Dunlop is looking forward to the newly refreshed European Le Mans series, describing it as a “major step forward in securing the future of endurance racing in Europe.” But this also means that the company will not supply the 2013 American Le Mans Series.
Continental, in collaboration with Safe Kids China, has launched the Youth Safe-Driving Program 2012/2013 at Tongji University in Shanghai.
Under the motto, "Be a Responsible Young Driver", the two-year program aims to enhance road safety awareness and promote safe driving behaviour among young drivers as well as reduce road injuries. Representatives from the Shanghai Municipal Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Automotive Studies School at Tongji University joined student ambassadors at the opening ceremony.
The Road Haulage Association has welcomed the news that the Scottish National Party are to vote against the 3ppl fuel duty increase planned for January 2013.
With 12 million sector-related jobs the automotive industry is vital for Europe's prosperity and job creation. The automotive industry as a whole (automotive producers, supply chain and aftermarket, including thousands of SMEs) is of strategic importance to the European economy, representing 12 million direct and indirect jobs, 4 per cent of GDP and a €90 billion trade surplus (in 2011). This industry is the biggest private investor in research and innovation, spending around €30 billion annually.
Richard Rose has been appointed VP of sales and marketing at Titan International, the company’s board of directors announced. The appointment is effective 1 November 2012.
PricewaterhouseCoopers Automotive partner Phil Harrold has forecast a continuing “renaissance” for the British automotive industry. The analyst suggests the next five years will see the sector improve its workforce’s skills base following recent investments by major brands such as Toyota, and rises in new car registrations. Harrold commented after the firm’s auto analyst arm, Autofacts, predicted global production figures would top 83.19 million in 2013 up from 79.1 million this year.
Authorities say that Europe has taken a major step forward in vehicle safety from 1 November 2012 as a basket of new safety requirements for new types of motor vehicles comes into force.
Measures which become mandatory include safety belt reminders, safety requirements for electric vehicles, easier child seat anchorages (ISOFIX), better protection of passengers against the displacement of luggage in case of the accident and the fitment of a tyre pressure monitoring system. In addition, cars will be also equipped with gear shift indicators to help drivers save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions.
Almost half of motorists believe that traffic stopped at an incident should keep a lane space free for emergency service vehicles, according to the latest poll by the Institute of Advanced Motorists.
They also agree that those who fail to get out of the way of an emergency vehicle should be fined. This approach is being trialled in Europe.
Netherlands based, Gaither Tool Europe BV made its debut as an exhibitor at Brityrex 2012 supporting its UK partners, Rema Tip Top UK, on its stand. While its primary objective at the event was in support of Rema Tip Top, Gaither also further promoted two specific ranges from the company's comprehensive brand portfolio, the crowd-pleasing Bead Bazooka.
Falken continued its programmes in the German VLN championship and Nürburgring 24 Hours, UK and Europe drifting championships as well as the American Le Mans Series, while a major development project for the Japanese tyre maker was its return to Pikes Peak with tyres for an electric car. At the Nürburgring Falken returned its Porsche 997 GT3 R with a new 2013 tyre compound and construction. Pole in an early round suggested the team had pace but the car went off in the rain, forced to retire. In the ALMS, Falken’s Porsche faired better, scoring a victory at Baltimore.
The safety benefits of fitting winter or cold weather tyres are still not fully appreciated by many fleet operators in the UK. And the relatively mild winter in the UK last year may well have lulled fleet managers into postponing a decision to fit winter tyres to their van or car fleets. That’s according to Delticom, Europe’s leading online tyre retailer, which is also a specialist in the supply and fitment of winter tyres. Operating in the UK fleet market as fleettyres24.co.uk, the company is drawing on its considerable experience of winter tyre sales throughout Germany and elsewhere in Europe where these tyres are compulsory and necessary over the winter period.
As part of its third quarter/nine month financial results, global tyre manufacturer Michelin also published its latest tyre demand details, which give a view on how markets are performing in different segments in various parts of the world. The figures are broken down by region and segment and are then split by OE and replacement market demand.
Bridgestone’s Blizzak LM-80 was the clear winner of German automobile club ADAC, TCS and ÖAMTC’s new SUV/CUV winter tyre tests (size 215/65 R16 on a Volkswagen Tiguan), while its Blizzak LM-32 received the association’s highest snow ranking. The passenger car tyre was awarded AutoBild’s highest winter rating, published in early October.
Sergio Marchionne, president and CEO of Fiat, painted a bleak picture of the immediate future for his industry in a message to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA).
The world’s largest vehicle wheel manufacturer, Maxion Wheels, has completed its project to double production of cast aluminium wheels in Manisa, Turkey, near the city of Izmir. With this week’s official opening ceremony for the facility – which is promoted as a second plant – annual capacity has increased to four million units. This means the Manisa site is not only the company’s largest in this product segment, rather it is – along with the Borbet facility in Bad Langensalza, Germany – the industry’s largest plant in Europe.
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