(Akron/Tire Review) News reports say that Pirelli SpA may throw its hat back into the Formula One tyre ring. According to Autosport magazine, Paul Hemery, head of Pirelli’s motorsport programme, said the company was considering all of its options after FIA began accepting bids for tyre suppliers for the 2008 season.
(Akron/Tire Review) Continental AG expects its U.S. operations to continue losing money at least through this year, according to an interview by Euro magazine with Alan Hippe, Continental’s CFO and president of Continental Tire North America (CTNA).
Michelin is running a consumer promotion offering a free digital alloy pressure gauge worth £19.99 to anyone purchasing a pair of its Pilot Power tyres from 1 June. Dealers wishing to take part need to buy a minimum of five pairs of Pilot Power tyres and will get their name and contact details on Michelin’s website.
During July and August there will be supporting advertisements in the September issues of Fast Bikes and Superbike Magazine telling readers to visit the website for details of participating stockists.
The Fulda Progesso performance summer tyre has won two categories in the latest summer tyre test of German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, part of Europe’s most popular network of car magazines. Ranking first, in two critical areas: ‘traction and ‘aquaplaning,’ Fulda Progresso beat off strong competition from 10 other tyre brands achieving 20 out of 20 in aquaplaning and 10 out of 10 in traction.
Fulda has announced it will exhibit at this year’s French Car Show to be held at Bruntingthorpe Proving Grounds on Sunday 28th May 2006. The UK’s only all-French Car Show will entertain a massive variety of standard, performance and modified cars with over 45 French car clubs, 80+ traders and over 10,000 true enthusiasts expected.
Fulda Tyres and Performance GTi Magazine have teamed up to provide the live skills test track. Here volunteers will be put through their paces on the track on their standard tyres before being fit with Fulda Exelero, their latest Ultra-High-Performance tyre to see the difference.
Next month’s Tyres & Accessories features our annual coverage of the wheel market. This time the magazine will provide in-depth analysis of what is going on in the undeniably influential Chinese manufacturing base balancing this with coverage from much closer to home. Pick up April’s magazine for industry leading editorial content in this segment.
Bridgestone Europe has announced that it will sponsor a new category – Best Safety Innovation – in the Interior Motives Design Awards in 2006. Organised by the automobile design magazine Interior Motives, the annual awards promote the importance of innovation in vehicle design by challenging design students from around the world to make their mark on future car design. Winners are rewarded with prizes and the chance to receive recognition from top figures in the international automotive design community.
Goodyear has been aiming to help reduce the risks associated with the traditional April shower by promoting wet weather safety on the radio. Goodyear has been tackling this head on with a series of interviews promoting wet weather safety on radio stations up and down the country. After all, 32 per cent of road accidents occur in the wet.
Viking International has further extended its best-selling Barum range to give customers greater choice. With a reputation for quality products at competitive prices, Viking International has introduced 12 new Barum sizes in V and W speed ratings to its existing range of 81 tyres. In addition, point of sale material will be made available to support the new range.
Have you turned a boring and average motor into a blinged up, racing machine? If so, a new national competition from Auto Trader might interest you. The well-known magazine’s ‘Curves and Chrome’ competition is looking to find the “Best Amateur Modified Car” which will win £4,000 in cash and the “Best Professional Modified Car” which will win three weeks of advertising, with a full page advert, in their local Auto Trader magazine.
The new Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier scored another significant victory in its second major international comparative tyre test; this time by German magazine PS.
The test confirmed the result published last month carried out by US magazine, Sport Rider, which compared the top road tyres on the market. The Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier was pitched against the latest offerings from Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone, Avon, Metzeler and Continental in a gruelling assessment of traction, braking, steering response and general handling qualities.
(Akron/Tire Review) Mitch Schneider, nationally recognized automotive service professional, author and lecturer, has joined Babcox Publications as a senior contributing editor.
Beginning in July, Schneider’s popular commentary will appear monthly in Babcox’s Tech Group publications, including Brake & Front End, ImportCar and Underhood Service. In addition to frequent exclusives on AftermarketNews.com and Autocarepronews.com, another column written specifically for store professionals will appear regularly in Counterman magazine.
Summer tyre comparative tests carried out recently in Germany saw Pirelli surpass all its other competitors and achieve outstanding ratings. This despite the severity of the tests, conducted by the top car magazines as well as ADAC, the country’s motoring organisation.
These extremely favourable test results repeated the excellent results achieved in recent months by Pirelli’s winter tyre ranges.
So far 50 per cent of those who answered Tyres & Accessories’ question of the month say they are simply too busy to sell wheels. This month’s question asks readers about their preferences when it comes to selling alloy wheels. Do you sell them or are you busy enough moving tyres to worry about the extra expense and hassle of selling wheels? The next 30 per cent of respondents said they order-in wheels as and when. Only 20 per cent say they actively try to sell wheels.
The majority may have said they do not have time for wheels, but the strongest comments came from those who order-in wheels. “I do not believe that there is one tyre dealer nowadays that has no time to sell alloy wheels. Albeit selling alloy wheels through a regular tyre shop would not provide millionaire success,” one reader told T&A. Keep your answers and comments coming (please include your name and contact details) clicking here.. The complete results and report will be published in the April magazine’s wheel report.
A generation of women are choosing cars before kids as material possessions overwhelm maternal instincts. Sales of cars to women are booming with the biggest increase reported among those aged 29 to 44 with disposable income – and without children. According to evecars.com, the British car trade will see almost 5 million car purchases by women this year – half the UK’s forecast total sales. The RAC Foundation has stated that women buy almost 50 per cent of new or used cars, but have a deciding influence on 80 per cent of purchases.
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