Michelin will celebrate the Citroën DS’s 60th anniversary as enthusiasts create an international gathering this year. The tyre manufacturer has strong connections with its French compatriot, continuing to working with its motorsport teams and equipping all models of the DS sold in Europe.
Pirelli has unveiled new ultra-high performance tyre original equipment homologations for the latest Porsche Macan. The Italian manufacturer’s P Zero, Scorpion Verde and Scorpion Verde All Season are available for original fitment on Porsche’s compact SUV sports car in all conditions.
Now well into the 2015 race season, Alcon Components says this year has seen “unprecedented progress” for the Tamworth, UK brake and clutch manufacturer. Supplying products to Formula E, Alcon also reports US motorsport growth and increased work with original equipment manufacturers, describing the year so far as “a three-way success story”.
Porsche AG has decided to equip its new 911 GT3 RS with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 ultra-high performance tyres. Michelin said the new 911 would run 265/35 ZR20 (front) and 325/30 ZR21 (rear) tyres. The manufacturer says of the latest generation of road-legal track tyres that they “blur the line between motorsport and road tyres.” Porsche also fits the Pilot Sport Cup 2 as original equipment on its recent 918 Spyder, Cayman GT4 and 911 GT3 models.
Allutec is to supply the new Smart Fortwo and Forfour with the 16-inch Poison alloy wheel. The wheel manufacturer describes the Poison as a “timeless” five-double spoke design, with racing black and front polished diamond black finishes available.
The market launch for the latest-generation Škoda Superb is imminent, and Continental reports that two of its tyre models have been selected as original equipment on the luxury saloon. The ContiEcoContact 5 and ContiPremiumContact 5 have both been approved for fitment on the Škoda flagship. Effective immediately, size 215/55 R 17 V versions of the two tyre lines will be shipped to Škoda’s plant in Kvasiny, Czech Republic.
Continental’s original equipment supply to truck manufacturer MAN has grown with the announcement that the MAN TGX EfficientLine 2 long-haul vehicle will be fitted with Conti EcoPlus tyres. The Conti Hybrid and Conti Scandinavia have also been added to the MAN original equipment portfolio.
Mitas Tires North America has signed a long-term agreement with CNH Industrial’s NAFTA group for the supply of Mitas agricultural tyres and GKN wheel assemblies for the New Holland Air Cart models manufactured in the company’s Saskatoon plant in Canada. Six tyre tread designs and eight dimensions have been chosen for the Air Cart, along with a number of wheel designs and colours; complete wheel assemblies will be shipped from Mitas’ factory in Charles City (Iowa, USA). One key size – the Mitas 800/70R38 178D/181A8 CHO SFT – will comprise a significant volume of these assemblies.
Late last month a 1.6-litre BlueHDi 100 S&S Peugeot 208 set a new long-distance fuel consumption record at PSA Peugeot Citroën’s test circuit in Belchamp, France. In the 38 hours that the standard production, 5-speed manual Peugeot was on the track it covered a total of 1,337.19 miles (2,152 kilometres) and used just 43 litres (9.45 gallons) of diesel, achieving an average fuel consumption of 141.2 mpg (2.0 l/100km). The tyres on the record-breaking vehicle were the new model’s standard fitment – Michelin’s Energy Saver +.
The past couple of years have witnessed a build-up of Nexen Tire’s original equipment supply portfolio with European vehicle manufacturers. At the end of 2013 the Korean tyre maker announced its N’blue HD would be fitted to European market Volkswagen Polo models, and shortly afterwards it said the tyre would also be original equipment on the Skoda Octavia and Rapid. News of a third N’blue HD deal, this time for the Dacia Lodgy and Dokker, was issued in June 2014. Now Nexen has announced it is working with two further car makers in Europe: Nexen Tire says its N’blue Premium has been approved for original equipment fitment on the Smart Fortwo and Forfour and the Renault Twingo.
Jaguar has chosen the Pirelli P Zero as the sole 20-inch fitment for the new Jaguar XE. Jaguar was looking for stability at high speeds and good reactions in the wet from the tyre, and as part of the development process – which took just eight months – the P Zero was tested on tracks in the UK, Germany and Spain.
Owners of Hyundai Genesis models in a number of markets are being offered a substitute for the tyres fitted to their car as original equipment. The Korean vehicle maker reports vibration and road noise issues related to the Hankook Venus S1 Noble 2 tyres that were fitted as standard equipment to all models of the luxury saloon, and as a result owners are being offered alternative tyres – regardless of whether they have experienced any problems or not.
Korean tyre maker Hankook Tire has gained its first Porsche original equipment fitment with the supply of two size combinations to the Macan. The Porsche deal covers 18 and 19-inch versions of the Ventus S1 evo² SUV; the Hankook tyres will be supplied in either sizes 235/60 R 18 for the front wheels and 255/55 R 18 for the rear or 235/55 R 19 front and 255/50 R 19 rear.
The latest generation Lexus RX was introduced at the New York International Auto Show this week, and Michelin says it will supply its Premier LTX as an original equipment fitment to North American market versions of the RX that ride on 18-inch (tyre size 235/65 R18) and 20-inch (tyre size 235/55R 20) rims.
Yokohama’s Advan Sport V105 has been chosen by Mazda as original equipment for the latest version of its MX5 two-seater sports car. The tyre is the most recent addition to Yokohama’s flagship Advan ultra high performance range, developed for sports saloons, sports cars and supercars.
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