Germany’s Handelsblatt has reported Hankook’s “attack” on rival Continental. In an article published 22 June, the financial daily shares that the Korean tyre maker has been approved by Daimler for original equipment passenger car tyre supply, and it opines that Hankook is “increasingly proving itself an aggressive challenger to European market leader Continental.”
Market figures released by Pirelli yesterday show Europe continues to be at home to lackluster tyre sales. According to the Italian manufacturer’s data, original equipment passenger car tyre market volumes in May 2012 declined 13 per cent year-on-year, while the replacement segment experienced a ten per cent year-on-year drop. Year to date, volumes in the original equipment and replacement markets have declined seven per cent and 13 per cent respectively. Pirelli’s May figures support data released by Michelin on 13 June; the French tyre maker reported that Europe’s original equipment passenger car tyre market sank 12.2 per cent during May, while the replacement market declined 6.8 per cent.
Four tyre makers at this month’s Reifen 2012 show in Germany spoke of ‘AA’ label rated tyres. One of these was Kumho Tyres, whose new “Ecowing ES01” took pride of place on the company’s exhibition stand. The “all-new standard performance tyre”, as Kumho calls it, will be available in various sizes from spring 2013 and will – at least in size 195/65R15 91H – come with an A/A/71dB label rating. According to Kumho Tire Europe GmbH sales director Michael Zirnzak, the range will be available in 21 dimensions between 14 and 16-inches and feature rolling resistance and wet grip label ratings of A to C. More precise details of each individual tyre’s performance will be released in the near future; Kumho says it will apply label information to all tyres produced after 30 June.
When the latest generation BMW M6 is released in summer 2012, the German manufacturer’s largest M-badged coupé and convertible will be supplied exclusively with Michelin’s Pilot Super Sport tyres. Michelin has not specified which dimensions are covered by the supply agreement, however BMW has selected 265/40 ZR19 102Y for the front wheels and 295/35 ZR19 104Y on the rear as standard equipment on the M6, with 265/35 ZR20 99Y as a front axle option and 295/30 ZR20 101Y as an option for the rear.
Figures released by ACEA, the European association of automobile manufacturers, show that, in May, demand for new passenger cars in the EU was down (-8.7 per cent) for the eighth consecutive month. In total, 1,106,845 new cars were recorded in the region. May 2012 counted on average one working day less than May 2011.
The successor to Falken’s flagship FK452 is now available in the United Kingdom. Deliveries of the Azenis FK453 began in May, and shortly before the range’s local launch, Tyres & Accessories had the opportunity to speak with Falken tyre development engineer Sven Kruse, who is part of the Japanese tyre maker’s Frankfurt, Germany-based engineering team. Kruse talked T&A through the company’s new top high performance tyre, and explained the differences those familiar with the FK452 can expect.
On the opening day of the Reifen 2012 show in Germany, Goodyear Dunlop unveiled two concept passenger car tyres that achieve an A-grading in both rolling resistance and wet grip on the EU tyre label. The company says its long-term goal is to apply the technologies and compounds utilised in these concept tyres, the Goodyear EfficientGrip AA edition and the Dunlop Sport BluResponse AA, to the company’s top green product lines – the Goodyear EfficientGrip and the Dunlop Sport BluResponse. The concept tyres will not be available for sale, Goodyear Dunlop notes.
According to Michelin commercial director Malcolm Scovell, 17-inch and larger passenger car tyre fitments – the sizes considered high performance – now account for approximately 25 per cent of the UK market. And despite a nine per cent decline in the overall passenger tyre market in 2011, this particular segment grew some 17 per cent. New high performance sizes are regularly added to what is becoming a market rich in individual fitments.
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Europe’s largest tyre exhibition, Reifen 2012 has opened today with the show’s organiser, Messe Essen, claiming record numbers of exhibitors – 653 to be precise. Messe Essen also said that the show represents a new level of internationality, with two-thirds of exhibitors attending the show from 44 countries outside Germany. The show, situated in the West German city of Essen, runs until Friday 8 June.
In April, new CV registrations fell by 1.2 per cent in France, 1.6 per cent in Germany, 13.3 per cent in the UK, 28.9 per cent in Spain and 38.6 per cent in Italy. Four months into the year, downturn continued its course (-10.1 per cent) as all major markets shrank. France remained the largest market, despite a 4.7 per cent contraction, followed by Germany (-1.2 per cent) and the UK (-9.8 per cent). Spain (-24.1 per cent) and Italy (-36.7 per cent) recorded more severe drops. In total, 589,987 vehicles were registered throughout the period.
Breedon Aggregates reports that it has successfully completed the first major UK trial of a kind of asphalt made partly from recycled tyres on behalf of Transport Scotland. Following the trial in Scotland, the firm will now begin to market the new material, to be called Breedon Polymer R+, from its 18 asphalt plants throughout Scotland and England.
In late April a short stretch of the A90 dual carriageway between Perth and Dundee was resurfaced with the material and a recently-completed ‘grip test’ on the surface has now confirmed its viability. This stretch of road is one of the busiest in Scotland, carrying around 35,000 vehicles a day. Over the next few months the material will be closely monitored against a number of key performance criteria, including skid resistance. According to the company, the early indications are “very encouraging.”
Major Continental shareholder Schaeffler AG has reported a “good start” to 2012. On announcing the company’s January to March results on 29 May, CEO Dr. Juergen M. Geissinger said “we have successfully continued our growth strategy during the first quarter of 2012 despite an increasingly challenging environment. With sales increasing by six per cent, our growth has again outpaced the market. We have managed to stabilise our profitability at a high level.”
Momo, a well known Italian automotive brand most famous for its wheels, has announced that it is launching a tyre range in partnership with Univergomma S.p.a. at next week’s Reifen exhibition in Essen, Germany.
Research and Markets has published a report analysing key elements of the five leading tyre markets in Europe during the period 2011-2015; the UK, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. The report notes the “significant impact” of the 2008-2009 economic crisis, during which all countries experienced reduced sales in 2008 and 2009, which was followed by uniform recovery through 2010, based on essential replacements. Each country went on to experience various levels of sales downturn in 2011.
Japanese tyre manufacturer Yokohama shod two Aston Martin Test Centre cars, 'Zig' and 'Smurf', who completed the arduous event second and third in the SP8 class at the Nürburgring 24 Hours race. The cars finished 26th and 33rd overall respectively. Driven by Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez, chief engineer Chris Porritt, Test Centre director Wolfgang Schuhbauer and journalist Richard Meaden, the No. 005 Aston Martin V12 Zagato (Zig) enjoyed a trouble-free run, despite the demanding nature of the event, the circuit and the rain which began to fall as dawn crept into the sky over the Eifel Mountains.
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