New research and data released by a leading automotive remanufacturer, has uncovered the top ten strangest DIY repair attempts on cars; including a man who attempted to use bubblegum to fix his car radiator and a woman who replaced her car door locks with heavy duty padlocks.
The voting process for the 2013 NTDA Tyre & Fast Fit Awards has already begun and ends on 27th September. The big difference this year is that voting is only via the NTDA website (ntda.co.uk/TAFF) and not by post, as in previous years. For the second year running, the TAFF Awards are sponsored by speciality chemicals company Lanxess.
Ever wanted to live out your James Bond fantasies? Now the Lotus Esprit Series 1 ‘Submarine’ Car used in the “The Spy Who Loved Me” is up for auction you can…if you have enough money. But don’t bother trying to change the tyres.
The Foreign Policy Association (FPA) has awarded Pirelli chairman and CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera the 2013 Social Responsibility Award for his ongoing endeavours in sustainability.
Groupauto, the UK’s largest trading group, is keen to highlight the fact that the market is changing and the dominance of basic lead-acid battery technology will soon begin to decline. The automotive battery is becoming a much more technical component and with the increasing amount of electrical equipment fitted to even the most basic of vehicles, the demands placed on it are much greater than ever.
Great news for lovers of grey skies and indifferent temperatures! Some experts opine that the overly wet summer we’re having may be the pattern for the coming decade. The Met Office put forward this scenario after a new weather pattern was identified in the North Atlantic, and the prospect of ten more years of wet summer weather has prompted TyreSafe to advise motorists that adequate tyre tread depth is more important than ever.
Michelin’s head of Fleet, Dave Crinson, is issuing a warning to drivers against becoming complacent with tyre pressure following the introduction of Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems. TPMS became mandatory on all newly homologated cars in November 2012, and while Michelin welcomes the new European legislation concerning the device, which has been introduced to improve road safety and reduce CO2 emissions by alerting drivers when pressures fall below a certain level (typically 20 per cent under-inflated), Crinson is keen to highlight that TPMS is not an alternative to regular tyre checks.
On 27 June, the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) received a US$25,000 donation from Michelin North America in honour of the 25-year partnership between both organisations. The cheque was presented to the NAIAS during its “Covering All Bases” event, an off-season, day-long planning meeting attended by more than 300 representatives of auto manufacturers, sponsors, and partners who participate in the NAIAS.
Continental has confirmed it will invest around €100 million increasing production capacity at its Puchov truck and bus tyre factory in Slovakia, boosting capacity from some 2.6 million tyres a year to over three million tyres. Puchov, Continental’s largest truck and bus tyre production facility within the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region, will also receive “extensive upgrades” to machinery and infrastructure in order to achieve maximum production efficiency.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has welcomed a fall in deaths on the road to the lowest number since records began, but raised concern at a rise in cyclist deaths. RoSPA is urging for greater provision in cyclist training, driver awareness and safer roads for cyclists following the publication of annual casualty statistics.
Surface mines, quarries and cement works, plus infrastructure projects such as motorway, railway and dam construction, all have something in common. These operations are increasing in number around the world and in call cases articulated dump trucks play an essential role in their success. These vehicles, which can carry payloads ranging from 20 to 50 tonnes, need to be extremely adaptable, versatile and able to carry materials over sometimes difficult terrain, regardless of weather conditions.
Supertracker reports that a growing number of tyre retailers are using the company's concepts to tailor their own in-house training sessions. UK sales manager and principal engineer Jerry Barker was recently invited to sit in on a specialised advanced wheel alignment course by one of the UK's leading tyre and automotive retailers.
Over the next week, Tyrepress.com and the daily Tyrepress.com newsletter will present each of the five voting categories of the NTDA Tyre & Fast Fit Awards, featuring profiles of each company's bid for 2013 glory. The voting process for the TAFF Awards has already begun and ends on 27 September. The big difference this year is that voting is only via the NTDA website (www.ntda.co.uk/TAFF) and not by post, as in previous years. For the second year running, the TAFF Awards are sponsored by speciality chemicals company Lanxess.
Milltek has released details of its new performance exhaust system for the new BMW M135i. The latest F20 chassis car features BMW’s twin scroll turbo engine, which Milltek says suits its extraction technology and craftsmanship. Initially launched as a cat-back only set-up, Milltek will provide the additional option of a turbo-back system, complete with large bore downpipe and high-flow cat configurations.
The Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI) recently held a Centenary Lunch for its past presidents and current and past board members. Held at the prestigious RAC Club in London, the Lunch offered its attendees the opportunity to meet and share memories of the RMI and the industry.
