Andrew is an editor for WhatTyre, Tyrepress, and Tyres & Accessories magazine. He has more than a decade of experience in editing, writing, and journalism.
Falken has expanded its range of tyres suitable for use in cold weather conditions. The brand has added the Euroall Season AS220 Pro all-season tyre to its range and increased the available sizes of its Eurowinter HS02 and HS02 Pro winter tyres, available now in 45 and 74 sizes respectively.
Dunlop is extending its Econodrive range of light truck tyres to include winter and all-season fitments. Two new products, the Dunlop Econodrive AS (all-season) and Dunlop Econodrive Winter, expand the existing Dunlop Econodrive light truck range. This includes the summer tyres Dunlop Econodrive and Dunlop Econodrive LT. Dunlop said the new additions help to position the brand to compete in the value segment of the light truck tyre market.
Aude Moraux has been appointed European regional sales manager for France, Benelux, and the Nordic Region. The emissions product specialist said the appointment bolsters support for European customers after a period of continued growth. Moraux will manage and develop business in the region through strong partnerships, the company added.
Kumho Tire has developed a tyre made from 80 per cent sustainable materials. The manufacturer said the tyre, which replaces petrochemicals with sustainably sourced and recycled materials, represents a step towards its goal to develop products made entirely of sustainable materials by 2045.
Continental has won a new tyre supply deal for BMW’s latest 5 Series. The tyre manufacturer will supply the SportContact 7 for sporty driving, the energy efficient EcoContact 6 Q summer tyre, and the WinterContact TS 860 S winter tyre after its products were approved for the entire series, including the all-electric i5.
Falken Tyre Europe is participating in the United Nations’ ‘Orange the World’ campaign calling for an end to gender-based violence. The company is publicising the 16-day period marking the campaign in Germany, which began on 25 November, the UN’s official ‘Orange Day’, via its Falken social media channels and in internal communications.
The -17.1 per cent decline in battery electric vehicle registrations in November may have been a result of supply chain issues, but analysts argued that the setback on the electrification of the UK car parc also underlines the need to continue addressing issues affecting consumer demand. Jamie Hamilton, automotive partner and head of electric vehicles at Deloitte, said: “In a month where we’ve seen significant announcements in the UK supporting electric vehicle (EV) production, the decline in sales of battery electric vehicles in November is a reminder that we also need to think about demand and the underlying charging infrastructure that’s required for consumer adoption.”
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co has appointed Joe Burke vice president of its North America Commercial business. He reports to Steve McClellan, president, Goodyear Americas. Burke succeeds Dave Beasley, retiring after nearly 40 years with Goodyear.
Apollo Tyres is celebrating the achievement of its latest Vredestien Quatrac all-season tyre, after the product secured second place in the 2023 Auto Express All Season Tyre Test. Developed for mid-sized family cars and SUVs, the Quatrac was given a ’Recommended’ rating alongside the winning Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3, having proved its all-round performance in all conditions – it was top in braking on snow and in the wet, while it only dropped one place in the dry braking test, emphasising its safety credentials. Overall, it was just 0.1 per cent behind the winner. The Quatrac could also be called a value champion, acquired for a price around 20 per cent cheaper than the winning tyre.
An analysis of MOT failure data suggests that independent garages should consider how best to service demand for electric vehicle tyres. Matt Cleevely, managing director of Cleevely Electric Vehicles (EV), said the company is stocking a growing inventory of EV-specific tyres, with around 100 sales every month. This is on the back of new data analysis by Garage Industry Trends, which reveals that half of all EV MOT failures on vehicles registered after 2016 relate to tyres – almost double that of a diesel. Additionally, almost 60 per cent of EV advisories relate to tyre condition.
Shaftec has been ranked number one in the UK for coverage across its product groups: transmission, steering, and braking. The aftermarket supplier has also achieved TecDoc Premier Supplier status (PDS).
Two vehicles equipped with Yokohama Geolandar tyres for SUVs and pickup trucks captured class championships in two United States off-road racing series: Best In The Desert’s Trick Truck class and the ULTRA4 Racing’s 4900 UTV Pro Mod class. Best In The Desert is the largest off-road racing series in North America, with two-wheel and four-wheel vehicles compete in more than 50 different classes. The Trick Truck class championship was won by Jonathan Brenthel driving a truck fitted with Geolandar M/T G003 tyres.
The Goodyear Blimp will appear in the skies at a Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour) tournament on Sunday, 3 December after the manufacturer deemed the booming paddle sport “Blimpworthy”. The Blimp has been a mainstay at some of the world’s iconic sporting events for more than 65 years, offering exceptional aerial views.
WAI has become a partner sponsor at the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation’s (IAAF) upcoming annual conference. The rotating electrics and EV charging cable specialist is also sponsoring the Car Distributor of the Year award at the Pride of the Aftermarket Awards, which will be held on 7 December at DoubleTree by Hilton, Milton Keynes.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has opened entries for the British Independent Garage of the Year Awards 2024. The awards offer a diverse range of categories to recognise excellence in the independent automotive sector. Independent garages and industry suppliers in the UK can enter online now on the Independent Garage Association website.
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