Nokian Tyres’ Nokian Z SUV has been rated as “very recommendable” by the German car magazine Auto Zeitung, reports Tire Review. In the magazine’s latest off-road tyre test, the Nokian Z SUV was noted as “the lowest rolling resistance in the test” with “nearly no weaknesses.”
Yokohama’s eco-sensitive “living wall” display, shown at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, has been given Exhibitor magazine’s Bronze Award in its prestigious annual Design Awards, announced in the May 2010 issue. Based in Fullerton, California, Yokohama incorporated in its winning display a new technology developed by NaturExhibitsT, featuring a 90-foot, grassy-like "living wall" that was decorative and left virtually zero waste, according to Jim MacMaster, Yokohama executive vice president and COO.
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Autocar magazine has reported fuel economy savings of “nearly 2 per cent” since it switched the original equipment tyres on its Citroen C3 Picasso – currently on a long-term test – to the new Goodyear EfficientGrip. James Bailey, manager, Corporate Communications at Goodyear commented: “When we launched EfficientGrip, our own testing department proved that the tyre was able to offer 15 per cent better rolling resistance, whilst still delivering the wet braking and wet handling performance that Goodyear are renowned for.
Varta car batteries are the second most popular battery brand in Europe’s largest car market, according to the latest readership survey in one of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport. The annual focused on battery brands and workshops. Nearly 100,000 car drivers ranked Varta second only to Bosch in terms of performance and positive image. Positive responses by readers to the brand rose 3.4 per cent to 69.2 per cent compared to the previous survey.
Wolfrace Wheels has published its new 2010 catalogue, this time in print and two types of virtual edition. The 2010 version of the Wolfrace is said to have already received “a huge amount of positive feedback,” say company representatives.
The brochure features Asia-Tec wheels for Japanese cars, lightweight wheels for your track car or Wolf Design products for SUVs. Some of the new product launches for this year include Wolfrace GB: Roma (a new five spoke 'retro' wheel in five stud fitments in a graphite/polished finish. Sizes 7×16, 8×17, and 8.5×18-inch); Wolfrace Eurosport: Assassin – a split five-spoke design finished in black with polished spoke detail in 6.5×15 and 7×17-inch; and Wolfrace Lightweight: Ultra-Lite – following on from the Pro-Lite, Ultra-Lite the new Lightweight wheel is available in three different colour finishes and in sizes 6.5×15, 7×17 and 7.5×18. The 17-inch version weighs just 8.1kg.
In China, Cooper Tire recently won three awards for its products and marketing campaigns. China's Auto Business Review magazine named Cooper Tire winner of the Creative Marketing Corporate Award for the 2009-2010 China Auto Blue Book, while Auto magazine conferred a 2010 Auto Ads Award upon Cooper Tire for its Cooper Knight campaign. Finally, China Motor Trend magazine named Cooper tyres as the editor's choice in tyre brands.
The world’s top 10 tyre makers now have a new addition in the form of Taiwanese manufacturer Cheng Shin Rubber. Now that almost all the major tyre manufacturers’ sales figures are in, the numbers show that Cheng Shin Rubber – producer of the Maxxis brand – leapfrogged Toyo and Giti Tire into 10th place in 2009. Last year the company ranked 12th on the Tyres & Accessories leaderboard.
Commenting on Cheng Shin’s recent rapid growth, Morgan Stanley’s Taiwan automotive industry analyst, Jeremy Chen, described the company’s 2009 financial results as “very strong.” In his words the results point to the booming Chinese tyre market and to the relative newcomer’s potential threat to existing tyre giants: “The strength and growth of local tyre makers actually are a growing threat to Michelin (for which Chinese sales are currently circa 5-10 per cent of overall sales). However, in reality there is probably room for everyone to grow in China at present…”
The company’s strong margins also garnered praise from the analysts: “We highlight that Cheng Shin's full year 2009 operating margin (20 per cent) remained well ahead of its peers' (12-15 per cent), providing more evidence of the company's strong competitiveness and execution capability. Although we expect margins and profits to fall this year, due to rising material costs, we retain an overweight rating on Cheng Shin, as we continue to see the stock as one of the best plays on China's booming auto market.”
US based company Optima Sports LLC has released its patented CamberTire, and believes we will hear this product name much, much more in the coming years. “This advancement will revolutionise the tyre industry and we are ready to bring it to market," said company owner and CamberTire inventor John Robinson Scott. “The benefits this design offers are significant to a traditionally slow changing industry – we have, literally, reinvented the wheel.”
Auto Express has announced the winners in its 2010 Auto Express Product Awards, and Continental is pleased with the results, commenting: “The magazine has revealed the top motoring products that can really add value to your car and has rated the ContiPremiumContact 2 as the best tyre to do just that.” The range, available in 14 to 18-inch sizes” to suit vehicles ranging from compact cars to executive saloons, was described by the magazine as a ‘true all rounder’.
Australian 4×4 magazine 4WD Action judged the Maxxis Bighorn MT-762 to be the best tyre in its recent mud tyre review. 4WD Action tested 11 tyres over five terrains to determine the best type of ‘all round’ tyre for 4×4 drivers. The 265/75R16 Bighorn emerged in equal second place overall, gaining high scores in the sand, hill climb and swerve tests, and was especially impressive in the mud. “Mud is definitely what this tyre was made for, with no clogging evident. It easily drove the bog hole at low speed the first time, scoring it a perfect 10/10,” the review reported.
A group of Formula One teams has formally asked Bridgestone Corp. to revisit its decision to leave the series after this season. Faced with as many as six separate bids from other tyremakers to take over as a race supplier, a number of F1 teams opted to make the formal request. Following last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, team principals met with Bridgestone motorsport director Hiroshi Yasukawa, who passed the request on to recently seated Bridgestone Europe CEO Makio Ohashi, who was present at the race.
Yasukawa told Autosport magazine that, “After each race meeting we make a report to Japan, so are going to report to our top board members about what has happened this weekend. Mr. Ohashi has also realized that F1 is very important for Bridgestone. I really appreciate the teams’ approach, and we are happy that they still trust in our company and they wish Bridgestone to stay. Maybe we have to reconsider because of the market and the environment. We also understand that F1 itself is more concerned about the environment now, and there is a new power train coming.
Tyres & Accessories has already reported online and in its May 2010 magazine on HiQ’s expansion plans, including the fast fitter’s intention to add 50 new sites to its network this year. According to the company’s franchise development manager, Peter Tye, HiQ is currently in “advanced negotiations” to open new HiQ outlets with fifteen new business partners.
Tiffany Coates has developed a reputation as the "most journeyed" female motorcyclist, travelling long distances on her trusty BMW R80 GS. Her latest oddyssey was a 17,000 mile overland trip, riding on Metzeler tyres, and detailed in the latest edition of Bike Tyrestores' weekly e-mail magazine.
Forbes Magazine has published its fifth annual list of the companies with the best reputation in the USA, with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company ranked 40th. Goodyear says the list is based on the Reputation Institute’s US Reputation Pulse consumer opinion survey, which aims to measure the overall respect, trust, esteem, admiration and good feelings consumers hold toward the country’s 150 largest companies.
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