By Alex Kapadia

Kumho has taken over from Michelin as the official sole tyres supplier for Auto GP.

The Korean tyres manufacture will supply teams with two different compounds, with use of both the ‘prime’ and ‘option’ tyres mandatory during a dry race weekend, according to AUTOSPORT.com.

Unlike in Formula 1, however, there will be no stipulations on when the different compounds are used during each event.

Auto GP’s Enzo Coloni said: “Right from the start of our talks with Kumho, it was clear that their approach was a very positive one, aimed at giving us the best possible experience in terms of technical support.

“Not only did they accept with enthusiasm our proposal for the two different tyre specs, but they also expressed a will to bring on a constant development job working with us and the teams, something unique in the one-make series scenario.

“The first step of this process will be the creation of a special supersoft tyre for the Marrakech round, a street track where we expect a very low grip level.

“For our drivers being involved in such a development plan will mean getting a know-how that they can’t get anywhere else, a vital experience for their future.”

Auto GP is already one of the premier schooling grounds for Grand Prix drivers, and giving this year’s competitors the opportunity to learn the management of both ‘prime’ and ‘option’ tyre compounds at each of the seven circuits visited will further strengthen that role.

By Denna Bowman

Michelin is anticipating a substantial rise in the sales of cold weather tyres this winter, despite the unusually mild weather enjoyed by most parts of the UK during the past three months.

The French tyres manufacturer has estimated that around half a million winter tyres were sold by the end of December 2011, about 50% more than by the same time last winter.

The figures is also about three or four times as many as a few years ago and is regarded as even more impressive given that the tough economic climate has meant motorists have less cash to spare.

Jianni Geras, head of car marketing at Michelin Tyre PLC, said: “This increase in the sales of cold weather tyres marks a real change in motorists’ behaviour, as drivers appear determined to avoid the chaos of losing grip on icy or snow covered winter roads.

“This is also being taken on board by tyre retailers.”

Cold weather tyres, which are effective in all conditions when temperatures are below about 7 degrees Celsius, and not just when it is snowy, are routinely fitted by drivers in many continental countries but British car-owners only started taking a real interest in them after recent severe winters.

The tyres rely for their improved grip in winter conditions on rubber compounds that differ from those used in summer tyres, and tread patterns designed to disperse water or slush effectively and key into snowy surfaces.

Michelin is delighted to have received ‘Best Buy’ accolades from Which? for its cold weather tyres.

The Alpin A4 and Primacy Alpin PA3 cold weather tyres were awarded the ‘Best Buy’ status following the Which? tests carried out in the Alps.

Steve Dolby, Product Marketing Manager at Michelin, said: “There has been considerable interest from UK consumers in cold weather tyres this year and sales so far are estimated to be more than half a million tyres – up nearly 50% over the same period last year.

“However, this only represents around 2% of total UK tyre sales, still much lower than many other European countries.

“Although these figures may still seem small, this is impressive growth given that the weather conditions, usually the main trigger for sales, have been relatively mild up to this point.”

The Michelin tyres awarded Which?’s ‘Best Buy’ performed to a high standard in snow, wet and icy driving conditions. The Alpin A4 was described as “performing well across the board” whilst the Primacy Alpin PA3 demonstrated “Michelin’s strength in designing tyres that wear as well as the best in the class”.

Dolby added: “Both the Michelin Alpin A4 and Michelin Primacy Alpin tyres provide an excellent balance of performance, which has contributed to their success in the Which? tests. The performance of these products can be put down to the enormous effort we make in the design and manufacture of our tyres, with more than 6,000 people dedicated to research and development in the Company.

“The tyres also received the top 5 star Which? rating in wear performance, which is a key area for consumers as this can affect how many winters the tyres can be used for. This could eventually impact on motorists budgets as tyres which wear quickly will need to be replaced earlier than longer lasting tyres.”

By Denna Bowman

The Michelin tyres plant in Dundee has slashed its annual energy consumption after installing a new cooling tower to process water.

According to the tyres company, it is has cut 1,500 MWh from the Scottish factory’s annual energy consumption with the help of the new AC drives.

The equipment, supplied by Emerson Industrial Automation company Control Techniques, controls the speed of fans and pumps and match supply with demand.

When the cooling plant is idling, its energy consumption is now the equivalent to that needed to boil your cup of tea, according to Emerson.

Mike Barklie, Control Techniques project manager, said: “I measured actual cooling requirements and realised that there were further potential savings to be made by putting in variable-speed drives to match the supply of cooling water to demand.

“It was a major investment, but we have achieved a tremendously successful result that has a return on investment of less than three years.”

The fans in the cooling tower are designated as main and standby, the drive for the standby only starting when the demand on the main fan drive exceeds 60 per cent.

On minimum speed, which is one fan at 40 per cent of full speed, the power demand is just 2.5 kW – described by Barklie as “the same as an electric kettle” – some 87.5 kW less than the old cooling tower.

We are delighted that Which? magazine - the UK’s leading consumer bible - has directed motorists to etyres when they need to buy new tyres.

The experts at Which? have got to grips with six Best Buy winter tyres (in two of the most popular sizes) in the January edition and pointed consumers in our direction.

Which? gave our details after reviewing the Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3, giving it a score of 68% and commenting: “This tyre shows Michelin’s strength in designing tyres that wear as well as the best in class. Dry handling is better than many, and grip on ice is as good as others tested.”

The tyres team travelled to the Alps to test the tyres on compacted snow and even hired an ice rink to see how they got to grips in slippery conditions.

The double page spread is packed with reviews on the six Best Buy tyres and other helpful tips and advice - like how to drive safely on snow and ice-covered roads.

You can get the low down on all six tyres in the January 2012 issue of Which?

Denna Bowman, Head Office

By Denna Bowman

Which? has published the results of its winter tyres test after putting six tyres in two of the most popular sizes through their paces.

In size 175/65 R14T the Continental WinterContact TS800 came out tops with the comment: “A really good all rounder with no major weaknesses. It’s the class leader on snow, good in wet and dry conditions and offers the best fuel economy of all the winter tyres in this batch.”

The only downside was: “It is slightly weaker than others for cornering on ice.”

The other Best Buys were the Michelin Alpin A4 and the Dunlop SP Winter Response.

In the 205/55 R16H category the Continental WinterContact TS830 took poll position again and was praised for: “Sound performance in the wet and in snow puts this tyre at the top of the ratings table. It also has a long predicted life, beating most rivals in the wear stakes.”

On the downside Which? added: “It’s not quite so impressive on ice, although it is still a match for any competitor in this batch.”

The two other Best Buys were the Goodyear UltraGrip 7+ and the Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3.

Read the full report in the January 2012 issue or go to www.which.co.uk.

By Alex Kapadia

Winter tyres were put through their paces by a couple of car enthusiasts who entered a PistonHeads competition.

Michelin tyres organised the test at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone where the tyre and the car companies laid on a number of exercises in a before-and-after format, with cars running regular tyres and the cold weather equivalents.

The tests included a standing start test on the ‘ice hill’, the wetted resin surface carrying off a passing impression of black ice. This was conducted in a Cayenne on summer tyres and a Boxster on winters to demonstrate how four-wheel drive isn’t necessarily any use if you can’t get the power down.

Cayennes also featured for the dry handling run around the twisty, technical test track before swapping to Panameras on both types of tyre on the kickplate, which flicks the back of the car out as you enter a low-grip surface to simulate a sudden loss of control.

According to PistonHeads: “Tyre companies like Michelin are obviously keen to drive sales of winter rubber and, especially after last winter’s conditions, are counting on a greater awareness to increase demand.

“We’re still way behind our European neighbours though, 45% of Germans going for winter rubber against just 0.4% of Brits. Continental is the market leader, Michelin not far behind with Goodyear and other big names like Nokian and Pirelli accounting for the bulk of the rest.

“With European sales of 60 million units you can see why they’re keen for us to get the winter tyre habit too.”

To read the full article and to check out the PistonHead competition winner’s reviews go to http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=52&i=24782.

By Denna Bowman

Michelin has announced details of a multi-million pound investment at its tyres factory in Dundee.

The tyres manufacturer revealed that more than 100 jobs have been created and hundreds more safeguarded at the plant with the help of a £5.25 million grant from the Scottish Government’s enterprise body.

First Minister Alex Salmond announced that Scottish Enterprise support has brought a share of a UK-wide investment package worth up to £50 million from Michelin into its Dundee operation.

The investment is earmarked to convert it to a “factory of the future” which will make the next generation of fuel-efficient tyre.

The first tranche of the money is already in place at the factory which now employs 860 people, including 24 apprentices. It will lead to the recruitment of 140 staff and the start of building works to install new equipment.

The commitment will also secure the future of Michelin’s on-site apprentice training centre which has trained hundreds for work in the Michelin factory and at other engineering firms in Tayside.

Eric Le Corre, managing director of Michelin UK, said: “The importance of this six-year investment plan is reinforced by the fact that both the UK and Scottish governments have agreed to support this initiative with grants and we look forward to working with them to re-establish the UK’s position as a major force in global manufacturing.”

Mr Salmond added: “This commitment to Dundee by Michelin is a resounding vote of confidence for the staff at the plant, who can now look forward with confidence to a bright future making the next generation of fuel-efficient tyres.

“Assisted by RSA (Regional Selective Assistance) funding from Scottish Enterprise, Michelin has already begun transforming the Dundee factory to enable the hundreds of fantastic, skilled workers here to remain at the cutting edge of their industry and help the worldwide drive to the low-carbon economy.”

By Denna Bowman

Michelin is urging UK motorists to consider fitting winter tyres to their vehicles following reports that local councils are slashing their spending on winter road services.

The tyres company highlighted media reports that budgets for salting, gritting and snowploughing services are set to be reduced by as much as 30 per cent compared to last year.

Jianni Geras, Michelin’s head of car marketing, said: “Bearing in mind how many cars are on the roads, especially over the Christmas holiday period, we hope drivers get the message about the improvements in safety that are available by fitting cold weather tyres.

“With people visiting relatives and heading off on winter breaks and ski holidays it makes sense to do everything in your power to ensure you get to your destination safely and not to take any chances with missing flights or ferries.”

Michelin is urging drivers to seriously consider whether they can afford to be stranded in their cars due to bad road conditions at any time during the winter months.

Much has been reported about winter tyres and how they can prevent accidents and save lives, but now Autocar have carried out a major investigation into how they perform in the wet during warmer weather.

According to Autocar: “Winter tyres offer greater cornering performance than summer rubber in everyday wet weather conditions – but they do take longer to stop from 70mph. These are the major findings of an Autocar investigation into how winter tyres perform in warmer weather.

“It’s widely known that winter tyres provide better performance in temperatures below seven degrees celsius, but how they’re performance is affected in warmer weather is less clear.

“Autocar took a set of common, everyday premium tyres and compared them to a set of winter tyres, testing braking and cornering performance in wet conditions at 10C.”

Using a Ford Focus as their test vehicle, they found that the Michelin Alpin winter tyres provided substantially better lateral grip and general feel over the Michelin Primacy HP tyres.

However, the winter tyres took 7.1metres longer to stop from 70mph in these conditions than the everyday tyres.

Steve Dolby, Michelin’s product marketing manager, told Autocar that this would be due to the “specialist tread and compound in the winter tyres resulting in more flexibility in the tread blocks when under higher forces in warmer temperatures.”

He also explained that “clearly the tread in the winter tyres was successfully evacuating more water than the Primacy tyres on the wet laps, but with heavy braking in warmer temperatures, the more stable tread pattern on the everyday tyres helped provide better braking.”

To watch the full Autocar wet-weather tyre test, go to http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/winter-tyres-tested-in-the-wet-video-review

Denna Bowman, Head Office