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Grouptyre/Pirelli promotion winners get close to rally action

“Brilliant, awesome, it was a trip you could never pay to organise for yourself,” was how Martin Thomas, owner of Halesworth Tyre and Exhaust in Halesworth, Suffolk, described a recent trip to the World Rally Championships. Thomas and his wife Lisa were VIP guests at the Rally of Spain (October 1-3) after winning the top prize in a national promotion organised by Grouptyre, the UK’s leading independent wholesaler, and premium tyre manufacturer Pirelli. The Grouptyre/Pirelli incentive ran from 1 May to 30 June. For every Pirelli car, van and 4×4 tyre that independent tyre retailers bought during the promotion period, they were credited with an entry into a draw, the top prize of which was the Spanish rally excursion.

22nd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Travels to UK for Decisive World Rally Stage

Pirelli has brought its Scorpion-brand rally tyres to the gravel roads of the UK for the final decisive stage of the 2009 World Rally Championship, which begins tomorrow. The roads around Cardiff usually present a tough option when the WRC visits, with heavy rainfall, uneven roads, slippery land, mud and insidious special stages during the Rally GB, but this year, thanks to a change in the scheduling, there is a chance that dry, milder conditions may prevail. Therefore, Pirelli states that it will use soft compound Scorpion tyres as part of the key elements in the race to final victory.

22nd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyotires.eu Reports 352 per cent Increase in Web Traffic

As Toyo retained its 7th place ranking in this year’s online brand equity report, Toyo Tire Europe GmbH representatives have reported that the European headquarters’ website (toyotires.eu) has experienced a 352 per cent increase in visitors since the beginning of 2009. If you include growth since the company refreshed its online presence this time last year, traffic has actually grown by over 3000 per cent. Toyo marketing and strategic planning manager – Europe, Mike Rignall, gave Tyres & Accessories an overview of how the company has achieved this growth, and how it plans to sustain it.

While the tyre business in general has seen better years (although Mike Rignall points out that Toyo are experiencing a much better period at this end of the year), Toyo has clearly experienced strong online success in terms of digital marketing. Rignall wouldn’t put a figure on it, but T&A understands that Toyo sky-high percentage increase figures refer to unique users, which the Japanese tyre manufacturer uses as its preferred benchmarking metric. From Rignall’s perspective, the best part about the increasing figures is the fact that the growth is continuing to date. The number of unique users grew 23 per cent in August, for example, and another 24 per cent in September.

2nd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Grouptyre Continues “Modernising”, Increases Distribution Points

Operating as a national distributor with the ability to focus on a local level, Grouptyre has the ability to develop solid business relationships with tyre retailers and grow its share of the market. Despite the challenging trading environment, Grouptyre’s 13 member companies say they are continuing to invest in the business, making improvements in distribution and upgrading IT systems to enhance the organisation’s overall product and service offerings, improving communications, sharing best practice and developing new business models.

7th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli’s Scorpion Graces Australia in WRC Round

Rally Australia is back on a new route after two years of absence from the WRC calendar, and it looks like being one of the most interesting events of the 2009 Championship.

4th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Mikkelsen, Hankook Geared Up for Barum Rally

Norwegian rally ace Andreas Mikkelsen has completed a successful test in the Hankook Opel Corsa ahead of the Barum Czech Rally Zlin, to be held later this month. The 20 year old headed to the UK for his first taste of the Hankook-liveried car that is contesting selected rallies this year ahead of a full assault on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in 2010.

18th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Avon’s Cobra Tyres Give World Championship Winner Extra Bite

Bike builder Dave Cook has seen his Avon shod ‘Rambler’ crowned as this year’s World Champion machine. The 2009 AMD World Championship Of Bike Building took place recently in Sturgis, South Dakota, and it was Cook’s amazing machine – fitted with Avon’s Cobra tyres – which took top honours. Cook’s creation beat 82 other motorcycles to take top honours.

18th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Federal Sports New Booth in Moscow

International News

Federal Tyres will show off its new trade show booth at the upcoming 2009 Moscow International Motor Show (MIMS). The 13ths edition of the MIMS will be held at the Crocus Exhibition Centre on outskirts of Moscow from Aug 26-30. During the show, Federal will be featuring competition tyres FZ101 and FZ202, its gravel rally […]

17th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone-Backed Drivers Perform Well in Australasian Safari

Bridgestone backed drivers Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki have raced to respectable result in the 2009 Australasian Safari, securing third place overall after 3,500 gruelling kilometres through Western Australia’s outback. Garland and Suzuki, who also have an 11th outright to their credit in this year's Dakar Rally, drove their Isuzu D-MAX to a top three slot after a successful appeal against a two-hour time penalty.

11th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli to Supply BRC Control Tyre for 3 More Years

Pirelli is to continue as the Official Control Tyre Supplier to the MSA British Rally Championship for a further three years. Dominic Sandivasci, managing director of Pirelli Tyres Ltd said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to continue our long term relationship with the British Rally Championship. This is good news for Teams and Competitors alike, as it provides stability and a foundation which will allow the Championship to continue to flourish. Pirelli is committed to developing young talent with a view to driving the sport forward and our new agreement allows us to continue to do this within the BRC.”

24th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Lassa: BRISA Partnership Supporting Distribution

Lassa was established in 1974 by the Sabanci Group, of one Turkey’s leading industrial conglomerates. In 1988 it significantly increased its capacity and product by becoming joint venture partners with the Bridgestone Corporation. This partnership forms the award-winning BRISA Corporation, enabling the Lassa brand to be supported by enormous resources and investment which, facilitates the production of a quality range of Lassa brand tyres.

Now one of Europe’s largest tyre producers, its integrated plant in Kentsa, Turkey covers over two million square metres and is equipped with state-of-the-art design and production technology and a revolutionary dedicated research and development centre. Customers are offered tyre products of superior quality sustained by outstanding service. BRISA supply Lassa tyres in over 50 countries worldwide through distributors who are specially selected for their location, logistics and experience. An extensive range of passenger tyres, high performance and winter ranges are manufactured, along with 4×4, rally, van and light truck, OTR and agricultural tyres.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Rally Tyres “Performing Brilliantly”: Tom Cave

Following a Rally Poland with large measures of success and frustration, young British World Rally Championship driver Tom Cave reserved special praise for his tyre supplier Yokohama, which uniquely provides the rubber for his Ford Fiesta: “The Yokohama tyres worked extremely well for us this weekend. We used the 195 section tyres and the outright grip was exactly what we needed. The tyres were also incredibly consistent and stood up to the conditions exceptionally well. We had no damage or puncture issues at all and they were very hard wearing as well as performing brilliantly.”

The 17 year-old from Aberdovey won 13 of the 15 stages he contested in his class (Group N3, up to 2000cc), but was denied the class victory when the cylinder head gasket on his Ford Fiesta rally car failed on Saturday, meaning he had to retire from the second day and incur time penalties before rejoining and finishing the event on Sunday. Though disappointed with the result, Cave expressed his delighted with the pace that he, co-driver Craig Parry, the team and the Yokohama tyres had demonstrated over the weekend. Commenting after the finish, he said; “While I’m obviously extremely disappointed that we didn’t get the result we hoped for up until the problem with the engine, we can definitely take a lot of positives from this event. Fastest stage time in class with the exception of one proper stage shows that our notes were working very well and the car was perfect, except for the engine problem. I think this was the weekend where everything seemed to come together – at the beginning and the end, at any rate!”

1st July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Launches 4×4 Latitude Cross

In the first week of June, Michelin held the dealer launch of its latest 4×4 tyre, the multi-purpose Latitude Cross – a tyre designed for 65 per cent road and 35 per cent off-road use. Over the course of the week, 90 dealers from around the UK and Ireland attended the event which was based at Ansty Hall Hotel near Coventry. Each day started with a presentation on where the new tyre fits into Michelin’s existing Latitude 4×4 range. After that, the dealers were given the chance to experience the new product themselves. A Land Rover Defender 110 and two Freelanders, two Toyota Hi-Lux pick-ups and two Volkswagen Touaregs were utilised to show the full range of the tyre’s on and off-road capabilities.

19th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama HPT to Support RX Racing in Portugal

The UK distributor for Yokohama tyres, Yokohama HPT, will be heading south to Portugal next month, as it supports RX Racing when the buggies form part of the first regional final towards this year’s Race of Champions. With the 2009 Race of Champions moving to the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing, home of last year’s Olympics, the organisers of the event have responded to demand from numerous countries to join the Nation’s Cup by creating the first regional final. The event, to be held in the Estadio do Dragao in Porto, the home of FC Porto, will see teams from Portugal, Spain, Italy and Monaco fight for a place in the ROC.

The format for the first final will follow a similar one to the ROC, with teams of drivers from every discipline of motorsport competing on a tarmac course laid out in the stadium. Saturday will see Portuguese drivers going head-to-head for a place alongside local Production car World Rally Championship leader Armindo Araujo to form the four-strong team for Sunday’s competition.

3rd June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook to Race in 5 IRC Rounds

Hankook is stepping up its rally activities with plans to contest five rounds of the IRC this year ahead of a full championship assault in 2010. Hankook has joined forces with MSD to run the Opel Corsa OPC Super 2000 on five rounds of the IRC starting with Belgium Ypres Rally in June before tackling rounds in the Czech Republic, Spain, San Remo and Scotland.

Driving the Opel Corsa will be 33 year old Alex Bengue who has already tested the car with Hankook tyres. Bengue will also be supported this year by French oil company Yacco which has been a long term supporter of Bengue in France and at WRC level.

29th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors