyreSafe has provided a good reason to do both. The association has launched a short film for businesses that explains how they can significantly reduce their fuel bills and ensure safer driving by correctly maintaining the tyres on their fleet vehicles. The film can be viewed at the www.tyresafe.org website.
Yokohama HPT has expanded the size ranges of its Mugello and Rivage wheels in the UK. Sized from 17-20”, both wheels are available in staggered fitments to suit a wide range of cars. The Mugello is suited particularly to those requiring wider rims at the rear and is available in Hyper Silver or Matt Black. The Rivage can be specified in either Hyper Silver or Gloss Black with milled edges to the spokes.
HiQ says that the results of its latest car maintenance habits survey suggest that young motorists are putting themselves at risk by failing to take their cars in for annual services. The fast fit network cites not being able to afford the cost or ignorance of the concept of an annual service as the main reasons for this trend. 34 per cent of 500 drivers questioned opted against paying for a service, relying instead on their cars passing their MOTs in a penny saving measure. 57 per cent of those deciding against a service were drivers aged between 17 and 30, suggesting that the trend is rife amongst younger motorists.
First Line is exhibiting Borg & Beck in Moscow at Automechanika, Russia on 27-30 August this year. Dan Joyner, managing director of First Line said: “Last years show was a useful ‘toe-in-the-water’ exercise for us to test the reaction to our products in the market and we were very pleased with the warm reception we received.
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.
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.
On-car brake lathe supplier Pro-Cut believes that its equipment can thrive in providing workshops with equipment that boosts revenue and shortens expended time. The company’s on-car brake lathe delivers on both fronts, according to Pro-Cut, who say the machine is very profitable for the garage and saves the customer a great deal of money. Pro-Cut claims its brake lathe will skim a disc in nine minutes, an axle in 18 minutes and both axles in 36 minutes. The company says the process will cure squeaks, squeals and vibration issues forever, increasing both retail and warranty opportunities for any service centre or dealership.
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.
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.
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.
The number of motorists driving with defective tyres remains at a “dangerous and worrying level, warns TyreSafe, commenting on figures recently released by the Ministry of Justice. The statistics reveal 9,639 people were convicted of driving with dangerous or defective tyres at Magistrates courts in England and Wales in 2011.
Trelleborg Group has inaugurated its latest new manufacturing facility in Xingtai, Hebei, China to manufacture high-performance specialty, primarily agricultural tyres.
According to the company, the latest undisclosed investment is part of Trelleborg’s continued long-term strategy to grow in markets with “favourable potential.” The site produces both radial and bias technology tyres for farming, forestry and agro-industrial applications in sizes ranging from 18 to 42 inches. The manufacturing output from the facility will reach 150,000 units over more than 200 tyre sizes by 2013. It will serve the needs of Trelleborg’s partners by providing local supply to their Chinese facilities, and just as importantly to local manufacturers.
At this week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, Michelin will display its Active Wheel technology, along with other mobility-related innovations, in the FoS Tech Pavilion.
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.
Nokian has called the victory of one of its products in the German car magazine Auto Zeitung’s 2012 4×4 tyre test, which appeared in the 12/2012 addition of the publication, as an “outstanding result”. The Nokian Z SUV secured first place overall and was described as “very good on wet surfaces” with “safe handling characteristics, low rolling resistance.” Auto Zeitung also referred to the tyre as “good value.”
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