The UK new car market demand fell 27.4 per cent year-on-year, or 42,840 units, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). With sales hit by the UK’s second lockdown, the industry recorded 113,781 new registrations, taking trade back to levels last seen during the 2008 recession.
Giti Tire has won additional original equipment supply business with Groupe Renault after the GitiSynergyE1 was selected as OE for the new Dacia Sandero and Logan models. Production started in the Renault factories in October. The vehicles will be supplied with 185/65R15 88H tyres.
Following Continental’s 5 November recall of roughly 12,000 Continental and General brand passenger vehicle tyres sold to vehicle manufacturers and the North American replacement markets, company representatives have confirmed that the UK and European markets are not affected. Continental estimates that approximately 39 of the 12,000 tyres recalled in the USA are defective.
One way or another 2020 has been an eventful year for all of us. The same is true at Apollo Tyres where, at a global level, the company has had to navigate pandemic-related production pauses and restarts along with new factory openings and the decision to enter the two-wheel segment. At the same time as continuing to develop the Apollo brand, the company has also given the Vredestein brand a big push during the last month or so. First, with the launch of a new all-season range, then with the introduction of a new North American tyre line-up and – in order to support both – a pitch-side advertising partnership with Manchester United football club. Tyres & Accessories recently interviewed Neeraj Kanwar, vice chairman and MD, Apollo Tyres Ltd in order to find out more.
Hankook has launched a new all-season tyre for cars and small-to-medium sized SUVs under its Laufenn brand. The Laufenn G FIT 4S features widening grooves and a high grip silica compound for year-round European driving. Hankook is developing its second-line Laufenn brand globally in the consumer and commercial segments, offering an attractive price-performance ratio. The Laufenn G FIT 4S has been developed for price-conscious drivers, allowing them to avoid seasonal tyre changes, while offering solid all-weather performance.
Whichever company is responsible for manufacturing Eurorepar Reliance tyres, the repair chain certainly appears to be moving significant quantities.
Following the announcement that PSA UK has added Reliance tyres to its British Eurorepar offer. The next question is, who makes the Reliance tyre brand? The good news is that colleagues at our German sister publication (Neue Reifenzeitung, which you can read online at reifenpresse.de) looked into this at the end of 2019 and found strong evidence that the tyres are made by Hankook.
Groupe PSA UK has added the Reliance tyre brand to its Eurorepar programme. As a result, Eurorepar Reliance-branded tyres will be available across Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroën and DS Automobiles retailers in 23 popular sizes, with more due to join the range next year. The tyres are available in sizes ranging from 14 to 17-inches, with prices starting from just £29.46 for the 155/65 R14 75T.
In January 2019, the ground was broken on the US$614 million Roadbot tyre plant in Abu Dhabi. Local news sources described the project as a milestone in the capital of the United Arab Emirates as recently as January 2020. However, the project has since hit a roadblock as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tyres & Accessories has seen documents that show how recent progress has been limited, though initial steps seem to have progressed well. Specifically, the official letter from Roadbot Tyre Industries dated July 2020 confirms that all the necessary planning applications, architectural designs and structure drawings have been approved and completed. Yet critical machinery work came to a standstill in March 2020.
Tyre Reviews has made the newly released Goodyear Vector 4Season Gen-3 its 2020 All Season 17” Test winner. Putting nine all-season tyres in size 225/45 R17 through their paces at Goodyear’s testing facilities in Finnish Lapland and the south of France, tester Jonathan Benson gave additional recommendations to four further tyres: Hankook’s Kinergy 4S2 (second place) and the Continental AllSeasonContact (third) were given the review website’s Highly Recommended rating, while the Bridgestone Weather Control A005 (fourth) and Michelin CrossClimate+ (fifth) were Recommended. The weighting of different conditions is particularly relevant to all-season tyre tests, given the promise of functionality in a wide range of climate and road surface conditions. Tyre Reviews opted to award overall scores based on 30 per cent wet, 25 per cent dry, 25 per cent snow, 10 per cent noise and comfort, and 10 per cent rolling resistance. See below for the Tyre Reviews video of the 2020 All Season 17” test, and for additional comments on each of the nine tyres tested.
Bridgestone is the exclusive tyre supplier for the MC20, Maserati’s new super sports car. The manufacturer has custom-engineered its Potenza tyres to meet Maserati’s demand for exceptional performance. Bridgestone is Maserati’s long-term development partner. The tyre manufacturer says it played a “significant role” in supporting the generational shift in performance over previous models of the MC20.
SMMT
Groupe Renault
Hankook
Information office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan
PSA UK
Hankook; PSA; NRZ
PSA UK
Maserati