Record number of UK car buyers go ultra-low on emissions
A record number of UK car buyers are opting to reduce their fuel bills by choosing ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs), according to research by Go Ultra Low. The latest registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal that more than 41 per cent of all alternatively-fuelled cars registered in the first quarter of 2015 qualified for the governments plug-in car grant, up from 13 per cent over the same period in 2014.
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Hyundai i20 privateer wins Italian rally on Pirelli tyres
The very first Hyundai i20 WRC to be run by a private team has won for the first time with Pirelli. Former World Rally Championship competitor Corrado Fontana, co-driven by Gio Agnese, won the Rallye Elba in Italy, the first round of the International Rally Challenge (which is Italy’s main championship for World Rally Cars).
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Pirelli OE on Jaguar XE
Jaguar has chosen the Pirelli P Zero as the sole 20-inch fitment for the new Jaguar XE. Jaguar was looking for stability at high speeds and good reactions in the wet from the tyre, and as part of the development process - which took just eight months - the P Zero was tested on tracks in the UK, Germany and Spain.
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Landsail partnering with Keeber in British Drift Championship
Landsail tyres is going drifting with Wayne Keeber, a contender for the 2015 British Drift Championship title. Joining the likes of Maxxis, Lassa and Falken, who similarly sponsor drivers and teams taking part, Landsail will support Keeber as he competes against the best drift racers across Europe. The first round of the British Drift Championship took place at Lydden Hill last weekend, and at the end of the two days Keeber sat in joint 9th place on the Pro Class table.
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Goodyear expands OTR service portfolio with EM Track III
The Intermat 2015 exhibition for the construction and materials industries begins today in Paris, and Goodyear reports it will launch its EM Track III tyre management programme at the company’s show stand (F 001, Hal 5a). EM Track III is a Windows-based service tool that is utilised by all Goodyear OTR personnel and aims to lower the total cost of ownership associated with off-the-road tyres. EM Track III can record all tyre-related data and make it available to the customer.
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Bridgestone appoints new European director of replacement sales
Bridgestone Europe has appointed Timothy Manuel, currently general manager of channel strategy as director replacement sales in the company’s European Consumer Business Unit. Despite having taking on this new role, Manuel remains responsible for Consumer Business Unit channel strategy and the Motorcycle Business Unit at European level. Moving forward, his key focus is said to be the development of the company’s passenger car sales in Europe, working closely with the six different European regions.
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Boeing names Michelin a Supplier of the Year
The Michelin Groups Aircraft Tire Division has been recognised as a Boeing Company ‘Supplier of the Year’. The tyre maker was one of 14 companies (and one university) honoured at a Ceremony held in the USA on 15 April. Michelin was awarded in the ‘Electronics/Hydraulics/Mechanical’ category. Michelin also received a Boeing Performance Excellence Award.
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Enjoy Tyre introducing Routeway consumer range to European markets
Contract tyre producer and manufacturer of the Rotalla brand, Enjoy Tyre, is bringing extending the Routeway tyre range it offers in the UK and Europe beyond the TBR range already available here. The new first lines destined for our shores include seven passenger car patterns, including UHP, SUV, winter and van/light commercial tyres, and Enjoy Tyre says these are now available for new orders.
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US site Goodyear’s entry into online tyre retail
Online tyre retailers are nothing new, and Michelin’s current 40 per cent share acquisition of leading French portal Allopneus shows the major manufacturers are taking an interest in this business. That said, no major tyre maker sells directly to the public over its own website – but this is about to change. As Goodyear chairman and chief executive officer Richard Kramer announced at the company’s annual shareholders meeting on 13 April, the US-based company is gearing up to begin rolling out online tyre sales in its homeland. Goodyear has yet to comment on whether it plans to extend these web retail activities to other markets.
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Double Pirelli victory in semi-slick tyre test – ‘regular’ tyre beats specialist products
The latest issue of Germany’s sport auto magazine (5/2015) has published a test of road-legal size 235/35 R19 91Y semi-slicks. Three candidates were mounted on a VW Golf R and evaluated under a range of motorsport-oriented criteria. In contrast to the weighting system commonly seen in tyre tests, dry road surface criteria contributed 70 per cent to the sport auto test’s total score, while wet surface criteria only carried 20 per cent and environmental factors ten per cent. The clear test winner was the ‘particularly recommended’ Pirelli PZero Trofeo R, which finished ahead of two ‘recommended’ tyres, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 and Dunlop SportMaxx Race.
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