Continental has won a new tyre supply deal for BMW’s latest 5 Series. The tyre manufacturer will supply the SportContact 7 for sporty driving, the energy efficient EcoContact 6 Q summer tyre, and the WinterContact TS 860 S winter tyre after its products were approved for the entire series, including the all-electric i5.
Continental will support luxury tuning firm Brabus at the Essen Motor Show 2023 (1-10 December). Brabus will present the Rocket R Limited Edition and Brabus 750 Bodo Buschmann Edition, both of which are limited to 25 models, and which fit Continental’s ultra-high performance SportContact 7. Continental will also supply ContiSportAttack 4 motorcycle tyres for the Brabus 1300 R Masterpiece Edition in its debut appearance, while the manufacturer will display its infotainment products on a separate stand (Hall 7, Stand A07).
Apollo Tyres will launch Vredestein’s new Ultrac Pro ultra-high performance summer car tyre in spring 2024. The manufacturer said the tyre will target both “advanced handling capabilities and superior driving comfort” at what it calls an “accessible price”. The development tyre is currently in its final phase of real-world testing. The manufacturer will bring the tyre to market in a wide range of 18-24” sizes, compatible with a broad spectrum of sportscars, supercars and high-performance saloons, hatchbacks and SUVs. The Ultrac Pro is Vredestein’s first all-new UHP summer tyre since the Ultrac Vorti in 2012.
Sailun Tyre Group is expanding its range of Atrezzo ZSR2 and ZSR2 EV tyres. By the end of the year, 14 new tyre dimensions ranging from 16 to 20 inches in diameter, a total of 54 sizes will be introduced. The majority of the sizes are concentrated on vehicle models with R19 and R20 wheel sizes. Corresponding tyre dimensions for the fast-growing SUV segment will follow in spring 2024.
Pirelli has claimed leadership in supplying tyres for premium and prestige electric cars at the IAA Mobility car show in Munich. Pirelli equipped almost 25 per cent of the BEV cars and 30 per cent of the plug-in hybrids among the new electric cars on display. The cars were fitted with a mix of Pirelli’s products, such as its P Zero performance and its Scorpion SUV ranges, all featuring the company’s “Elect” marking that signifies that the models have been developed with EV-specific technologies. The Italian brand said that its original equipment homologations for EVs have grown at a rate more than double that on the previous year.
Recent sales data from the SMMT reveals a new electric vehicle (EV) is registered every 60 seconds in the UK, indicating a strong shift towards greener transportation. This demand amplifies the need for optimised products with tyre performance to cater to the specific needs of these vehicles. Yokohama has designed the new Advan Sport EV to be tailored specifically for electric vehicles with several features to help EV drivers get the most out of their vehicles. Yokohama has indicated the tyre’s suitability for EV applications with an enhanced sidewall including the ‘E+’ mark. This emblem stands as an assurance of a product that combines technologies crafted specifically for EVs. The manufacturer says it signifies its dedication to promoting minimal electricity consumption and peak quietness, ensuring an unparalleled EV drive experience.
Giti Tire has added nine new GT Radial SportActive 2 sizes, including its first 22” rim for premium powerful SUVs and three recently unveiled dedicated electric vehicle (EV) tyres. Size 275/40R22 is aimed at large premium segment vehicles such as the Audi RSQ8, BMW X7 and Range Rover Sport while 275/45R21, 255/50R20, 235/50R19, one of the biggest sellers in Europe, and 255/60R18 develop the pattern’s 4×4, CUV and SUV coverage. The recently launched AAA-rated GT Radial SportActive 2 EV is now available in sizes 255/45R20 and 235/55R19 to cover the largest selling EV models from Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, VW and Volvo to name a few, while 235/45R18 is aimed primarily at the Tesla Model 3. The tyres are now available in the UK from GT Radial’s exclusive distributor in the market, Micheldever Tyre Services.
Upon entering into a global co-branding agreement earlier in the year, Giti Tire said it would add the slogan ‘Giti – Powered by Sparco’ to the sidewalls of UHP tyres from 2024. One product that may gain the slogan is the next-generation GitiSport GTR3. The tyre maker unveiled the road-legal semi-slick to international customers in June, and a spokesman told Tyrepress.com of plans to debut GitiSport GTR3 in Europe next year.
Prinx Chengshan’s flagship tyre brand has entered the European market in style at a lavish event in Milan, Italy. Hosting tyre distributors and dealers from all around Europe the brand chose the European fashion capital as its launchpad to signify its bullish expectations for the new range, which arrives offering fitments for a comprehensive range of applications, premiumised technologies, and a European marketing strategy openly setting mid-range-plus targets from the off. During a day of driving workshops at Alfa Romeo’s historic La Pista circuit, Tyres & Accessories was able to trial two Prinx tyres fitted to Tesla Models 3 and Y, and Mercedes AMG A Class hatchback and SUV models: the Xnex Sport EV UHP tyre designed for electric vehicle compatibility, and the Quattura 4S all-season tyre. T&A also spoke to several representatives from the brand’s European team, including the manufacturer’s European CEO Thomas Wohlgemuth who is heading up the rollout of the brand around the continent, about its new products and aspiration to make its mark on the European tyre segment.
Yokohama Europe has invited journalists from across the continent to attend the launch of the Advan Sport EV V108 at the renowned Nurburgring racetrack in Germany. Yokohama launched the Geolandar CV 4S G061 crossover-oriented tyre at the same time. Meanwhile, the event also incorporated a celebration of the 45th anniversary of Yokohama’s flagship Advan brand.
Goodyear has developed a bespoke version of its ultra-ultra high performance Eagle F1 Supersport tyre for the different versions of the Maserati GranTurismo. The car will be available with a V6 twin-turbo configuration with two different levels of performance. The tyres have been tuned to suit the characteristics of the new Maserati models and carry MGT markings to show that they have been specifically developed for the Italian brand.
GT Radial has unveiled its “dual approach” strategy to the electric vehicle tyre market. The headline news is that the brand’s manufacturer Giti Tire has produced an initial three 18-20” sizes of the specialist GT Radial SportActive 2 EV tyre, with the 19 and 20-inch variations achieving the top AAA label rating. GT Radial has also introduced 16 “EV Ready” tyres in the brand’s popular SportActive 2 and FE2 portfolios, demonstrating the manufacturer’s strategy to supply both specialist EV tyres and products suitable for EVs and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Giti’s European managing director – product technology, Stefan Fischer explains why the tyre manufacturer views this approach as “a game changer”.
Through its premium Vredestein passenger car brand, Apollo Tyres offers one of the largest portfolios of high-performance tyres in Europe, including all-season, winter and summer options. The current includes the Quatrac Pro and Quatrac Pro EV for all-season, the Wintrac Pro for winter and the Ultrac Vorti+ and Vorti R+ for summer. Yves Pouliquen, group head of sales and marketing at Apollo Tyres, shares that this month the company confirmed details of the all-new Vredestein Quatrac Pro+, a dedicated all-season tyre for high-performance cars and SUVs, which will be available later this year.
The long-term trends associated with the UK’s ultra-high performance tyre segment have continued to develop in line with expectations, but the latest data from market analyst GfK reveals the unspooling effects of three segment defining factors: car-makers’ increased specification of 17” and 18” tyres on mass market, sub-premium models; the broader context of the UK’s high inflation-low growth economic environment; and the rising availability of low-cost tyres from manufacturers outside the premium (and even mid-range) tier. The last of these trends show why the term “ultra-high performance tyres” (or UHP tyres) is inherently suspect, just as “performance tyres” previously became a term applied to the majority of car tyres. The data we discuss in this article refers to high rim diameter products, encompassing everything from 17” up to the specialist products pushing well into the 20s. The tyre demands of new cars in the last decade and more have trended upwards to make the lower end of this range a regulation fitment on family hatchbacks and saloons.
The need to meet stringent CO2 emission targets by whatever means possible has prompted many car makers to dispense with conventional spare wheels, a move that can leave drivers feeling more vulnerable, especially considering the increasingly potholed state of our roads. To ensure drivers can enjoy performance without stress as we enter the summer months, Davanti Tyres has expanded its ultra-high-performance Protoura Sport range to include run-flat sizes.
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