Award-Winning Bridgestone Rubber for Restyled Touran
Hankook GRC Spreads its Wings
Bridgestone to Build Plant for Mining and Construction Tyres
No Battery Shortage in UK says Manbat
Avon Superlight Challenge Promises Bumper Year
Cambridge Farmer wins Firestone Young Farmer of the Year Award 2006.
Avon Tyres joins Brabham's MSA British Race Elite Initiative

Award-Winning Bridgestone Rubber for Restyled Touran

The latest generation Volkswagen Touran offers practicality, poise and performance as well as outstanding safety, which is further enhanced by award-winning run-flat tyres from Bridgestone.

Turanza ER300 RFTs are an optional fitment on the new-look MPV, providing the additional peace of mind of reinforced side-walls that support the weight of the vehicle and enable it to be driven safely even after a puncture has occurred. The Turanza ER300 RFTs provide a perfect balance of performance and safety for the Touran, making them an ideal choice for the popular family favourite.

Boasting a distinctive radiator grille and headlights for 2007, as well as redesigned rear lights and bumper, the versatile 7-seat MPV offers generous space, outstanding refinement and striking looks. Other features include two 12-volt computer-compatible sockets to help make long journeys more enjoyable. The Touran is available with a choice of two petrol engines, including Volkswagen's groundbreaking TSI unit, and four great all-round performing diesel choices.

Bridgestone Turanza ER300 RFT tyres are available in a size 205/55 R16 for the vehicle.

Hankook GRC Spreads its Wings

The UK's leading gravel rally championship - the 2007 Hankook MSA Gravel Rally Championship - is set to spread its wings this year with rounds in England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and Ireland. News of an Irish round to complement the six British-based rallies creates a new level of interest for competitors - and brings together Hankook's key rally series - the Hankook GRC and the Hankook National Forestry Championship in Ireland.

As well as the English-based season opener in the shape of Rallye Sunseeker (Bournemouth) and finale, the Bulldog Rally (Oswestry), the Hankook GRC visits Scotland for the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally as well as two traditional sorties to Wales with the Severn Valley Stages Rally and the Swansea Bay National Rally in mid summer. There's the annual trip across to the Isle of Man for the RBS International Manx Rally and replacing the Park Systems Stages Rally in September is the Killarney Forest Stages Rally to be held in South West Ireland.

The addition of a round in Ireland is the latest in a string of positive developments for the ANCRO-organised Championship which this year sees a sponsorship deal with global performance tyre manufacturer Hankook. Although the Killarney Forest Stages Rally will form part of two separate championships, Hankook motorsports manager Mike Patterson said he was delighted that the event would be a focal point for both series.

The Hankook GRC also welcomes back the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge after a year's sabbatical and plans are underway to announce innovations and prizes to entice two-wheel drive competitors into the Hankook GRC arena as well as the eagerly awaited 1400cc Championship. As usual there are categories for both driver and co-driver in most types of vehicles including Group A, Group B and Group N as well as Juniors, Ladies, Manufacturers and of course the Subaru Group N Trophy.

This year registered competitors will count their best SIX scores towards the overall championship, meaning only one round can be dropped (as opposed to the two rounds allowed in 2006). Once again, the Hankook GRC is the only UK based National gravel series to have no tyre restrictions. The opening round of the series takes place in Bournemouth on February 23/24.

Bridgestone to Build Plant for Mining and Construction Tyres

Bridgestone Corporation is responding to growing global demand after announcing plans to construct a production plant for large and ultralarge radial tyres for mining and construction vehicles in Japan. The scheme is for a new plant in the Hibikinada Industrial Area in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. A request for building permits has already been made. Bridgestone intends to conclude an agreement in the first half of 2007 following a period of negotiation regarding project details with city officials and approval by the city council.

It will be the first time in more than 30 years that Bridgestone has built a new tyre plant in Japan, the last being the Hofu Plant, which started operation in 1976. Bridgestone will also increase production capacity of steel cord for mining and construction vehicle tires at the Saga Plant in order to support this new plant. Approximately ¥32.0 billion has been earmarked for the both projects.

The main applications for the large and ultralarge tyres will be mining and quarrying equipment used around the world. Demand for those tyres has been expanding significantly worldwide in step with increasing global production of mineral resources.

Bridgestone had earlier announced its intention to boost production at the Shimonoseki Plant by the start of 2008, which is currently the only Bridgestone Group plant producing ultralarge radial tyres for mining and construction equipment. The decision to build the new production site was made based on projections of continued growth in demand.

No Battery Shortage in UK says Manbat

UK battery distributor Manbat has reassured the UK automotive aftermarket that there is no battery shortage in the UK. The move comes following claims from a number of companies suggesting that there could be a shortage due to the increasing cost and demand of lead. Manbat Managing Director, Roger Pemberton, explains:

"Reputable battery manufacturers can cope with lead price increases especially those in Europe and America who have access to large volumes of scrap. As for demand, there has been no serious winter weather so far this season, so we haven't experienced any shortages. Distributors should be better stocked than normal."

Pemberton went on to say that any experienced disruption in the supply of batteries will have been caused either by the continued narrowing of the European supply base at manufacturer level, or by the inability of some small scale Far Eastern manufacturers to cope with hikes in raw materials costs.

"There are fewer manufacturers in Europe than ever before. Unprofitable players have ceased to exist or have been acquired by profit driven competitors. The era of the "silly price" is drawing to a close."

Manbat is one of the UK's largest battery distributors - operating out of nine branches throughout the UK - supplying the high profile Numax and Varta brands of battery which both offer 99 percent coverage of UK car parc.

Avon Superlight Challenge Promises Bumper Year

A host of talent is lining up behind the new-look Avon Tyres Caterham Superlight Challenge, which is set to blast into action at Easter at Oulton Park. With a schedule of races expanded to 14 and key support status alongside the prestigious British F3 and British GT Championships, the Superlight Challenge is attracting not only returning competitors but also fresh faces rising from the ranks of the Roadsport Challenge.

The 2005 Superlight Challenge Champion, Will Mitcham, is planning a return, as are his fellow top-10 overall finishers from last season Rachel Green, James Gardiner, Andrew Beaumont and Nick Payne. Last year's double Roadsport Champion, Gary Halcrow, is intent on gaining a further crown in 2007 - he plans to move up to Superlights in company with Clive Coote, Ron Johnson, Sean Nash, Chris Bialan and David Bend. Last year's R400 champion, Pat Gormley, is to move up also.

"Early signs are that we shall have grids of approaching 30 cars at each meeting," said Caterham's Director of Motorsport, Magnus Laird, "and as ever, I think Caterham can promise to provide the closest racing at any of the GT/F3 meetings.

" Five of the championship's seven double-header meetings are GT/F3 events; there will be twin Superlight races also at June's Donington Caterham 7 golden jubilee meeting and in October at Brands Hatch with the Formula Ford Festival. Backers for Caterham Motorsport's UK and European race series include Bilstein, Brian James Trailers, Cheesman Products, Circuit Driver, Cooper-Avon Tyres, Demon Tweeks, evo, HSBC Insurance Brokers, Mitchell Cotts, Motorsport News, Stack and Steel Fabrications.

Cambridge Farmer wins Firestone Young Farmer of the Year Award 2006.

Thirty-year-old James Peck of Scotland Farm, Dry Drayton, Cambridge is the National winner of the Firestone Young Farmer of the Year Award. James was crowned the 'Firestone Young Farmer of the Year' at a ceremony held at The Grosvenor House, London at the end of last year. James was awarded his trophy by Fiona Bruce, the BBC TV presenter and Barry Coleman, Firestone's Marketing Manager.

In the Young Farmer of the Year category, the panel were judging on business acumen, technical expertise, environmental and social responsibility, marketing skills and innovation. James started his rapidly expanding business, P.X Farms at the age of 26, after taking over his father's farming business. Three years on, he is on target to achieve his goal to increase his arable farming area to 2500ha.

James is a committed farmer and businessman, and runs his farm at maximum operational efficiency and at lowest cost. James believes the secret to the success of Scotland Farm is a combination of the right equipment and recruiting motivated, reliable staff.

Speaking about the awards, Barry Coleman commented, "Firestone is once again very proud to sponsor the Young Farmer of the year award, and James is a deserving winner. He has demonstrated ambition, enthusiasm and a passion for the industry, and has adopted a unique and very successful management style for his business. I am sure his 'can-do' attitude will continue to make Scotland Farm a success in years to come".

Avon Tyres joins Brabham's MSA British Race Elite Initiative

Avon Tyres will link up with ex-Formula 1 driver and sportscar legend, David Brabham, as an official partner in the new MSA British Race Elite programme. The initiative, launched at the Autosport International Show, is designed to offer selected promising young British racing drivers the chance to develop their skills by giving technical insights into every aspect of motor racing, from tyre technology to physical fitness and mind coaching.

As official tyre partner to the scheme, Avon will invite the selected drivers to its UK manufacturing headquarters at Melksham, Wiltshire, to experience:

• an in-depth look at tyre manufacture
• a visit to Avon's dedicated motorsport tyre facility
• a briefing on how tyres are designed and constructed
• a thorough question and answer session with Avon's motorsport tyre technical staff
• a seminar on how to get the best from their race tyres and their importance in racecraft

Brabham personally selected Avon Tyres for the initiative, having worked with the firm in various categories during his racing career.

Avon motorsport boss and managing director of Avon's parent company, Cooper Tire Europe, Julian Baldwin, added: "Avon Tyres has a very rich heritage in world motorsport, so we are delighted to be involved in such a worthy scheme as the MSA British Race Elite.

"Drivers rising through the junior ranks these days do not often get the chance to learn about such things as tyres in any depth, even though a good understanding of how their tyres work is one of the most important lessons they can learn. It will be wonderful to put something back into the UK motorsport scene."

Potential candidates for the programme must have a UK passport, or be eligible for one, be aged between 16 and 25, hold an MSA race licence and have competed in a national championship for at least 12 months.