OFFBEAT
What happens when a vehicle manufacturer replaces alloy and rubber with ice? Wonder no longer – a team of UK ice sculpture specialists was commissioned by Lexus to answer this question by fitting a Lexus NX with a unique set of wheels and tyres made from frozen water.
DC Comics in the role of Lex Luthor? The US-based company has taken exception to the life and deeds of ‘Super Tyre Guy’ and thrown its considerable weight behind erasing the tyre-themed superhero from existence. Super Tyre Guy is the character created by a New Zealand tyre shop trading under that name. Or rather he was, until a letter sent by DC Comics’ legal representative killed off Super Tyre Guy far more effectively than kryptonite could possibly dispatch his more famous – and trademarked – caped inspiration.
On 20 May 2015, Uniroyal celebrated the golden anniversary of its ‘Giant Tire’. The 80 foot (24.4 metre) tall model tyre – the largest ever made – was feted by an event at its home in the Detroit suburb of Allen Park. The Giant Tire sits at the entrance to the site where the Uniroyal – now part of the Michelin Group – sales office was formerly located.
Premium car rental company, Avis, has created the Avis Driving Ratio (ADR) to solve one of the longest running debates amongst car enthusiasts and determine once and for all which is the UK’s best driving road. When applied to three UK roads which are often cited by motoring forums, car clubs and the media as the nation’s best due to their stunning locations and challenging drives, the Avis Driving Ratio (ADR) identifies the A591 from Kendal to Keswick in the Lake District as the nation’s best driving road.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has discovered four people have been captured at speeds in excess of 120mph on roads in Wales in 2014 – with one being caught at 136mph.
Comparative tyre tests sometimes deliver surprise results, however there usually is a clear winner and loser. Not so in testing performed by Auto und Sachen magazine. The German publication selected nine size 205/55 R16 tyres produced by European and Asian manufacturers and rated them for various wet and dry criteria, and for environmental performance, in a ‘double blind’ test. All good so far: But the Auto und Sachen testers unwittingly tested one of the nine tyres twice, and voted it both the winner and wooden spoon recipient in the magazine’s “test of ten tyres”.
New research from car hire company Europcar reveals that traffic, road works and delays on public transport are the three things that Brits hate most for wasting their time. Released to mark the launch of their new car hire service – ToMyCar – the Europcar research reveals that other lost minutes and hours in the day are blamed on slow internet connections and resetting passwords. However, travelling to and from work is something that most people do every day and it’s the hold-ups involved in that journey that annoy Brits the most.
It may be that taste is the sole inutile sense to a car salesman. The power of seeing, touching, hearing and smelling a new vehicle are well documented, and the latter’s popularity has been heralded once again by Yorkshire dealer, ColinAppleyard.com. The famous appeal of the “new car smell” has trumped bacon, cut grass and even baking bread in a new poll conducted by the site.
Nissan has become the first manufacturer to apply glow-in-the-dark car paint to showcase how its market-leading, all-electric Leaf is helping more and more people convert to solar energy at home. The manufacturer worked with inventor, Hamish Scott, creator of Starpath, which is a spray-applied coating that absorbs UV energy during the day so that it glows for between eight and 10 hours when the sun goes down.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has lifted the lid on the worst examples of excessive speeding caught on safety cameras across England and Wales in 2014. Britain’s two worst speeders were caught at 146mph, both by Kent Police on the M25. One was travelling anti-clockwise at Junction 5 at Clacket Lane Services, the other going clockwise at Swanley.
A survey of 1,500 British road users conducted by the website Flexed.co.uk has identified the top causes of the nation’s road rage. As drivers, we all have our pet peeves; according to the survey responses, most drivers can identify something that grinds their gears – and it appears to be everything.
Trolley case wheels are often nasty little castors that punish travellers with high rolling resistance and scrape noisily along the footpath. In one much-loved tourist destination, they’ve got on the authorities’ nerves so much that their use may soon attract a hefty fine. But never fear – the trusty tyre is here to save the day.
Europcar, the leader in car hire services in Europe, has conducted a piece of light-hearted research to find out about the driving traits of the perfect man – at least as far as women are concerned! 2,000 women were polled and more than 1 in 5 said they see their perfect man driving a convertible. Audi was the top brand for all types of car. And when it comes to the perfect motoring getaway, 35 per cent voted for a trip along the Italian Amalfi coast in an open top sports car.
Car manufacturers are often all too keen to compare the cabins of their new vehicles with the cockpit of a jet fighter, but even if they have the Gloster Meteor in mind it appears such claims hold little water. An investigation by Autocar magazine has shown how ridiculous this oft-used assertion really is.
Single men and women are Britain’s messiest drivers, while taxi drivers and chauffeurs are the group that keep their vehicles in the best condition. These are the findings of one of the UK’s leading car leasing companies who found the professional drivers are far more likely to care for their cars and vans, while people who consider themselves “time poor” let their foot wells fill ankle deep with rubbish.
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