Tyres, etc

Yokohama Tyres will further demonstrate its commitment to supporting drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) by becoming the latest event partner of the Everything Electric London. Taking place at London ExCel from 28 – 30 March, the event, formerly called Fully Charged LIVE, will showcase not only the latest in electric cars, but also the latest in home energy and clean energy solutions too.

BMTR Birmingham has become Pirelli’s Performance Centre (PPC) of the Year and 4x4 Key Dealer of the Year. The two awards recognise the tyre retailer's "commitment to excellence" and its "outstanding" automotive service,. Pirelli said. This is the fifth time BMTR has been crowned PPC of the Year. Its Birmingham store is the flagship of the network and Birmingham’s largest retail tyre warehouse, according to BMTR.

Bridgestone and Kwik Fit have extended their partnership with the British Motor Show (15-18 August 2024 at Farnborough International) for a further two years. The tyre manufacturer first attended the event in 2022. In 2024, partnering with Kwik Fit, Bridgestone will be the official tyre partner of The British Motor Show as well as being the exclusive partner sponsor of the Motorsport and Modified Arena and Hall at the event.

Prinx arrived in Europe last year and is positioning itself as a sustainability focused car tyre brand. It invites consumers to get to know the range better via its redesigned prinxtire.eu website, which combines “modern design with numerous new features” for end consumers, dealers and the press.

New motorsport tyre brand Nova Motorsport has become the official tyre supplier to Scandinavia's RallyX Championship. The five-year agreement starts with the 2024 season opener in Sweden (10-11 May), covering the five further events and 10 races in total. The championship has previously used Avon branded tyres, and Nova Motorsport will commence its supply deal with the world leading ACB11 rallycross tyre. Nova has acquired the rights to sell products under the Avon Motorsport and Avon Racing brands from Cooper Tire owner Goodyear. Nova added that it is making a “firm commitment to uphold the legacy, performance and quality of Avon Motorsport products.”

ETB Autocentres and Britannia Tyres have gone platinum for their customer service levels for second successive year, with global review experts Feefo heaping more praise on the networks. Both brands have scooped the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award for 2024, in honour of the retail experience created for their customers over the past 12 months. The award is an independent seal of excellence and they qualified to win having recorded more than 50 ratings of between 4.5 and 4.9 between January 1st 2023 and December 31st 2023.

TyreSafe, the UK’s tyre safety organisation, is calling on drivers to "take charge" of their safety by conducting vital tyre checks while waiting for their batteries to charge. This crucial period, often filled with scrolling on phones, grabbing a sandwich, or dozing in the front seat, presents an opportunity that could be life-saving if used to ensure tyre safety. The A.C.T acronym—Air, Condition, Tread—provides simple yet effective guidance on checks that can be done without specialist equipment. By taking just a few minutes to inspect their tyres, drivers can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and breakdowns. 

TyreSafe, the UK’s leading advocate for tyre safety, is launching a new campaign targeting driving and car maintenance habits. Dubbed #DriveJanuary as a play on the health and wellbeing #DryJanuary campaign, TyreSafe wants drivers to make “a realistic commitment to road safety” part of their New Year’s resolutions, with monthly tyre checks at its core. The organisation frames tyre safety as a monthly routine in a bid to contribute to a safer road environment, creating lasting behavioural change among drivers. The TyreSafe 2023 Tread Depth Survey reveals that almost half the UK cars on the road have low or illegal tread.

Bridgestone will return to a FIA World Championship for the first time in a decade-and-a-half when it begins delivering tyres to Formula E starting in the 2026/27 season. The company will succeed Hankook as the sole tyre supplier under an agreement that covers 2026-2027 through 2029-2030. The start of Bridgestone’s Formula E engagement will coincide with the introduction of Gen4 cars in the championship’s 13th season.