Aston Martin has teamed up with Bridgestone once again, choosing Potenza RE050A tyres for the new V8 Vantage, having previously fitted the ultra-high-performance tyres on the popular DB9. The new car is the most affordable Aston Martin launched to date, and fuses the marque’s traditional style with everyday usability. And like all Aston Martins, it offers electrifying performance and outstanding agility.
Bridgestone has underlined its commitment to educate tyre dealers and fitters about run-flat technology after registering a near 20 per cent increase in participants on its Run-Flat Certificate Programme. A total of 237 dealerships are now certified to replace run-flat tyres after completing the free training scheme – an 18.5 per cent increase in numbers in the first quarter of 2006.
“With a growing number of manufacturers fitting run-flat tyres as original equipment, its vital tyre technicians are up to speed about the technology,” said Paul Turner, Bridgestone UK’s technical training manager.
(Akron/Tire Review – Korea Times) Corporate competitiveness is determined by speed, not by volume, Kumho Asiana Group chairman Park Sam-koo told employees this week. In his speech to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the group’s foundation at its headquarters in Seoul, Park said, “Speed is the controlling weapon in the competition among enterprises in the 21st century.’’
(Akron/Tire Review) Toyo Tire USA Corp. will sponsor both the NOPI Drag Racing Association (NDRA) and the Xtreme Rock race Association (XRRA) in 2006. NDRA includes an array of competitions, including burnout contests, car shows, dyno contests, db drags and bikini contests. NDRA will hold 12 events this year. The XRRA title sponsorship includes the series being featured on Speed Channel’s “Lucas Oil Presents” programme. XRRA events, unlike conventional rock crawling, are timed races.
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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.
The Gislaved tyre range has been extended with the recent addition of the Speed 606 tyre, replacing the current Speed 506. Exclusively available from Viking International the new Speed 606 has a lot to offer the discerning driver.
The new tyre is said to safeguard enhanced handling and cornering stability. It features nuerous sipes with different angles, and block edges in the pattern combined with the fastest modern silica tread compound. As a result Viking representatives described the tyre’s performance by saying it had “short braking distances and outstanding handling.”
Bridgestone has upgraded its Dayton range, introducing the T-rated D110 general-use tyre. It replaces the D100, which is being phased out across Europe from January 2006.
Designed and manufactured with Bridgestone technology, Dayton is aimed at value-conscious buyers. According to the company, the Dayton D100, launched in 2000, has performed well, but the new product gave Bridgestone engineers the opportunity to retain D100’s wet and dry performance, while extending wear life, a key feature in this segment.
QuickSilver has produced a new “Titanium” exhaust system for the Lotus Elise 111R/Exige 2, some 60 per cent lighter than the stock model.
QuickSilver has introduced a stainless steel exhaust system for the new Range Rover Sports Supercharged, which the company says allows the speed and volume of the exhaust gas flow to be increased, thus producing a noticeable improvement in throttle response. There is a choice of two systems available; ‘Sports’ and ‘Supersports.’
In response to continued growth in the H/V speed-rated auto tyre segment in the USA, Kelly Tyres is introducing the Navigator Touring Gold in 17 initial sizes. The Navigator Touring Gold is a premium-touring tyre that carries a 60,000-mile tread life limited warranty.
The new tyre’s tread design provides a consistent footprint for a quiet ride and long, even wear. Three-dimensional tread elements near the centre rib in the five-rib tread design help to evacuate water on wet days. An optimised footprint shape distributes pressure to allow more of the tyre to maintain contact with the road at any given time.
Continental tyres has named the B3081 as the bendiest road in Britain. Continental commissioned research to find out which of Britain’s 6,300 classified roads sets the toughest task for car tyres. At a steady 30 mph, a one-mile stretch of the B3081 between Cann Common in Dorset and Tollard Royal in Wiltshire exerted lateral forces of a magnitude a car would experience on a racetrack like Brands Hatch.
Researchers tested a shortlist of 10 roads, as nominated by Auto Express readers, from across the UK. A standard Vauxhall Astra 1.4 with Continental ContiSportContact2 tyres was fitted with state of the art measuring equipment and an on-board computer to record forward speed and lateral acceleration.
Leading truck tyre dealer and service provider, Commercial Tyres has become one of the first ContiNetwork Partners to implement the ‘all-new’ version of Continental’s online tyre ordering system across its operations throughout the South East of England.
The system, branded ‘ContiOnlineContact’, has been available to dealers stocking Continental product for sometime now, however this latest version of the system has undergone a complete makeover, giving it an entirely new look and dramatically increased functionality. Oliver O’Reilly, product manager for ContiOnlineContact commented: “The emphasis for the system has shifted from being a dedicated ordering tool to a powerful and flexible online ordering and product information resource.”
Viking International is set to launch a new “competitively priced” ultra high performance tyre range – the Millennium. According to the company, the new exclusive tyre comes as the result of massive investment and is designed to deliver “the ultimate in reliability and predictability at the extremes of performance handling.”
Viking reports that it has completely re-engineered its Millennium UHP range and that the line is now available in 36 sizes, fitting 15 to 18 inch diameter wheels. An 18 inch option is set to follow later in 2006. The new European-produced Millennium, uses a unique silica compound and is W – Y rated for speeds of up to 186 mph.
Millennium’s new UHP directional tread pattern represents the very cutting edge in design technology, according to the company. It is currently available in 35, 40 and 45 series to fit wheels from 17 – 18 inches. The directional pattern is available in both W and Y speed ratings.
Unusually for a UHP tyre the Millennium claims to be a class leader when it comes to wear rates. Viking representatives report that this is down to low rolling resistance and point out that an integrated rim protector helps safeguard alloy wheels.
Furthermore, the Millennium’s asymmetrical tread pattern is said to deliver superb all weather handling. Featuring new “tri zone” technology, the Millennium also claims “superior” ride comfort and reduced noise with excellent high-speed water dispersal; superb corning stability and steering response. Available from 40 series to 65 series to fit wheels from 15 – 17 inches, this variation is available in V and W speed ratings.
Mike Curry, managing director at Viking International, said: “The new Millennium range offers an exceptional quality alternative to the more expensive, premium-branded high performance products, with the added advantage of providing significantly better profit potential for the retailer. We will be supporting the launch with a high profile trade marketing campaign running throughout 2006 and we have developed a full range of support including point of sale; signage; merchandise; clothing and consumer / trade incentives.”
He added: “The Millennium range is only available through Viking International and with the rapid growth in the performance market, we are expecting a very high level of demand for this exciting new range.”
The Maha LPS 3000 has now got a new operating system using MS Windows XP. An E.O.B.D connection is available for real time results, plots emission curves against power, carrying out driving trials, constant load or constant speed tests for engine mapping and to simulate a full road test.
The Trackdays.com Show – the first-ever trackday-focussed event of its kind in the UK – gets the green flag on Sunday 30 April 2006 at Rockingham Motor Speedway, Northants. Organiser Ian Raybould, of Trackdays.com, said: “There are car shows and there are motorsport shows, but this one is totally focussed on trackdays, trackday and performance products and driving experiences.
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