Tyre News

Maxxis Official Tyre Partner of Isle Of Man TT Races
Yokohama Supported MK Dons on the Up
ContiPremiumContact2 Commended in Product Honours
Mintex Drives off with UAN Supplier Awards
Official Factory-Supported MX Teams Ride on Maxxis
UK Motorists Waste £3.4 Billion on Expensive Car Servicing
Michelin to Demonstrate Low Rolling Resistance at Motor Show
First Stop Dealer Unveils Major Refurbishment
Michelin Sponsors Land Rover Monthly Billing Show
Kumho Clean Sweep on Jim Clark Rally
Hankook Optimo 4S Awarded German Eco-Label
Van Fleet World Environment Award for Michelin Agilis

Maxxis Official Tyre Partner of Isle Of Man TT Races

Tyre manufacturer Maxxis has been named as the Official Tyre Partner for the 2008 Isle of Man TT Races, which took place between Saturday, May 24 and Saturday, June 7. Maxxis have been enjoying category exclusivity making it the only tyre manufacturer to be officially affiliated to the Races and actively promoted by the organisers in all their communications.

The sponsorship package entitled Maxxis to significant trackside advertising, branding on the footbridge crossing the start straight, branding on the start line grandstand, hospitality, prime position advertising in the TT Programme and branding on the press and winners' enclosure back drops and on the Isle of Man TT website.

In addition to its on-course presence, Maxxis was supplying tyres for the Yamaha R1 motorcycles used by the Travelling Marshals and running a brand awareness campaign with web-based competitions, both during and after the TT Races.

Yokohama Supported MK Dons on the Up

The MK Dons, supported by the UK distributor of Yokohama high-performance tyres, Yokohama HPT Ltd, has achieved its objective for its first season based at the impressive stadiumMK ground. The MK Dons dominated League 2 and were crowned Champions following the final match of the season against Morecombe, in front of a capacity crowd.

The 2007/8 season was the first for Yokohama HPT as club partners to the MK Dons team, which has as its manager former England and Manchester United Captain Paul Ince. Clearly Ince's experience and expertise paid off, as the team took 29 league wins throughout the season, to secure the title. The League 2 title comes hot on the heels of the MK Dons lifting the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at Wembley, after beating Grimsby town in the final.

Commenting on the news, Yokohama HPT Managing Director, David Seward, said; "We are delighted to congratulate MK Dons on their success this season. Winning the double is a superb result both for the club and local community. Paul Ince's management of the team has obviously worked perfectly and we could not have hoped for a better result in our first season in partnership with the MK Dons."

ContiPremiumContact2 Commended in Product Honours

The ContiPremiumContact 2 has proved its performance credentials by receiving a commendation from leading consumer publication, Auto Express. The ContiPremiumContact 2 was recognised for the second consecutive year in the magazines 2008 product honours.

Auto Express said; "The PremiumContact 2 is a great all rounder that delivers top performance across all types of driving and was an easy choice for our commendation."

The magazine tested the UK's top brands to assess their handling and braking capabilities on both wet and dry roads. Auto Express also considered aquaplaning resistance, cabin noise, fuel economy and price.

Peter Robb, product manager at Continental said; "We are delighted to have been commended by Auto Express. The ContiPremiumContact 2 is a popular choice with car manufacturers as an original equipment fitting to their latest generation cars. This test result is proof of its outstanding performance. "

Mintex Drives off with UAN Supplier Awards

TMD Friction has scooped a top award at the UAN's annual conference and Supplier of the Year awards ceremony 2008, recently held in Prague. UAN distributor members present at the conference voted TMD Friction their Car Supplier of the Year for 2007. The company also picked up a 'Highly Commended' award in the category for CV Supplier of the Year.

Official Factory-Supported MX Teams Ride on Maxxis

Two factory-supported teams competing in the 2008 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship are riding on Maxxis tyres. Relentless Suzuki MX and Twisted7.com/Moto/Animal are among 17 teams competing in the eight-round championship, which runs from March to September. Maxxis has signed up as title sponsor of what is widely acknowledged as the UK's premier off road motorcycle series until 2010.

Based in Rugeley, Staffordshire, the Relentless Suzuki MX team was set up by ex-rider Rob Hooper, who became a team manager in 1987 and has been running his own motocross outfit since 1991. Team rider Jamie Law, 21, is contesting the MX1 series on a Suzuki RM-Z450, while Scott Probert, 21, and Lewis Gregory, 22, are both using Suzuki RM-Z 250cc machines in the MX2 class.

Jeff Perrett formed the Twisted7.com/Moto/Animal team, which operates out of Bransgore, near Christchurch, in Dorset, three years ago. The team has four riders contesting this year's Maxxis Championship, including 22-year old Richard Lawson - who took the British Youth Championship title and was Champion of Champion in 2003 - and Bryan MacKenzie, 23, who won the 60cc, 80cc, 100cc and 125cc British Youth Championships between 1995 and 2001 and finished 13th in the MX1 class in last year's Maxxis British Championship, on Kawasaki 450cc machines.

UK Motorists Waste £3.4 Billion on Expensive Car Servicing

UK motorists could be adding to their credit crunch stress by wasting a massive £3.4 billion on annual car services when booked through a franchise dealer. According to research from Nationwide Autocentre, motorists could be paying up to £100 extra on annual service prices when booking in with a franchise dealer in favour of an independent garage.

The research conducted by Nationwide compared annual servicing prices from over 240 dealers across the UK for mid-range family vehicles including Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Mondeo Estate, Renault Clio and VW Passat Saloon. The results showed that annual services prices for each of the four vehicles researched were significantly more expensive at franchise dealers, with an increase on the average annual service price offered by Nationwide (£149.99) varying from £40-£100. The biggest saving could be made with a Passat Saloon, which was a almost a whopping £100 dearer to service with the dealers compared to an independent.

Duncan Wilkes, CEO of Nationwide Autocentre, said: "Everyone is talking about tightening the belt at the moment with households increasingly strapped for cash with food prices rising by £780 per year and fuel prices at almost £5 a gallon, switching servicing garage is a really easy way to cut costs.

He continues, "Some motorists believe that servicing their car at an independent garage, as opposed to a franchise dealer, will invalidate their warranty, but this simply isn't true. The 'Block Exemption' legislation, which became part of the European Directive in 2003, means that new vehicles can receive their annual service from any independent garage without affecting their warranty."

Michelin to Demonstrate Low Rolling Resistance at Motor Show

Michelin will run a live, full size demonstration of the low rolling resistance of its new Energy Saver tyres at the British International Motor Show at ExCel, London Docklands from 23 July to 3 August. Two identical driverless cars, one fitted with Michelin Energy Saver tyres and the other with non-green tyres, will be simultaneously released and allowed to roll down a ski-slope type ramp, with an up-ramp at the opposite end. The car fitted with Energy Saver tyres will roll for longer and thus cover a greater distance before coming to a standstill.

This graphic side-by-side demonstration of the low rolling resistance characteristics of Michelin Energy Saver tyres translates on the road into reduced fuel consumption of nearly 0.2 litres per 100km and reduced CO2 emissions. These benefits to the motorist are in addition to excellent wet braking performance and up to 40% more tyre life than other leading brand tyres.

Michelin, a supporting partner of this year's British International Motor Show, will operate this demonstration in the Greener Driving Pavilion at various times on all days throughout show.

First Stop Dealer Unveils Major Refurbishment

First Stop dealership, Kingsway Tyres celebrated the re-opening of its Spalding depot with a weekend of events following a major redevelopment. The refurbishment of the Spalding site marks the launch of Bridgestone UK's 'model stores', which will be the flagship outlets in the First Stop network.

Kingsway Tyres, which is part of Bridgestone's First Stop national network of tyre dealerships, has invested a total of £200,000 in the refurbishment and extension of the Bourne Road site with a specific focus on providing an appealing environment for customers, including a new reception area and M.O.T office.

The site was officially re-opened in style with a number of customer events, including a Formula One Show featuring Bridgestone's stunning Ferrari Formula One car. Customers had the opportunity to see the new facilities and have their picture taken with the F1 car.

Michelin Sponsors Land Rover Monthly Billing Show

Michelin is to be title sponsor of the LRM (Land Rover Monthly) Billing Show, which takes place at Billing Aquadrome, Northampton from 18 to 20 July. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the launch of the iconic Land Rover brand and with the company's recent purchase by India's Tata Group from Ford, a record attendance is expected at the Michelin LRM Billing Show.

This annual show for the Land Rover enthusiast will showcase the comprehensive Michelin 4x4 tyre range covering all market sectors from heavy duty off-road and multi purpose tyres, to high performance on-road tyres for vehicles such as the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Sport.

Michelin tyres on display will include the 4x4 O/R, for rugged terrain; the high-mileage 4x4 Synchrone for use on all surfaces; the 4x4 Diamaris, designed for high performance vehicles; the comfortable and long-life Latitude Tour HP for all road-orientated 4x4 vehicles; and the Michelin Latitude Sport, the high performance road tyre for the most demanding high performance 4x4 vehicles.

Visitors to the Michelin LRM Billing Show in July who want to buy new tyres can have them fitted by the experts from 4 SITE, the 4x4 tyre specialist who will have a stock of Michelin tyres at the show. However it is recommended that customers pre-order to ensure their tyres can be fitted whilst they are at the show.

Kumho Clean Sweep on Jim Clark Rally

Kumho has followed its impressive showing on the recent Manx Rally with further success at the recent (May 23-25) Jim Clark event. The rally is effectively five events in one and cars shod with Kumho rubber filled the first four places on the National rally.

The first four places in the National event went to:

• David Kynaston/Andy Russell (Audi A3 Quattro)
• Andy Fenwick/Lee Tindall (Skoda Octavia WRC)
• David Mann/Alun Cook (Subaru Impreza WRC)
• Alistair Thorburn/Paul McGuire (Subaru Impreza)

Andy Fenwick and Lee Tindall, who returned to the Kumho fold this year after a season on rival rubber, were also the outright victors of the Reivers event.

Said Kumho's European motorsport manager, Steve Thompson, "This was another very impressive result for us. Apart from one brief shower, the surface was cool and dry though, as always, quite polished and lacking in grip. Our C03 dry tarmac tyre suited the conditions and worked well for all our runners."

Hankook Optimo 4S Awarded German Eco-Label

Hankook's new AllSeason-tyre Optimo 4S has received the Blue Angel, an eco-label and approval seal from the German Institute for Quality Assurance and Certification (RAL), officially promoted by Umweltbundesamt (UBA), the Federal Environmental Agency of Germany. Being awarded with this popular customer-protection-label, the allnew Hankook Optimo 4S (= four seasons) had to pass all relevant tests in both safety and environmental criteria, such as straight hydroplaning, wet braking, rolling resistance and pass-by-noise. All tests have been conducted, measured and verifyed by the independent TüV Süd Automotive group, selected by UBA and RAL.

Van Fleet World Environment Award for Michelin Agilis

Michelin has won the Environment Award in the 2008 Van Fleet World Honours. The trophy was presented at a special ceremony held at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall on Tuesday 13th May.

The Van Fleet World Honours are presented annually to those motor manufacturers, service companies and individuals who have, in the opinion of the judges, achieved the highest possible level of excellence in their sector. The judging panel is chaired by industry professional, George Emmerson, who has managed fleets at IBM, NHBC and Black Horse Agencies. Members of the judging panel include Ken Rogers, John Kendall, and Ross Durkin from Fleet World's editorial team, and fleet manager Jackie Pomfrett.