Giti Tire has started the global rollout of its ‘Giti Ambassador Program’, a new scheme that aims to bring together social media-savvy drivers who share a passion for driving and Giti tyres.
To meet growing market demand, this year an all-season product joins the GT Radial portfolio. The GT Radial 4Seasons will go on sale in the UK this September, and Giti Tire says initial response to the newcomer has been very positive.
GT Radial’s VW Fun Cup UK team has secured its first ever podium finish, taking third place in the European event at Circuit Zandvoort, Holland. The team was led by Giti Tire’s seasoned race and senior test engineer, Ellis Hadley and ADAC GT Masters Series competitor and Hannover R&D Centre student, André Gies, battling a 26-car field, early safety car interruptions, a non-functioning lap timer and a broken radio in their dash for the dais.
The opening round of the new Formula 3 Asian Championship took place on the weekend of 14-15 July, and all vehicles lined up on the grid at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit were shot with GitiCompete GTR1 tyres. Giti Tire is on board as exclusive tyre supplier to the series.
Thanks to an internal document sent to EU member states and national tyre trade associations, we now have a clearer idea about what form the European Commission’s final anti-dumping measures against Chinese truck and bus tyres may take. The Commission favours a system of fixed, per-tyre duties similar to the preliminary duties introduced in May; the silver lining for Chinese tyre makers is that it has recommended these duties be reduced.
The Giti brand is joining the commercial vehicle tyre portfolio that Giti Tire offers in North America. Giti Tire (USA) is introducing a Giti line-up for long haul, regional, urban/light duty and mixed service applications, and intends to be active in both the original equipment and aftermarket segments within the region.
At the end of May, anti-Chinese truck tyre tariffs were implemented. They included nominal (as opposed to percentage) tariffs at levels that surprised many. As a result, supply shortages and challenges at distributors were predicted. Shuttering of some of the lowest cost Chinese tyremakers is also expected. However, speaking to affected firms during the recent Tire Cologne reveals that many are already prepared to source tyres elsewhere. Indeed, the largest manufacturers have been off-shoring for some time. As a result, virtually all the leading Chinese tyre manufacturers already have non-Chinese tyre production in place. Let’s take a look at who’s got what.
Giti Tire has given its first indication of the measures it is taking to shore up its European position in light of the EU tariffs introduced on commercial vehicle tyre produced in China. Presenting two of its most popular tyres, including the Giti GTR955 Combi Road, with “Made in Indonesia” highlighted on their sidewalls, the manufacturer is showing it is capable of shifting European truck tyre production to its Tangerang manufacturing complex in Jakarta, following a development completed in late 2016.
The Team Oliver Racing truck on Giti’s CV Show stand launched the tyre manufacturer’s involvement in the British Truck Racing Championship 2018, both as sponsor of Team Oliver Racing and through its global competition truck tyre, the Giti Race-Tuned v1.
Giti Tire launched its planned transition from the GT Radial brand to the eponymous Giti commercial vehicle tyre range at the CV Show in 2017. One year on, Tyres & Accessories travelled to the Birmingham NEC to meet Tony McHugh, TBR sales and marketing director UK at Giti Tire, to ask how the transition has progressed in the intervening year, catch up on the latest range developments, and find out the story behind the Team Oliver racing truck on its stand.
Giti Tire has become the Official Tyre Partner of the F3 Asian Championship, a new five-round, 15-race series Certified by the FIA. At each event the tyre manufacturer will provide all teams with two sets of GitiCompete GTR1 tyres, part of the company’s comprehensive range of competition racing tyres which are used in events around the world.
Giti Tire reports that its preparations for The Tire Cologne are in full swing. The tyre maker will be there with its two core European brands, Giti and GT Radial, displaying a range of original and aftermarket equipment for passenger car, 4×4, light and heavy truck.
Team BRIT has spent a day receiving coaching from key sponsor Giti Tire’s test engineers at leading UK research and development facility, Horiba Mira. The team aims to become the first ever all-disabled team to compete in the Le Mans 24 hour race with its revolutionary use of adaptive technology.
Giti Tire will display its new Giti GTL925 high cube trailer pattern in size 445/45R19.5 at the CV Show 2018 (National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham; 24-26 April, 2017; Stand 4G60). The tyre makes its event debut at the show, where the global manufacturer will also unveil an exclusive tyre for a whole new application.
Giti Tire has announced a second OE supply contract with the Volkswagen Group in Europe. Following the contract to equip the Seat Ibiza, produced at the Spanish manufacturer’s Martorell plant, Giti Tire has now been chosen as an OE tyre supplier for the new VW Polo. Built at VW’s Pamplona factory, the Polo will roll off the assembly line wearing 185/70 R14 88H GitiSynergyE1 tyres.
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