According to a survey commissioned by Apollo Tyres Ltd, 65 per cent of motorists in the UK would now consider all-season tyres as their next replacement set. The result of this OnePoll survey of 1,000 UK respondents reflects the continued growing popularity of tyres designed to perform well in conditions encountered throughout the entire year, including dry, wet and snow.
At the start of the week, AutoBild released the results of the qualification round for this year’s all-season tyre test. The finalists were chosen based on the shortest combined braking distances on wet and dry roads. Auto Bild assessed 15 popular all-season tyres in 225/50 R17, fitting each to a BMW 3 Series and subjecting them to 16 rigorous test processes designed to replicate a diverse range of real-world scenarios. After an initial 37-tyre qualifying round at the Automotive Testing Papenburg facility in Germany, the best-performing tyres underwent additional wet and dry testing at the Wachauring racetrack in Austria, followed by snow testing in the New Zealand Alps.
German magazine Autozeitung has tested seven winter tyres and three all-season tyres, competing in the usual range of dry, wet and snow conditions. The test appears to confirm the quality of all-season tyres, with all three tyres receiving comparatively high overall marks and the coveted “Highly Recommended” grade. This result was mostly due to the all-season tyres’ consistently better performance in the dry. Conversely, on snow, the all-rounder tyres only lagged slightly behind the models specialised for the colder season, though Autozeitung adds that the performance gap between the two types of tyre in winter conditions increases as the temperature drops. Having tested the tyres on snow in temperatures between -10 and -15 Celsius, the magazine confirmed that the all-season tyres tested are “completely sufficient” for “normal requirements”, while recommending the specialist winter tyres “for maximum performance in tough, winter conditions”.
The Vredestein logo will feature prominently at this year’s Eurol Hellendoorn Historic Rally after Apollo Tyres expanded its partnership with the event. The rally will take place on 21 September and will see intense competition between 35 teams from nations around the world, including Mexico, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK.
For its 2024 summer tyre test, Auto Express focused on the popular 225/45 R17 size, a dimension it hasn’t looked at for three years. This year’s test features eight tyres, including new models from Michelin, Goodyear, Continental, and Bridgestone. Reigning 225/45 R17 champion Hankook also returns, along with Falken, Pirelli and Vredestein. Auto Express put all eight brands through their paces at Goodyear’s proving ground in Montpellier, France.
BMW Group has selected a range of Vredestein summer, all-season and winter tyres as original equipment (OE) for the Cabrio, three- and five-door variants of the new Mini Cooper.
Apollo Tyres Ltd is recalling 4,300 tyres supplied to its distributor partners in Europe (3,540 units), Turkey (266 units), the USA (194 units), and the United Arab Emirates (26 units). The remainder are still in the tyremaker’s own warehouses. According to the company, the recall covers 28 different passenger car product lines, across both the Apollo and Vredestein tyres brands.
Apollo Tyres has launched the Vredestein Wintrac Pro+. The manufacturer says the dedicated premium winter tyre is suitable for ultra-high performance cars, SUVs, and the latest generation of performance-focused electric vehicles. Comparing the tyre to its Wintrac Pro predecessor, Vredestein has added an advanced new tread compound that helps deliver improved standards of grip, traction and braking performance on snow, slush and ice, as well as a reduction in rolling resistance for improved fuel efficiency / enhanced driving range. It also retains the Wintrac Pro’s superior wet grip rating and segment-leading durability.
Apollo Tyres has recruited three-time Formula 1 race winner Giancarlo Fisichella as the new ambassador for its Vredestein passenger car tyre brand. This two-year agreement will involve Fisichella in the testing and development of new Vredestein high-performance tyres, appearances at key events, and participation in both online and offline Vredestein brand communications.
A new survey commissioned by Apollo Tyres suggests that driving enthusiasts now value ride comfort almost as much as performance when buying replacement tyres. When asked which characteristics they would prioritise when buying a replacement tyre, 34 per cent of respondents who claim to “love” or “like” driving cite ‘high-performance grip and traction’ as priority, while 23 per cent mention ‘ride refinement and low noise’.
Apollo Tyres, via its Vredestein brand, has hosted its latest ‘Soccer School’ day in Enschede, the Netherlands, in partnership with Manchester United. Held on 8 June, the event welcomed children of Apollo Tyres employees to partake in an exclusive coaching session led by Manchester United trainers, with the aim of nurturing the next generation of footballers in the region.
Along with cheese, clogs and windmills, many people closely associate tulips with the Netherlands. Apollo Tyres has thus commissioned an all-new variant of Tulipa to mark the 15th anniversary of its acquisition of Vredestein as well as the recent 115th anniversary of the Dutch brand’s founding. This new variant is named after the Kanwar family, which founded and owns Apollo Tyres.
Apollo Tyres has officially launched its new Vredestein Ultrac Pro ultra-ultra-high-performance (UUHP) tyre. Available in 18- to 24-inch rim diameters, the tyre caters to a wide range of high-performance vehicles. As evidence of the Ultrac Pro’s performance credentials the tyre maker points to independent testing conducted by Applus+ IDIADA, and aesthetics come courtesy of Apollo Tyres’ collaboration with Italdesign, a partnership that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
When Apollo Tyres’ Vredestein Ultrac Pro UUHP summer tyre launches next month it will offers a “groundbreaking lightweight design that maximises performance and comfort while dramatically reducing weight and environmental impact”, according to the company.
The BMW Group has selected Vredestein Ultrac summer tyres as original equipment for its BMW X2 and 5 Series models. It is also extending an existing supply agreement for the BMW X1 to encompass an additional Ultrac size option.
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