Three Vredestein models have gained approval as original equipment tyres for the latest generation of Volkswagen’s perennially popular Golf. The Golf 8 will be available with the Vredestein Sportrac 5 in size 195/65R15. Buyers opting for winter tyres can receive their Golf equipped with the Vredestein Wintrac Pro in the same dimension or the Snowtrac 5 in size 205/55R16.
The world’s largest tyre manufacturer has outlined how its latest technologies and partnerships with leading car manufacturers are to help it increase sustainability in 2020. Bridgestone states that its car manufacturer partners sought its expertise on various partnerships throughout 2019, including ground-breaking CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric) projects, and the performance benefits of new tyre technologies, such as its Enliten technology, which it plans to extend to an increasing number of tyres this year. Bridgestone said these partnerships led to approximately 100 new original fitments in the EMEA region, similar to its ‘best-ever’ 2018 OE results, spread across more than 50 different models from 14 manufacturers. The tyre manufacturer’s 18” diameter or greater OEM fitments have increased by over 10 per cent since 2018, it added.
Electric car owners could get more than 1,000 miles of free driving per year following the rollout of a ground-breaking complimentary car charging network. Volkswagen announced last year it had partnered with Tesco and Pod Point to install around 2,400 charging points for electric cars.
Continental tyres have been chosen as original equipment for the new Volkswagen ID.3. The electric hatchback will be fitted with the EcoContact 6 in 18- and 19-inch sizes. Buyers selecting winter tyres will receive the WinterContact TS 850 P. The summer and winter tyres supplied for the ID.3 will feature ContiSeal puncture protection technology.
Volkswagen AG intends to group more than 5,000 digital experts together in its new “Car.Software” unit with Group responsibility for software in the vehicle by 2025. The company plans to develop significantly more software in the car and for vehicle-related services itself and to boost the in-house share of software development from the current figure of less than 10 per cent to at least 60 per cent by 2025.
Volkswagen’s first fully electric race car, the ID.R has broken the electric-powered vehicle lap record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, using Bridgestone Potenza tyres. The car completed the challenging 20.83km track in 6:05.336 minutes, beating the previous record by 40.56 seconds. Bridgestone custom-developed the Potenza tyres to help the ID.R navigate the demanding track in record-breaking time.
The Volkswagen Group and further European partners are joining forces to form the European Battery Union (EBU) with a view to forging ahead with battery research throughout Europe. The new consortium is to be led by the Volkswagen Group and the Swedish battery producer Northvolt. The joint research activities of the European Battery Union will cover the entire battery value stream – from raw materials through cell technology to recycling. The prime objective is to accumulate much broader know-how on battery cell production.
Giti Tire’s United States manufacturing facility in South Carolina has completed an audit by Volkswagen to supply two tyre sizes for the 2019 Volkswagen Passat. The plant can now officially begin producing the All-Season GitiComfort A1 as an original equipment fitment for the Passat in sizes 235/45R18 95H and 235/40R19 92H. Production commences in the first quarter of the year; these tyres are the US plant’s first original equipment supplied tyres.
Bridgestone is supplying Potenza branded slick tyres as a new chapter in its Volkswagen supply partnership begins at the Green Hell of the Nürburgring. Volkswagen’s electric ID. R will aim to beat the lap record for electric vehicles on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in summer 2019. Bridgestone is a long-term original equipment tyre supplier for the firm’s production vehicles, and the new deal sees the companies expand their partnership into motorsport. The ID. R is the racing forerunner to the new ID. product family – Volkswagen’s wide range of purely electric vehicles to be launched from 2020.
The recently announced partnership between Ford and Volkswagen in the commercial vans and medium pickup trucks arena served to highlight the strong global demand that both companies foresee in these two segments. The partnership was made public on the sidelines of the just concluded North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2019, in Detroit. It marks the first step in a partnership that seeks to leverage the complementary strengths of both automotive giants in a bid to boost their competitiveness.
Volkswagen and Tesco have announced the development of the largest UK retail electric vehicle (EV) charging network. The two companies will roll out more than 2,400 EV charging bays across 600 Tesco stores within the next three years.
We heard in June that Goodyear was supplying original equipment tyres to the new Volkswagen Touareg, and Apollo Vredestein now shares that it will supply two 18-inch fitments to the latest version of VW’s flagship SUV. Buyers selecting an all-season fitment as standard can select the Vredestein Quatrac 5 in size 255/60 R18 108V, while those preferring summer rubber can plump for the Vredestein Ultrac Satin in size 255/60 R18 108W.
Greenpeace anti-diesel campaigners held a peaceful protest aimed at blocking Volkswagen staff from entering the company’s head office in Milton Keynes on 20 August. Representatives from the organisation, which is demanding the manufacturer stops producing diesel cars, arrived at 7am and set up a ‘diesel pollution clinic’ outside the building’s entrance.
Volkswagen Group’s VW T-Roc, Seat Ateca and Škoda Karoq will run on Giti Tire’s GitiPremium SUVPX1 tyre. The three MQB-A1 platform models will fit the tyre in size 215/60R16 95V. All three models will be available across Europe, with the VW T-Roc made in Portugal, and the Seat Ateca and Karoq produced in the Czech Republic.
