Tyre News

Top Cat famously lived in a dustbin, but none of his feline gang ever chose to set up digs within a rolling road brake tester. But this is precisely the new home that one kitten decided upon. Elite Garages shares the story of a memorable encounter for the team at its Maidstone centre.

Optional sport tyres always deliver better performance, right? Not necessarily, says auto motor und sport (ams). When the German motoring publication tested the latest Porsche Macan Turbo Electric, the model they received didn’t arrive on standard 20-inch rims, rather with 22-inch wheels fitted with “performance tyres” – an option that costs £464 in the UK.

Worldwide, Bridgestone Corporation is involved with one single tyre joint venture, its partnership with Turkey’s Sabanci Holding. Named Brisa, this venture operates plants in Izmit and Aksaray and produces passenger car tyres under the Bridgestone and Lassa brand names. The Brisa footprint also includes a R&D centre that delivers around 120 new products a year. One of these is the Lassa Revola, a summer comfort tyre that’ll be no stranger to anyone familiar with the Bridgestone Turanza T005.

EcoContact 6 Q tyres have been factory-fitted on the BYD Seal since last year, and Continental is now delivering original equipment tyres for the BYD Seal U. The electric SUV is available with Continental PremiumContact C (the ‘C’ standing for ‘Comfort’) in size 235/50 R19 99V. Continental tells us that this supply arrangement applies in “numerous countries” where the Seal U is sold.

A shocking new study suggests UK motorists are putting lives at risk due to an alarming lack of tyre safety knowledge. As the only point of contact with the road, checking and maintaining tyres is essential in ensuring the roadworthiness of the vehicle and optimising the safety of all road users. Yet fewer than a fifth (19 per cent) of those surveyed check their tyre tread depth every month, which is the recommended frequency.

After conducting half a dozen all-season and winter tyre tests this year, Auto Bild is well positioned to identify and acknowledge the manufacturers who have consistently produced safe, well-performing tyres. It has now done so, naming Pirelli its star amongst the all-season tyre makers for 2024/25 and Michelin the leading manufacturer of winter tyres. Continental and Goodyear secure a podium place for both categories.