Conti US OE for Mercedes-Benz GLK
Continental’s Conti4x4Contact has been chosen as US market original equipment for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK. The tyre will be fitted to the new 4×4 in size 235/50R19 99H.
Continental’s Conti4x4Contact has been chosen as US market original equipment for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK. The tyre will be fitted to the new 4×4 in size 235/50R19 99H.
Continental AG has earned two fitments on 2009 Mercedes-Benz models. The new 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan will carry Continental ContiProContact radials in the U.S. market. The tyres will be fitted in size 255/45R18 99H or 255/40R19 100V XL all around, or in staggered combinations 255/45R18 99H (front) and 275/45R18 103H (rear) or 255/40R19 100V XL (front) and 275/40R19 101V (rear). The Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG will feature Continental CrossContact UHP in size 295/35R21 107Y XL. (Tire Review/Akron)
Dunlop’s ultra-high performance tyre SP Sport Maxx GT has been made original equipment on the new Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series. The car delivers an unprecedented amount of power for a Mercedes roadster, meaning – Dunlop says – that the choice was made on the basis of the manufacturer’s experience and track record with high and ultra-high performance tyres.
Mercedes tuner AMG uses the SP Sport Maxx GT at the demanding DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen-Meisterschaft, or German Touring Car Championship), one of Europe’s largest motorsport events. The new powerful two-seater road version, which continues AMG’s successful Black Series strategy, follows the appearance of famous AMG sports cars, such as the DTM CLK-Class or the CLK-GTR from the 1997 FIA GT-Series. Mercedes believes that the AMG 6.0-litre V12-Biturbo engine – with a maximum power of 493 kW (670 hp) – promises performance at the highest sports car levels and fulfils the expectations of the most demanding driving enthusiasts.
Bosal UK, part of Belgium headquartered exhaust systems and catalytic converter designer and manufacturer Bosal International, is strengthening its UK presence in the bus and coach exhaust systems market.
The company has appointed a new UK business development manager for its Truck, Bus & Industrial applications division. Peter Winward brings to Bosal UK a strong background in engineering and several years with another exhaust system manufacturer. Bosal has also published a catalogue covering its initial product range for buses and coaches, and the company says it will make its first appearance as an exhibitor at the 2008 Euro Bus Expo at the NEC, Birmingham in November.
The latest 18-inch UHP wide-base tyre test published in Germany’s leading automotive consumer magazine “Auto Bild” shows that paying attention to rolling resistance does not necessarily have to come attached to an unacceptable sacrifice in the areas of handling or braking. Hankook in particular is pleased with the results of this test, having not only achieved an overall “good” test result, but also coming out ahead of its competitors in the rolling resistance category. At the same time the experts testing the tyres attested that the braking performance of Hankook’s new UHP wide-base tyres was excellent both in dry and wet road conditions. In addition, the Ventus V12 evo also impressed the testers with its noise level on rough roads, something that has generally been a problem with wide-base tyres, but is becoming increasingly important because of reported health dangers stemming from the considerable noise created by road traffic. The test was carried out using 225/40 R18tyres fitted to the latest version of the Mercedes-Benz C class.
ATS Euromaster has begun to receive the products of the company’s £4.5 million investment, comprising in the main new Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, Iveco Dailys and Renault Kangoos. A total of 150 new light commercial vehicles will be integrated into the firm’s operations as part of its fleet replacement programme for 2008. The vans are leased on four to five-year rental agreements.
Designed to take on specific roles in the fleet, the delivery includes mobile fitting vans for both cars and commercial vehicles, frontline rapid-response vehicles for providing emergency roadside assistance, flatbeds equipped to transport agricultural tyres and smaller vans for use in the company’s mobile fleet inspection department.
Dunlop’s Original Equipment team are celebrating six original equipment (OE) wins in six months. Dunlop’s business strategy includes the aim to be first with “strategic original equipment manufacturers” and this means fitting Touch Technology tyres onto a range of high performance cars including the Audi A5, Jaguar XF, Renault Laguna and Vauxhall Corsa VXR.
“Dunlop have a strong product range within the market, Dunlop’s pedigree is legendary. We have worked successfully over the last six months to achieve OE wins across a range of cars from the Vauxhall Corsa to the Jaguar XF. For a true driver, there’s no compromise, each tyre in Dunlop’s vast range has been uniquely engineered to offer the ultimate drive. We have worked closely with the vehicle manufacturers to ensure that they are fitting the right combination of high technology compound and tread pattern to achieve the performance the car is capable of” said Peter Wragg, Dunlop Original Equipment Account Executive.
Alfa Romeo, AMG, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and TVR are all amongst those that currently fit Dunlop tyres as standard.
Last year, Kwik-Fit Fleet carried out more than 220,000 vehicle inspections – up from 188,000 in 2006 – and this year the company expects its mobile technicians to undertake more than 250,000 tyre safety checks in company car parks or at a driver’s location of choice.
Initial tyre checks result in about 25 per cent of vehicles inspected requiring attention, usually tyres being replaced because they are illegal. Extrapolated across the UK’s three million-strong company car and approximately one million van parc it means that up to 800,000 vehicles could be running on at least one unsafe tyre.
Bridgestone reports receiving highly favourable results in summer tyre tests conducted by German and Nordic region magazines. Europe’s largest motoring magazine, ADAC Motorwelt rated the Japanese manufacturer’s Turanza ER300 in the top group of “highly recommendable” tyres in its 2008 summer tyre tests. Singling it out from 18 major brand competitors, the magazine described Turanza ER300 as a “very well balanced summer tyre with best grade on dry and also good on wet”.
The VW Golf 2.0 FSI test vehicle fitted with 195/65 R15 tyres completed the full range of performance tests with weightings of 20 per cent for dry, 40 per cent for wet, 10 per cent for noise, 10 per cent for rolling resistance and 20 per cent for wear rate. ADAC awarded its final rating based on the overall weighted score, after downgrading for any individual result judged to be unacceptably weak. ADAC also rated the ER300 “highly recommendable” in 2007.
Hull-based demolition/tipper hire fleet DJ Broady Ltd has switched to an ATS Euromaster/Michelin tyre policy across its mixed fleet of 11 tippers, following a six month Micheline trial. The new agreement will see ATS Euromaster work in partnership with DJ Broady’s in-house maintenance team fitting Michelin XDY3 tyres – replacing a previous policy which saw tyres fitted by a local independent tyre dealer.
For some time Exclusive Tuning & Design has distributed the highly regarded Carlsson and Breyton ranges throughout the UK, and in terms of wheels offers 18 to 22-inch rims for these Mercedes-Benz and BMW/Mini specific marques. Owners of these and other makes of high performance vehicle can now choose from a third brand supplied by the Poole based importer and distributor.
The COR Wheels range – brand new to the UK – is designed and engineered by a team of experts with a combined 40-plus years in this specialised business and established credentials in the supply of wheels to OEMs, the aftermarket and motorsport. Manufactured in Florida, USA, each set of 3 piece modular forged COR wheels is custom built to the customer’s own requirements, and these made to order rims are available in a wide variety of styles and finishes, including chrome, hyper silver, black and full polished. Colour coded rims and wheel centre parts are another option and even the spokes can be machined to incorporate a customer’s own lettering or logo. Rim diameters between 19 and 24-inches, along with numerous rim widths and offsets, are catered for.
Kumho has entered into an agreement with Daimler AG to provide tyres for OE fitment to the new Mercedes-Benz Viano X-Clusive, the German manufacturer’s luxury MPV first displayed at last October’s Tokyo motor show and scheduled for release in March.
The new vehicle will be supplied with 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, and the agreement with Kumho will see around 10,000 tyres delivered. The Viano X-Clusive is the second Mercedes-Benz model to be supplied by the South Korean manufacturer – its tyres have also been fitted as OE to the A-Class since February 2007.
Workplace safety is increasingly a high profile issue, and this is no less the case for professional drivers and those using company or fleet owned vehicles. Kwik-Fit Fleet reports carrying out more than 220,000 vehicle inspections during 2007, a total markedly up from the previous year’s 188,000. To cope with a growing demand to ensure at-work driver safety, Kwik-Fit Fleet is preparing to add an additional 30 units to its mobile fleet this year.
It is likely that the April 6 introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act will place added pressure upon businesses to comply with workplace health and safety legislation. Thus this year the company expects even stronger demand for its mobile service, and anticipates its mobile technicians to undertake more than 250,000 tyre safety checks in company car parks or at a driver’s location of choice.
Higher performance, smaller installation spaces and more demanding customers – these are the typical challenges facing automobile manufacturers. New hydraulic, flat, and moulded hoses from ContiTech Fluid Technology can help them handle these challenges.
The dynamically high-strength flat hoses are already in series production at Porsche, providing a very large volume increase at minimal pressures. They are also planned for use in BMW and Mercedes-Benz’s power steering systems.
Goodyear has announced that Louisville-based wheel mounting business, T&WA Inc., has sold all of its assets to newly formed EnovaPremier LLC. No details relating to the price of the sale have been released. Louisville-based T&WA provides mounted and balanced wheel assemblies destined for auto manufacturers including Honda Motor Co., Mercedes-Benz and Toyota Motor Corp. EnovaPremier is a Cincinnati-based company run by Ed Rigaud, a former executive at Procter & Gamble Co. It plans to maintain T&WA’s Louisville headquarters. Formned in 1995, T&WA also has operations in Paris, Kentucky., as well as in Alabama, Indiana and Michigan. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has held a minority stake in T&WA since 1999 and will record a $30 – $35 million charge in its fourth quarter as a result of the sale.
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