Golf 8 GTi and 4×4 upgrades to Tread Ltd’s tyre testing fleet
Tread LtdA year after Tread Ltd added a Golf 8 to its vehicle line-up, the testing specialist has once again upgraded its tyre test fleet in a move that includes SUV and 4×4 investment.
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Sport auto UHP tyre test – 5 from 8 candidates ‘very good’
Not all sports car drivers want to compete in track day events, with fast but comfortable a greater priority for many. With this in mind, German car magazine sport auto utilised two vehicles for its 2021 summer tyre test. The chosen duo were the Toyota Supra and BMW Z4, cars that share a platform and come equipped with the same-sized tyres, but developed to satisfy differing customer tastes.
Pirelli 2020 figures reveal high-value tyre segment resilience
Pirelli has joined its global premium-brand tyre manufacturer counterparts in announcing a significant decline in 2020 revenue, around one-fifth down year-on-year (-19.2 per cent). As you would expect, the company said the sharp contraction was due to the Covid-19 pandemic emergency. The more optimistic news for Pirelli was the relative resilience of the high-value car tyre segment, which, at -14.4 per cent, beat the overall revenue figure significantly.
Gulf between best & worst “never larger” – Auto Bild Sportscars’ UHP tyre test
A set of UHP tyres can cost more than £1,000 or less than half that, but you get what you pay for. This is what Auto Bild Sportscars found in its 2021 summer tyre test – the pricier tyres finished towards the top of the results table, while the two cheapest tyre brands were also the worst performers.
Giti launches GT Radial SportActive 2 – 10-15% better wet performance
Giti Tire has launched its new mass-market European UHP tyre, the GT Radial SportActive 2. The second generation of the SportActive comes with a range of performance enhancements, particularly in wet conditions. The GT Radial SportActive 2 will initially be available in 14 sizes for rims from 16-20”, section widths from 205-275, series sizes from 35-55, and with speed indices of W or Y.
Tough ADAC summer tyre test rates only five tyres as ‘good’
FalkenSummer tyre tests in 2021 have highlighted the sometimes dazzling qualities of the best performing tyre products. However, the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobilclub’s (ADAC) most recent test appears to have been particularly demanding. No tyre received ADAC’s top “very good” rating, and only five models were rated “good” over the two sizes tested – 205/55 R16 V and 225/50 R17 Y. There were some intriguing results at the top of the table. Falken confirmed its increasingly impressive performance of recent years by winning the 17” tyre test with its Azenis FK510 flagship UHP tyre. The Kumho Ecsta PS71 also achieved a “good” rating in the 17” test, while Continental group brand Semperit’s Speed-Life 3 achieved an overall result matching the Conti PremiumContact 6 in the 16” test. There was worse news for the 17” Firestone Roadhawk, which became the only tyre to receive an “inadequate” report.
Bridgestone simplifies car tyre range while boosting sustainability
BridgestoneBridgestone has looked to the past, present and the future in developing its most comprehensive consumer tyre range to date, which is more simplified, sustainable and sportier than ever before. The tyre giant has achieved notable positive test results for its latest product range, which, in its words, has been simplified and revitalised in the past two years.
Porsche Taycan sets 102mph indoor land speed record on OE tyres
PorscheUntil recently, the Guinness World Record for the fastest speed by a vehicle indoors stood at 86 mph. That was until Leh Keen’s Porsche Taycan Turbo S was clocked by independent adjudicators at 102.6 mph inside the New Orleans Convention Center. Keen’s all-electric Taycan Turbo S has a maximum of 750 hp, with four-wheel drive to maximize grip, powerful carbon ceramic brakes and the ability to accelerate to 60 mph from a standstill in just 2.6 seconds. And what’s more the record was set on the Taycan’s standard fitment original equipment (OE) tyres. But what tyres were they?
Continental: WinterContact TS 870 coming soon, followed by SportContact 7
Its market launch was actually planned for last autumn, but Continental postponed the introduction of its new WinterContact TS 870 until 2021 for corona-related reasons. The wait is now almost over, as a company representative has confirmed that “preparations to bring the WinterContact TS 870 to market are on schedule” with a launch range that consists of almost 20 SKUs in 14- to 17- rim diameter sizes. And this winter tyre isn’t the only new product that Continental is bringing out – a number of online retailers have already made space for a successor to the SportContact 6.
“New excellence in sports performance” – Bridgestone unveils Potenza Sport
Bridgestone EuropeAt the start of 2021, the Potenza Sport will take over from the Potenza S001 as the flagship of Bridgestone’s tyre range. Bridgestone says the new ultra-high-performance tyre possesses “excellent capabilities in both the dry and wet” as well as higher mileage potential than its predecessor. All 96 dimensions in the Potenza Sport range have an EU label ‘A’ grade for wet grip.
Bridgestone to supply Lamborghini Huracán STO supercar tyres
BridgestoneThe Lamborghini Huracán STO will roll on custom-developed Bridgestone Potenza tyres. The ultra-high performance tyre will help to maximise the traction, handling, control, and extreme overall performance of the new supersports car. The Huracán STO will be launched in 2021.
Conserving costs, maximising business: Apollo Tyres’ response to the coronavirus pandemic
One way or another 2020 has been an eventful year for all of us. The same is true at Apollo Tyres where, at a global level, the company has had to navigate pandemic-related production pauses and restarts along with new factory openings and the decision to enter the two-wheel segment. At the same time as continuing to develop the Apollo brand, the company has also given the Vredestein brand a big push during the last month or so. First, with the launch of a new all-season range, then with the introduction of a new North American tyre line-up and – in order to support both – a pitch-side advertising partnership with Manchester United football club. Tyres & Accessories recently interviewed Neeraj Kanwar, vice chairman and MD, Apollo Tyres Ltd in order to find out more.
Pirelli OE on McLaren 765LT
PirelliPirelli is exclusively supplying tyres for the new McLaren 765LT, the British supercar company’s fastest-ever Super Series car to lap a circuit. P Zero Trofeo R tyres were chosen as the starting point for this latest collaboration. Now, the Trofeo R has been further refined in a joint effort from Pirelli and McLaren to meet the high-performance requirements of this latest car. For drivers who are less inclined to use their cars on track, the Pirelli P Zero tyres are also available.
Bridgestone supplies bespoke Potenza tyres to Maserati MC20
MaseratiBridgestone is the exclusive tyre supplier for the MC20, Maserati’s new super sports car. The manufacturer has custom-engineered its Potenza tyres to meet Maserati’s demand for exceptional performance. Bridgestone is Maserati’s long-term development partner. The tyre manufacturer says it played a “significant role” in supporting the generational shift in performance over previous models of the MC20.
UHP tyres one-third of European replacement market by 2024: Astutus
HankookLeading tyre market data analyst Astutus Research has predicted that the European trend for higher performance tyres looks set to continue. The analyst’s report, ‘Future Dynamics of the European PCLT Tire Industry’, published in association with Tyrepress, has been updated for 2019 with an eye to the trends of the next five years. The analyst states: “The movement towards tyres with a higher rim diameter is clear within the European PCLT tyre replacement market. This reflects the trend towards larger tyres on new car models and changes in the composition of the car parc, with a greater share of SUVs. The replacement market reflects the changes in the original equipment segment, albeit with a lag.
