Italian sports car manufacturer Maserati has homologated Continental’s ContiSportContact 5 P for the new Quattroporte. This is the first approval the German tyre maker has ever received from Maserati, and the tyre will be supplied in six 19 to 21-inch sizes in line with equipment specifications and engine size. The tyres built specially for the Quattroporte will be marked with the letters “MGT” to avoid confusion with other tyres from the same series.
Maxam Tire International has launched a new all steel radial OTR tyre. The Maxam MS405, an E4 tyre, is aimed specifically at the ADT (Articulated Dump Truck) market and the new MS405 design incorporates an extra deep E4 tread depth, which, combined with the tyre's wide flat profile and reinforced side walls, offers excellent stability, flotation and traction.
Toyo Tires has launched a new tyre promising the highest levels of safety, grip and wet-weather performance in an attractive case design that comes in many sizes and fitments. The new Proxes CF2 offers outstanding all-round ability and excellent value for money.
Ideal for medium and high-powered cars, the CF2 utilises the very latest materials and production methods, drawing heavily from Toyo’s UHP and Motorsport ranges to create a tyre that offers exceptionally high levels of safety, durability, and comfort.
The Firenza ST-05A high performance range offers a competitively priced option as a quality mid–range brand for both the UK and European markets specialising in an impressive combination of safety at high speed with drive comfort. That’s the view of the brand’s UK representatives, who pitch the products at “sports minded” drivers.
Goodyear’s Sava Tyres brand has launched a new range of 17.5” truck tyres for regional and local delivery vehicles. The range comprises three tyres: the Avant 4 is for steer axles, the Orjak 4 for drive axles and the Cargo 4 for trailers. The Slovenian brand says the new tyres are designed to meet the needs of the cost-conscious vehicle operator engaged predominately in regional haul and delivery operations. The tyres are suited for a wide range of vehicles including articulated trucks, rigids and a wide range of trailers.
GT Radial exhibited its first city bus tyre in addition to displaying its GT Assist programme at the CV Show. The GAU861 has an extra reinforced sidewall protector to ensure maximum resistance to curbing and impact damage, while its tread pattern comes with a new depth of 20.2mm to improve mileage performance. Available initially in 275/70R22.5, the tyre can be used in both steer and drive positions on both 4×2 and 6×2 configurations and is M+S marked indicating excellent traction in mud and snow conditions.
Falken Tyre Europe has added the first all-season tyre to its portfolio. The Euroall Season AS200, which will be available from July in 27 dimensions, is described as a product that “offers improved traction on dry, wet and even snowy roads without compromising on comfort” along with “significantly reduced tyre rolling noise and shorter braking distances.”
Nexen Tire has announced it will supply original equipment tyres to Mitsubishi’s Outlander Sport. A press release on the tyre maker’s Korean website states that supply of the N’Priz RH7 high performance tyre begins this month. In addition to domestic market sales, the US-produced Outlander Sport will be sold in Europe.
Michelin introduced the latest version of its road crane tyre range, the X-Crane+, at Intermat in spring 2012, with the product available since last summer. The tyre provides users with three important advantages: increased longevity, operator comfort and safety, and easy mounting to maximise uptime. The previous generation crane tyre, named sans +, was described as the market standard setter, but the new tyre, available in the segment’s best-selling 445/95R25 size, extends these properties, according to the French giant.
Goodyear has released details of two new speciality tyre products, the EV-4C, and the RT-5D – designed to be used in port and industrial applications respectively – at Bauma (covered earlier in this issue). The EV-4C is designed to be used mainly on straddle carriers. Featuring an innovative tread to reduce lug-induced vibration the tyre increases operator comfort and promotes even tread wear. It has a nylon sidewall reinforcement to reduce the risk of impact damage, while the breakers and carcass are stronger for greater stability and productivity. The tubeless tyre is available in sizes 16.00R25 and 480/95R25.
US transportation body the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall on almost 12,000 tyres. What makes this recall stand out from the crowd is that the tyres in question were previously recalled – and then resold.
A French study has demonstrated the effectiveness of Improved Flexion (IF) tyres at reducing soil compaction compared to a set of caterpillar tread tracks. The study, organised by the French National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (IRSTEA), measured the soil compaction rates on a 3.5 hectare plot of farmland after a loaded combine harvester fitted with three different mobility options – a set of Michelin CerexBib 800mm IF tyres, a set of CerexBib 900mm IF tyres and a set of three 760mm roller caterpillar tread tracks – passed over it.
Bridgestone Europe has released a new Bandag brand all-season coach and bus tread, a product claimed to offer “impressive mileage performance with [the] same tread depth and lighter to equal weight than its predecessor.”
Kenda has launched a new passenger car tyre designed with a strong focus on decreasing fuel consumption. Hosted by Varga Trading Co., Kenda director James Lo unveiled the newly developed eco tyres in a presentation that also showed the new tyre’s low noise pattern design, addressing another EU tyre label category. Other speakers included Dr Hongder Chang, Kenda’s general manager, who outlined the company’s goal of generating sales of US$2 billion, and dealers Mohammad Shahid, from Pakistan and Nassib Daher from Lebanon. The KR 30 is manufactured in Taiwan.
Bridgestone has announced a promotional £30 per pair (35 euros in the Republic of Ireland) discount for bikers purchasing the manufacturer’s latest premium products in May and June through Biker’s Club retailers. Bridgestone’s UK & Ireland motorcycle tyre sales manager Andy Whitehead says that the offer is a response to the challenging start to the 2013 season, with unseasonably cold weather delaying many bikers’ first ride of the year. “We have never done anything quite on this scale before and we are hoping that it will capture our customers’ imaginations,” Whitehead said, adding that the promotion is designed to reward loyal customers, who will qualify for the discount merely by mentioning the promotion at Bridgestone Biker’s Club retailers.
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