For a second year in a row Team Yokohama has set a record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The Yokohama Rubber racing team’s electric vehicle set a time of 12:20.084 at this year’s event, which took place on June 26; Team Yokohama shaved 57 seconds off its record 2010 performance.
Didier Miraton has stepped down from his duties as managing partner of Michelin. According to the company, which announced the news in Paris today (21 June 2011), the move is part of “the adjustment in Michelin’s corporate governance and executive management team” and was decided by the company’s managing general partners with the agreement of the firm’s supervisory board. However it also follows reports in Le Monde yesterday (20 June 2011), in which Miraton reportedly suggested that he wanted to leave. Therefore the precise background to this news is not clear.
In order to recognise and reward fleet operators who fuel the growth of India’s economy, Apollo Tyres has introduced the Apollo Fleet of the Year Awards. Through these awards, Apollo intends to annually honour commercial vehicle fleets that operate in India and encourage the uptake of innovative practices within the sector. The tyre maker says it is “looking to create a platform for information exchange and sharing of best practices within the transportation industry, enabling more and more fleet owners to move up the value chain.” The first awards ceremony, covering four categories, will be held in September 2011.
Michelin has launched its new SprayBib agricultural tyre into the UK and Irish tyre market at Cereals 2011, which runs today and tomorrow. The tyre was debuted in the USA at SIMA in February; it is the first row-crop sprayer tyre to feature the brand’s Ultraflex technologies, which allow tyres to operate at lower pressures, helping to increase contact patches, in addition to increasing traction, comfort and road speeds.
Toyo Tire USA Corp has announced the increase of its dealer base price list on commercial truck tyres by an average of nine per cent. “While Toyo Tires is determined to keep prices to a minimum, the continued increases in raw material costs make it necessary for us to raise our prices at this time,” said John Hagan, senior director of sales.
With its latest steer axle radial, Michelin North America has laid out a challenge to all comers by guaranteeing 30 per cent greater removal mileage than any competitor. Michelin adds that the new Michelin XZA3+ Evertread steer tyre is also fuel efficient, as shown by its EPA SmartWay verification.
Yokohama Rubber has begun original equipment supply for Toyota’s new Prius ἀ, or alpha, in the Japanese market. The hybrid car, which went on sale May 13, is fitted with the Advan dB in size 205/60R16 92V.
According to Continental, two new tyres it has launched “provide exactly the right answer to the diverse challenges of regional and cross-regional transport.” This assertion refers to the German manufacturer’s LSR1+ steer axle tyre and LDR1+ drive axle tyre; 17.5-inch fitments that Conti says prove their qualities in both urban and long-distance use.
At the start of June, Heuver Tyrewholesale began acting as exclusive European distributor for a new private label, the Athlete Wheels truck range. The Chinese-produced brand is initially available in a number of high-demand sizes, such as from 6.75×17.5 to 14.00×22.5-inch, with truck and trailer wheels available for delivery from stock. Company director Bertus Heuver states that further sizes will be introduced during the course of the year. In all, 500 different designs are produced at the factory where Athlete Wheels are produced, a total of ten million units per annum. All Athlete steel wheels are TÜV approved and are ISO9001 certified.
Insurance company Admiral has found motorists using their cars less and ignoring problems with their cars – including replacing tyres – due to rising motoring costs. Half of UK motorists say they have reduced the amount of driving they do due to the rising cost of fuel, while more than nine out of ten feel ripped off by the current price of petrol and diesel. These are some of the findings of new research by car insurance expert Admiral that illustrate how motoring costs are affecting many drivers.
This week is National Tire Safety Week in the US, and the Rubber Manufacturers Association has used the occasion to highlight low levels of tyre inflation proficiency amongst American motorists. Using figures gained from a survey conducted as part of the RMA-sponsored safety week, the trade association states that only 15 per cent of US motorists know how to correctly check tyre pressure. This is serious business as, the RMA notes, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports under-inflated tyres contribute to more than 600 highway fatalities and 33,000 injuries each year. Furthermore, under-inflated tyres cause US drivers to waste almost five billion litres of fuel each year.
Leading forged aluminium wheel brand xlite has announced that it will become available worldwide due to an exclusive trademark agreement between its European distributor, Motor Wheel Service, and manufacturer Wheels India. Under the terms of the ten-year agreement between MWS and Wheels India, all of the forged aluminium wheels produced by the manufacturer will feature xlite branding on the products, boxes and cleaning kits, creating a global standard for the end user.
Avon Tyres is continuing its centenary celebrations with a special one-off showbike that made its public debut at this weekend’s Isle of Man TT races. Avon’s UK sales manager Gary Bretherton says: “We wanted to have a machine which truly reflected the modern edge of Avon Tyres and its products and the Yamaha YZF-R6 really fits the bill. The bike itself is fitted with a number of go-faster goodies and of course Avon’s own VP2 Supersport tyres. We have used the bike in posters and other promotional literature quite literally ‘reflecting’ a classic motorcycle from an earlier era. This shows both the proud history of Avon Tyres along with the cutting-edge product that our customers rely on to this day.”
Stoke-based bus and coach operator Bakers Coaches says trialling Michelin’s X Energy SaverGreen tyres is the next step in a series of fuel-saving initiatives it is undertaking. The company was awarded an Environmental Business Award for its commitment to reducing carbon emissions at local newspaper The Sentinel’s Business Awards ceremony in March 2011 for its pro-environmental activities. These include the construction of an eco-friendly operating centre in 2007 and recent fleet-wide installation of advanced GreenRoad vehicle telematics and Masternaught tracking technology.
Automotive logistics firm Blue Dragon Transport has appointed ATS Euromaster to supply and service tyres across its fleet of 20 trucks and 28 trailers. The Nottinghamshire company ended its previous agreement with a local supplier after ATS Euromaster offered to carry out a free fleet inspection and highlight issues it thought might be affecting its tyre budget. ATS-E considered the company’s “lack of brand consistency was contributing to unpredictable fluctuations in tyre expenditure”.
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