German Cars are Least Reliable Says Study
German cars are among the least reliable and some luxury vehicles are particularly bad, says a survey conducted by The Consumers’ Association.
German cars are among the least reliable and some luxury vehicles are particularly bad, says a survey conducted by The Consumers’ Association.
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire is the 100 per cent OE supplier of tyres for the redesigned 2004 Acura TL sedan. BFNAT will supply Bridgestone Turanza EL42 all-season tyres and Potenza RE030 summer performance tyres in the size 235/45 R17W. The Acura TL is designed to compete with vehicles such as the BMW 5 series and Lexus ES300.
J.D. Power has carried out a quality survey of models in the US car/light truck market. Vehicles are ranked by the number of problems per 100 vehicles and this year’s industry average was 133 faults. The highest rated was Lexus (76 faults), followed by Cadillac (103) and Infiniti (110). The model scoring the worst was the Hummer (225), but there were some famous names at the wrong end of the list, with Land Rover (190) in penultimate position, then Kia (168), Mini (166) and Saab (160).
Bridgestone B380 RFT run-flat tyres, size P225/60 R17, will be an option on the redesigned 2004 Toyota Sienna minivan for the US market. Other Bridgestone run-flat OE options in the USA include the Lexus SC430, BMW 7-series, BMW Z4, Z8 and Nissan Infinity Q45. Says Mark Emkes, Chairman, CEO and President of Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, “This latest minivan fitment shows consumers that run-flat tyres are not just for performance cars, but are available to anyone who wants extra peace of mind.”
In the middle of February the time has finally come: altogether 30 winners of the national qualification heats that were held in Groß Dölln near Berlin in September 2000 could participate in the final of the third edition of the “Dunlop Drivers Cup”. The event was organised by the German daughter of the tyre producer in co-operation with Toyota, Meier’s Weltreisen, South African Airways and Maier Sports. After Patagonia (1999) and the Southwest of the United States the authorities had chosen South-Africa as the final place for this sporting event that aims to combine driving training and adventure/fun. The 26 males and four females had to face different driving tests of skill with passenger cars, 4×4 vehicles and quads, a kind of a four wheel motorcycle. With this event, Dunlop wants to focus attention on the topic of driving safety and to interest people in motorsports. The rally began in Durban. The 2,280 km long tour passed through the provinces of Kwazulu Natal, Eastern and Western Cape. The finish of the rally was in Cape Town. In the middle of the tour the Landcruiser offroaders had to be changed in Port Elizabeth. The competitors had to carry on with a Toyota Lexus IS 2000 Sport, shod with the Dunlop SP 9000 high performance tyre . The result of the race was in doubt up until the end, a sign of the high standard of driving skills of the qualifying teams. The next Dunlop Drivers Cup will be held in February 2002 in Australia. The scope of the 2002 qualifying sessions will be widened, including a European dimension.
New lighter-weight run-flat tyres from Goodyear can be fitted as a $400 option on the 2002 Lexus SC 430 luxury performance car. Goodyear’s new Eagle F1 GS-D EMT run-flat tyre, in size 245/40ZR18, is able to run up to 100 miles at 55 mph with zero inflation pressure.
More Goodyear run-flat tyres are on the road than any other. A study by J.D. Power and Associates says that nearly seven out of eight consumers place run-flat tyres at the top of their list of desired features. The report shows that consumers want safety-related features more than sophisticated entertainment systems or other convenience features in their new vehicles.
Lexus has chosen the Bridgestone Potenza RE040 run-flat tyre (RFT) as original equipment for its new flagship SC430 cabriolet, allowing the car to travel safely even when the tyre has a puncture. The RE040 RFT also eliminates the need to carry a spare wheel, thus gaining valuable storage space in the boot of the compact car and saving weight.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.