2015 is proving to be an eventful year for Bridgestone. In September Bridgestone re-launches Dayton as a truck tyre brand, following the rebrand of the firm’s independent distribution network as Bridgestone Partners as well as the news that OE sales are at a seven-year high, while buses and other fleets continue to sign Bridgestone contracts. Tyres & Accessories spoke with Bridgestone’s commercial sales director Greg Ward in order to learn more.
At the end of July Toyo Tire Europe GmbH, President Tatsuo Mitsuhata, announced that the Toyo Snowprox S953A has been selected by Audi AG as Original Equipment for the Audi A3 model. The 205/50 R 17 93H XL Snowprox S953A will be fitted to Audi A3 models delivered with winter tyres from the 2015 season.
Toyo brand Open Country A28 tyres have been selected by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation for the firm’s all-new, Mitsubishi L200 pick up. Open Country A28 tyres, in size 245/65 R17 111S, will be fitted throughout Europe to the 5th generation Mitsubishi L200.
UK CV registrations rose 3.7 per cent in July, with strong truck demand outweighing a small drop in vans, according to SMMT figures.
The year-to-date performance for the overall market remained positive, with 2015 registrations up 19.3 per cent. One factor is the operators’ continued drive for maximum efficiency, which was reflected in surging demand for heavier vans and trucks.
Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), show that new car registrations saw steady growth in July – the 41st consecutive month of increases. 178,420 cars were registered – an uplift of 3.2 per cent on the same month last year – while registrations in 2015 so far have risen 6.5 per cent to surpass 1.5 million.
Dunlop has launched a series of videos themed on the brand’s technical partnership with AMG. The release of the first short videos is timed to coincide with Dunlop’s first anniversary as the AMG Driving Academy’s official tyre partner, which extended its four-year technical partnership with AMG Customer Sports. Each of the five videos offers behind-the-scenes access to Dunlop’s technical team, which designs, develops and tests tyres to meet Mercedes-AMG’s highest standards. The first two episodes in the series are available to watch in the main body of this article.
Increased demand for new car purchases has led to increased tyre demand across Europe, according to the latest data released by the European Tyre Manufacturer’s Association. The ETRMA statistics reveal that consumer OE tyre sales were up 12 per cent, while truck tyre OE was up a 21 per cent. The association linked this increase directly to new vehicle OE growth, which in the case of passenger cars, grew 14.6 per cent in the period.
Figures released by ACEA show that, in June 2015, demand for new passenger cars in the EU was up (+14.6 per cent), pursuing the upward trend commenced 22 months ago and marking the largest over-the-month increase since December 2009.
New data from BCA, the UK and Europe’s leading used vehicle marketplace, illustrates the link between rising temperatures and convertible car prices. As summer finally arrives, BCA revealed that average monthly sold prices for convertibles rose by around £250 in June to reach £9,828.
‘Blue is the colour’, according to AA members as it has overtaken silver as the most popular car colour choice. These AA Cars survey results come from an AA Populus poll of 25,810 drivers. AA members’ top choice of car colour for their next car was blue (21 per cent) followed closely by silver (19 per cent), black (18 per cent), and red (14 per cent). Members aged 18-24 top choices are black (29 per cent), blue (17 per cent), and white (15 per cent). Whereas, those aged 65 and over top choices are silver (24 per cent), blue (20 per cent), and red (15 per cent).
Figures from the Motor Cycle Industry Association show that, in June, registrations of scooters and mopeds were down -7.8 per cent compared with June 2014, at 846 units. However, June motorcycle registrations were up 21.6 per cent year on year at 12,282 units. Overall, two-wheeler sales in June 2015 rose 19.2 per cent.
The year to date registration figures are encouraging too, with the sector showing sales over the first six months of 60,965 machines; a 12.9 per cent rise over the first half of 2014.
Reifen Gundlach is celebrating the attainment of ISO/TS 16949, a standard that qualifies the German tyre wholesaler to supply the automotive industry.
However, this is not a completely new development. Reifen Gundlach reports that it embarked on the course for this technical innovation several years ago. Indeed OE-compliant complete wheel assemblies have been rolling off the production line of “one of the most modern assembly lines for the aftermarket in Europe” since 2008 and the firms tyre/wheel assembly business has had quality management system standard ISO 9001 since 2006.
The Honda HR-V will begin appearing in showrooms across Europe this summer, and Falken Tyre Europe shares that purchasers of the compact SUV have the option of choosing Falken tyres as original equipment. Honda Access Europe has approved the size 225/45R18 91W Falken Ziex ZE914 Ecorun for fitment; this is the first partnership between Falken Tyre Europe and Honda Access Europe. Initial batches of tyres are being delivered this month.
Dunlop has that a number of its tyres are approved fitments on the new Jaguar XE. With the XE coming with range of tyre and wheel fitments depending on the trim selected, Dunlop is providing five fitments in total.
Nexen Tire’s N’blue Premium has been selected as original equipment for the Renault ‘Twingo’ and the Smart ‘Forfour’ compact cars. According to Nexen, its tyres will be standard equipment for the two cars, which were co-developed by Renault and Daimler AG.
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