Continental says it has “developed a tyre with a significantly improved rolling resistance” for Peugeot, DS and Vauxhall vehicles with electric drives and combustion engines. Stellantis will factory-fit this 17-inch tyre on all electric SUVs, the Peugeot e-2008, the Vauxhall Mokka-E and the all-electric DS 3 Crossback E-Tense, as well as the combustion engine versions of these models.
Groupe PSA UK has added the Reliance tyre brand to its Eurorepar programme. As a result, Eurorepar Reliance-branded tyres will be available across Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroën and DS Automobiles retailers in 23 popular sizes, with more due to join the range next year. The tyres are available in sizes ranging from 14 to 17-inches, with prices starting from just £29.46 for the 155/65 R14 75T.
Since the PSA Group officially brought Vauxhall and Opel back into European ownership, motorists have a new sense of security about the future of the brands. Now, Europe’s largest aftermarket emission control parts manufacturer Klarius is supporting the existing models with a range of new quality replacement exhaust systems.
In a deal designed to make PSA Group the second largest carmaker in Europe, the Peugeot-Citreon brand owner has bought GM’s long-term lossmaking Opel and Vauxhall brands and production bases for 2.2 billion euros. This figure includes a joint venture with BNP Paribas on the GM Europe auto financing operations (valuing these transactions at 1.3 billion euros and 0.9 billion, respectively). But what does it mean for the tyre sector?
With the number of new car registrations increasing and SUVs leading the way in new car sales, the desire for owning a 4×4/SUV has led to a surge in demand for tyres in this lucrative market, distributor Grouptyre confirms. SMMT figures for August 2016 bear this out – numbers seven to 10 on the bestselling new cars table are all crossover SUVs. With greater popularity, opportunity follows for tyre manufacturers, and the wholesaler states that its suppliers are continuing to develop product ranges to meet the demands of vehicle manufacturers and their expanding range of vehicles. All the evidence points to continuing growth for 4×4 tyre sales following on from 2015’s double-digit increases, as revealed in our March issue by market research specialists GfK Automotive.
Analysis of My Car Check data for the year to end of April 2016 has revealed the UK used vehicles most likely to have two serious warnings against them. The riskiest model in this regard was the Vauxhall Corsa SXI AC, with 6.25 per cent of those checked having both write-off and finance warnings, despite a reasonably high average value of £7,348.
On 19 May 2016, Vauxhall announced a second recall on Vauxhall Zafira B models. Owners would be invited to bring their vehicles back to Vauxhall dealerships so that preventative action could be carried out to protect the vehicles from the risk of fire.
John Leech, head of automotive at KPMG, has commented on the latest automotive manufacturing figures published by the SMMT, suggesting that UK manufacturing will approach 10 per cent growth this year.
OEMs making cars in the UK want to stay in Europe. 77 per cent of SMMT members say remaining in Europe is best for their business, according to 2016 survey by independent pollster ComRes. Indeed, there is strong support for EU membership across the board, with 88 per cent of large SMMT member companies and 73 per cent of SME members in favour of remaining. This is the second time SMMT members have been canvassed on their Brexit views – and the second time the overwhelming majority have stated that staying in Europe is best for their business.
VW has borne the brunt of criticism for its admitted use of defeat devices in order to manipulate test results. However, the latest research from Which? found that many other manufacturers are breaking emission limits too.
The BBC has claimed that VW deliberately cheated emissions tests in Europe, in addition to the US emissions scandal it has admitted to. In addition the BBC’s Panorama programme also questioned the emissions behaviour of an Opel Zafira, which appeared to emit more NOx in both hot and cold engine conditions than European legislation allows.
Vauxhall has launched a Scrappage Allowance scheme, five years after the ending of the official government-backed initiative that helped jump start new car sales during the recession.
After reporting the approval of its Vector 4Seasons as original equipment for the new Renault Kadjar, Goodyear has given word of further OEM homologations for its all-season tyre. The Vector 4Seasons is also being supplied to Audi for fitment on the A1, to Ford as an original equipment tyre for the Fiesta, Focus and Focus C-Max, and to Vauxhall/Opel for the Adam and Corsa.
Launched internationally in Sicily at the beginning of 2015, Pirelli hosted a local UK market event to mark the introduction of its Cinturato All Season tyre at the Tamworth Snowdome. Closed to the public, the Snowdome’s indoor ski slope provided an excellent illustration of the increased mobility offered by the tyre; it allowed the demonstration Vauxhall Astra to ascend the steep inclines, which were rendered completely unmanageable when equipped with summer tyres. Meanwhile, Pirelli used warm outside conditions to demonstrate the tyre in dry and wet manoeuvres, particularly emphasising safety with a wet brake and swerve workshop.
Trend Tracker, formed in 2003 to provide accurate and informed automotive industry research, calculates the retail service, maintenance and repair market’s worth has risen by almost £1 billion since the 2008 recession. This is inevitably resulting in greater interest in the segment, which is increasing the desire of vehicle manufacturers (VMs) to compete for this business. AMOnline has recently reported on the efforts of some car manufacturers to take a bigger slice of that market, giving a synopsis of what measures various VMs are taking.
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