The much talked about sale of Jaguar Land Rover has finally been confirmed. On 26th March Ford formally announced that they have committed to selling the company to India’s Tata Motors for the sum of US$2.3 billion.

It is expected that the deal will be closed by the middle of summer, at which time Ford will contribute $600 million to the Jaguar Land Rover pension plan.

The move will allow Ford to concentrate on developing its own brands globally. Alan Mulally, President and CEO of the Ford Motor Company stated; “Jaguar and Land Rover are terrific brands. We are confident that they are leaving our fold with the products, plan and team to continue to thrive under Tata’s stewardship. Now, it is time for Ford to concentrate on integrating the Ford brand globally, as we implement our plan to create a strong Ford Motor Company that delivers profitable growth for all.”

Speaking of the agreement, Nr Ratan Tata said; “We are very pleased at the prospect of Jaguar and Land Rover being a significant part of our automotive business. We have enormous respect for the two brands and will endeavour to preserve and build on their heritage and competitiveness, keeping their identities intact. We aim to support their growth, while holding true to our principles of allowing the management and employees to bring their experience and expertise to bear on the growth of the business.”

Bridgestone Tyres, working in collaboration with the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), have announced the launch of the “Make Cars Green” campaign.

The aim of the global campaign is to lessen the environmental impact of motoring by highlighting fuel-saving driving techniques. The essence of the campaign is built around 10 points for greener motoring. Bridgestone will give more specific details in June, but the basic outline stresses the need for thoughtful, fuel-efficient motoring.

The ten points are:

• - Buy Green
• - Plan your journey
• - Check tyre pressures frequently
• - Reduce loads and avoid the need for roof racks
• - Don’t warm up your engine before starting off
• - Use air conditioning only when necessary
• - Accelerate gently and keep your speed constant
• - Use engine braking
• - Don’t idle your engine
• - Offset your CO2 emissions

Bridgestone are the latest tyre manufacturers’ to acknowledge the growing concerns with the environmental impact of motoring, which they have described as; “one of the most critical issues of our time”. The tyre group has stated that it intends to expand and enhance its efforts to preserve a safe environment for future generations.

By Andrew Williams,
Contributing Editor

The demands of television companies have affected a number of sports. They are responsible for the kick-off times in Premiership football and for the fact that our cricketers now play in day-glo pyjamas.

The next manifestation of this phenomenon could be glow-in-the-dark tyres in Formula One racing.

According to the Paddock Talk website F1 cars may have their tyres painted with fluorescent paint that will give off a silver glow. This treatment of the tyres will help drivers and viewers to identify the cars, and will, it is felt, add to the glamour of a Formula One race.

A spokesperson for Bridgestone tyres stated, “It doesn’t require advance testing. We’ll have to run it past the FIA of course, but we have quite a lot of freedom. It would look really cool, so it’s something we’re looking into”.

By Andrew Williams,
Contributing Editor

Continental Tyres are celebrating winning six “Best Buy” awards in a recent Which? tyre test report. Their EcoContact 3, PremiumContact 2 and SportContact 3 models topped the polls in six size categories in the magazine?s recent report.

The Continental ContiEcoContact 3 was the star of the show finishing top in four categories. The German tyre giant topped other categories with its ContiPremiumContact 2 and ContiSportContact 3 tyres beating off the opposition.

Speaking of this achievement Continental Tyres’ Tracey Hyem said: “Drivers need a lot from their tyres and criteria including safety, good handling, performance, low noise, durability and fuel economy are of vital importance. At Continental, we take these features very seriously and they are all integral to the design and development of our tyres. To have this commitment recognised with six Which? Best Buy accolades is clear testament to the performance and quality of our tyres”.

By Andrew Williams,
Contributing Editor

The continued expansion of the 4×4 market in the UK has encouraged Continental to develop its range of tyres designed for SUVs. The company has announced the release of six new summer tyre models designed to meet the needs of all 4×4 drivers.

At the top of the range is the ContiCrossContact UHP. This is designed for powerful, high-performance vehicles, such as the Porsche Cayenne or BMW X5. It features enhanced cornering characteristics and short braking distances, and is available with V, W, Y and Z speed ratings. The ContiCrossContact UHP has already been tested at speeds up to 330km/hr.

The Conti4×4Contact gives excellent traction when on-road, and is also suited to light off-road use. It boasts prompt steering response, excellent directional stability and short braking distances. In addition its wide longitudinal and transverse tread pattern provides good water dispersal, making it resistant to aqua-planing.

For drivers of fast, powerful 4×4s Continental recommend the Conti4×4SportContact. The asymmetric tread pattern and compact outer shoulders deliver superb cornering stability, and the wide tread grooves give good water dispersion to minimise the risk of aqua-planing. The Conti4×4SportContact is fitted as original equipment on the Porsche Cayenne and other similar SUVs.

The ContiTrac SUV is the work-horse of the range. Its reinforced sidewalls make this a durable tyre, even in harsh conditions. The ContiTrac SUV features good handling on and off-road, durability and low rolling noise. This tyre is also available with distinctive white outline lettering.

The ContiCrossContact AT is designed to perform in off-road conditions while still offering a comfortable, quiet ride on-road. The strong tread compound makes the ContiCrossContact AT a very durable tyre in off-road conditions, and its open shoulders deliver safe cornering under all conditions.

For 4×4 drivers needing versatility the ContiCrossContact LX is designed to deliver good braking and handling in all terrains. The tyre uses elements from tyres designed for rugged off-road use, but also offers a quiet, controlled ride on tarmac.

Continental’s 4×4 range is offered as original equipment on a number of SUVs, including Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes and Porsche.

By Andrew Williams,
Contributing Editor

The stormy weather that has raged across Britain this week has prompted tyre safety experts to emphasise the need for vigilance on the part of motorists.

With storms sweeping the country Tyresafe, the leading UK tyres safety organisation, revealed that one in four cars in the UK are driving on suspect tyres. Under-inflated tyres, or those in poor condition, become even more dangerous in wet conditions. Loss of grip increases the risk of skidding in wet weather, making accidents increasingly likely.

A spokesperson for Tyresafe stated that in extreme, adverse weather conditions it is crucial that motorists take the time to run a few simple safety checks before starting their journey. Checking that tyres are inflated to the correct pressure increases safety levels and maximises fuel efficiency.

Motorists should also ensure that their tyres have sufficient tread. Loss of tread lengthens braking distances and increases the risk of skidding. It also has legal implications, as driving on tyres with less than the legal minimum tread can result in 3 points on your licence, and a fine of £2500. Motorists should also check that the tread wear is even, an indication of correct wheel alignment and balance.

Regular monitoring of tyre condition is one of the simplest safety measures that motorists can undertake for themselves, and one that is ignored all too often.

By Andrew Williams,
Contributing Editor

Concern for the environment is an issue that is seldom out of the headlines. All industries are now looking at ways to promote a sustainable society, and the tyre industry is also playing its part in moving towards sustainability. Now Goodyear Dunlop has been presented with an award in recognition of its environmentally friendly philosophy.

At the end of 2006 Goodyear Dunlop instigated a corporate directive to eliminate the use of landfill sites for its waste by December 2007. This goal has been attained. And the company has been rewarded by the presentation of Severnside Recycling’s Personal Commitment to Recycling award.

Goodyear has worked closely with recycling companies to ensure that their waste is sorted in a way to make recycling as easy as possible. This has encouraged recyclers to utilise the waste for a number of diverse products, including playgrounds and fence-posts.

The programme has resulted in 77% of Goodyear’s waste being recycled, with the remainder being incinerated. The company has plans to reduce the percentage going to the incinerator to 15% by the end of 2008.

John Davies leader of the Goodyear Dunlop Waste Team commented on the award; “There are future opportunities that we must grasp. I am so proud of what we have achieved and to be given the award makes the hard work the team and I have put in all the more worthwhile. Not only have we managed to control the waste disposal costs of the plant, we have also reached the corporate goal, putting UK manufacturing on the map and have an award to prove its success.”

In the current climate, where the motorist is increasingly burdened with guilt about the environmental impact of driving, it is good to see tyre manufacturers restoring the balance, and improving the industry’s environmental credentials.

By Andrew Williams,
Contributing Editor

Goodyear has unveiled the latest addition to its range of run-on-flat tyres. The new tyres, launched at the Geneva Motor Show, offer further reductions in rolling resistance, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

The new generation of run-on-flat tyres from Goodyear deliver an improved level of comfort as well as helping car manufacturers to adhere to the new, strict CO2 emission guidelines.

Goodyear is heavily involved in the development of run-on-flat technology. The company sold over 2.5 million run-on-flat tyres in 2007, and they are now developing an ultra-low rolling resistance run-on-flat tyre produced using environmentally friendly materials.

The company are working in conjunction with BMW and Italian research specialists Novamont to develop a new filler made from renewable resources. This will help to reduce CO2 emissions during tyre production, making the new tyres eco-friendly both in production and usage.

By Andrew Williams,
Contributing Editor

The tyre industry launched its own “Oscars” recently with the inaugural Tyre Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence, which were presented at the Tire Technology Expo in Cologne. The awards reflected the growing awareness, within the industry, of the importance of environmental concerns.

The Tyre Technology of the Year award went to Michelin for the development of its Energy Saver range of tyres. These tyres are constructed from a new silica based compound that reduces rolling resistance thereby reducing fuel consumption and lowering carbon emissions.

Bridgestone won the Tyre Manufacturer of the Year award, thanks to its participation in a number of eco-projects working in partnership with organisations such as the World Wildlife Fund. The company also won plaudits for its support of the road safety campaign “Think before you drive”.

The ceremony was organised by Tire Technology International, and the various categories were judged by a panel consisting of 15 industry experts.

By Andrew Williams,
Contributing Editor

Continental has announced price increases of between 3.5 and 5% on all its car and van tyres, effective from June 1st.

The company states that the price increase is due to the rising cost of raw materials.