Andrew is an editor for WhatTyre, Tyrepress, and Tyres & Accessories magazine. He has more than a decade of experience in editing, writing, and journalism.
The UK new car market declined by -4.6 per cent in May with 183,724 units registered, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The fall reflects continued uncertainty over diesel and clean air zones as well as the removal of incentives for plug-in hybrid vehicles. Meanwhile, the underlying economic and political instability continues to affect consumer and business confidence.
DRiV braking specialist brand Ferodo has launched a new composite rotor brake range, initially comprising 17 part numbers suitable for many popular BMW models. Directly compatible with models from the 1- to 7-Series, including GranTurismo models and the Z4 roadster, the brakes are manufactured to original equipment rotor specifications.
Automechanika Birmingham has opened today. The show, which aims to bring together professionals within the automotive aftermarket and vehicle production sector in the UK and Ireland, was opened by mechanic and motorcycle racer turned television presenter, Guy Martin at the NEC Birmingham (Halls 18-20). More than 500 exhibitors will take part, giving visitors the opportunity to learn about the latest innovations and product launches in the aftermarket and vehicle production industry. The tyre segment is represented with stands for Yokohama and the National Tyre Distributors Association.
“The PRA is disappointed to see that the Supreme Court has agreed to allow the government’s Valuation Office Agency (VOA), the right of appeal against last year’s defeat in the long-running dispute with major supermarkets over business rates and ATMs.”, said Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA). In November 2018 the Court of Appeal ruled that ATMs located both inside and outside of stores should not be assessed for additional business rates on top of the normal store rates costs, retailers are already facing. The VOA appealed on the grounds that ATMs facing outward shouldn’t be exempt, and should count towards overall business rates, making the bills higher.
Pan-European tyre distributor European FinTyre Distribution (EfTD) has appointed Stephen Childs as its new group chief commercial officer, effective 3 June. Childs has 14 years’ experience in the tyre industry, including in-depth knowledge of marketing, pricing, gross margin management, inventory control, and supplier relations. His previous role was commercial director of European Tyre Enterprises Ltd, covering Stapleton’s Tyre Services and Kwik Fit in the UK.
Volkswagen’s first fully electric race car, the ID.R has broken the electric-powered vehicle lap record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, using Bridgestone Potenza tyres. The car completed the challenging 20.83km track in 6:05.336 minutes, beating the previous record by 40.56 seconds. Bridgestone custom-developed the Potenza tyres to help the ID.R navigate the demanding track in record-breaking time.
Yokohama is celebrating the success of Chelsea FC in the UEFA Europa League, for which the tyre manufacturer is shirt sponsor. The club’s emphatic 4-1 win against London rivals Arsenal in Wednesday’s match in Baku, Azerbaijan gave Chelsea its sixth European trophy and its first with Yokohama’s name on its shirt. A global television audience, including free-to-air coverage in the UK, provided Yokohama with increased brand visibility, the company states.
Toyo Tires has extended its Official Partner association with European Athletics at major European Athletics events until 2023. The tyre manufacturer became an Official Partner ahead of the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin last August, continuing with the 2019 European Athletics Indoor Championships. Now it will remain an Official Partner for the 2020 (Paris) and 2022 European Athletics Championships, as well as the 2021 (Torun) and 2023 European Athletics Indoor Championships.
Toyo Tires has become an Official Partner of the UCI BMX World Championships 2019, which will take place on 21-27 July at Zolder race circuit, Belgium.
Goodyear has started to pilot a new predictive digital service with Borrow, a short-term, fully electric car subscription company based in West Hollywood, California. Reflecting the tyre manufacturer’s increasing interest in future mobility services, Goodyear is using its predictive tyre servicing solution for connected fleets to forecast and automatically schedule needed tyre maintenance and replacement. Leveraging Goodyear’s expertise in tyres, the cloud-based platform predicts and automatically schedules tyre servicing via vehicle data and proprietary algorithms.
Standard Motor Products Europe (SMPE), one of the UK’s largest independently owned automotive parts manufacturers and suppliers, has introduced new sensors to its engine management range in response to customer demand.
TecAlliance, known worldwide as a source of vehicle parts-related data, will exhibit its growing portfolio of services and solutions for multiple sectors of the aftermarket at Automechanika Birmingham.
The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and Cenex have published a new Low Emission Van Guide to coincide with the CV Show in Birmingham and the revised licensing for drivers of alternatively fuelled vans (announced recently by the DfT.) The number of vans licensed to operate in the UK has grown by a quarter in ten […]
Standard Motor Products Europe (SMPE) has become the official UK & Ireland licensee for the Lucas brand of engine management.
Trico enjoyed a winning start to its GT4 South European campaign, as the inaugural series got underway at the Nogaro circuit, with the Tockwith Motorsports (TMS) pairing of Marmaduke Hall and Eddy Moore securing class victory in race two.
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