Goodyear Tyres has unveiled the latest addition to its range of high-performance tyres.

The Eagle GT, which will be launched in July, boasts a number of design features that improve performance and safety. Its dual zone asymmetric tread has an outboard High Performance Zone that aids grip and delivers more responsive handling. Inboard the tyre has an All Season Zone with improved traction in all conditions. The All Season Zone also features microgrooves that deliver traction in normal driving, but which lock together to provide stability during cornering.

4×4 Magazine has named Kumho’s Road Venture MT KL71 and the BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain TA as winners of its “Ultimate Tyre Test”. The arduous trial held recently at a venue in South Wales tested the tyres in a number of extreme conditions.

The tyres, fitted to a Land Rover Defender 110, were subjected to six challenges: mud climb, bog run, side slope, rock crawl, gravel and tarmac braking. The Kumho and BFGoodrich tyres finished the trials eight points ahead of their nearest rivals. The journal described the Kumho as decidedly different in appearance to all its competitors, and judged it to be the best looking, as well as taking joint top spot for performance.

The aim of the test was to find the best mud terrain tyre in the UK. According to the magazine the BFGoodrich tyre is considered to be the best mud terrain tyre, and they reported that “Slippery mud and dangerous grass were its key strengths, with both obstacles proving no problem for the traditional American”. The Kumho gained top marks in both the rock crawl and gravel braking trials.

According to the magazine, “The Kumho MT KL71 is a great tyre and a deserving all round winner. Give it a try”. Their view of the BFGoodrich tyre, was, “I hate side slopes and I hate grass, so when they’re combined, a BFG would be the tyre I’d want on my rims.”

Steve Tidmarsh, managing director of Kumho, was thrilled by the result, “We are naturally delighted with the result. 4×4 Magazine’s test is very much in line with our own research and reinforces the confidence we have had in the KL71 from the outset”.

The European Union’s legislation concerning chemical usage has implications for the tyre industry.

The legislation, REACH, involves the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemical substances. It requires businesses to register chemicals they produce or use in the manufacturing process, and it aims to “improve the protection of human health and the environment through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical substances”. At a recent Tyre industry meeting in Tokyo, members of the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) discussed the implications for the tyre industry.

ETRMA consists of the 11 leading tyre manufacturers within the EU - Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper Tires, Goodyear Dunlop, Marangoni, Michelin, Mitas, Nokian, Pirelli, Trelleborg Wheel Systems and Vredestein. The aims of REACH coincide with an increasing awareness of environmental issues within the tyre industry. The REACH legislation will lead to the formation of a database supplying information to consumers concerning the potential dangers of chemical products.

The ETRMA meeting concentrated on the work of the research group led jointly by Bridgestone, Goodyear and Michelin which has been studying tyre wear particles for the last 16 months. The group announced that the research will continue with a further US$2.2 million being earmarked to fund the programme.

The research, coordinated by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, has involved studying the particles produced through normal tyre use, and improving knowledge of materials used in tyre production. Although the programme will continue for a further 18 months, the initial assessments showed sufficient margins of safety for human health based on screening models.

A report from tyres market-research specialists, Encircle Marketing, confirms what we at Etyres have known for some time the cheapest place to buy tyres is online.

The company collated over 8,000 tyre prices in a search for the best value for money, and they found that e-retailers are significantly undercutting the entire market. Their research revealed that the average quote from on-line retailers for a fully fitted tyre was £61. The second best deal was offered by local independent retailers, who averaged £67. The report reveals that the places to avoid are the national Fast-Fit chains, who are some 16 percent above the national average.

On-line retailers are currently selling tyres at up to 17 percent below the national average, and there are signs that the gap between e-retailers and traditional suppliers is getting wider. Currently the gap between the on-line providers and their nearest rivals stands at £8 per tyre. However, prices on-line have actually dropped by £2 since April, while prices from traditional suppliers have risen by £4 in the same period.

For beleagured motorists, hit by rising fuel prices, it is good news to find that, at least in one sector, prices are going down. With just a little research motorists can not only get their tyres cheaper, but can also have them fitted on their own doorstep.

Michelin will launch its latest “Fill up with Air” roadshow at the Folkestone Eurotunnel Terminal on the 1st July. Motorists passing through the tunnel will be offered a free tyre pressure check, and advice from Michelin technicians.

The event is the start of a nationwide campaign designed to impress upon motorists the importance of correct tyre pressures. A similar event last year revealed that 83 percent of vehicles were being driven with under-inflated tyres, and 63 percent were dangerously low.

Ensuring your tyres have the correct pressure is crucial. Tyres that are under-inflated by 15psi reduce the speed at which a car will aqua-plane by 10mph. Under-inflated tyres affect handling, and can cause a build up of heat that may damage the tyre’s structure. Driving on under-inflated tyres reduces the life expectancy of a set of tyres by as much as 20 percent.

There are also important environmental and financial implications to driving on under-inflated tyres. If tyres are not at the correct pressure, rolling resistance is increased, resulting in an increase in fuel consumption and a concomitant increase in CO2 emissions.

Britain’s biggest selling motoring magazine, Auto Express, has named Goodyear’s HydraGrip tyre as the “Best Buy” tyre in the family car tyre market. The Goodyear HydraGrip gained recognition in the magazine’s annual Product Honours Awards report.

Auto Express tested 16 tyre brands, comparing stopping distances, handling, grip, fuel consumption, in-car noise levels and price to determine the best in this highly competitive sector of the market. The magazine felt that the Goodyear HydraGrip outperformed its competitors in all aspects of testing, but was particularly good in the wet. In aqua-planing tests the HydraGrip had 15 percent more grip than any other tyre.

This was Goodyear’s second award in a month, following the success of the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric in being selected as “Innovation of the Year” in the Tyre and Fast Fit Awards.

James Bailey, Corporate Communications Manager stated: “Goodyear is constantly driving forward with innovation that improves tyre safety and performance. This month our tyre performance has been recognized by Auto Express, the UK’s leading consumer motoring magazine, and the National Tyre Distributors Association, representing the UK tyre dealers. To receive awards from both the media and our trade partners underlines the importance of innovation in driving safety and particularly wet weather performance.”

The newly launched Uniroyal Rainsport 2 has been commended in the inaugural Fast Car Hit List awards.

The Hit List commended tyres in 14 categories, based on their originality, quality, desirability and value. The judges reported on the Uniroyal Rainsport 2, saying, “This distinctive looker can deliver impressive levels of grip in the dry but, more importantly for us drivers in the wet and greasy UK, can also astound with its ability to hang on in the rain.”

Commenting for Uniroyal, product manager Peter Robb said, “It’s great that Uniroyal has been recognised so quickly after its launch by the industry. Years of development and research goes into making a tyre so this is a great accolade for our design and product performance team. The Rainsport 2 with its characteristic V tread is a fantastic product both in terms of safety and its styling.”