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CV SHOW REVIEW
5
New Patterns from Aeolus
Two new truck tyres were the highlight of the Aeolus stand at the CV show. The Chinese tyre manufacturer together with their UK distributor Kings Road Tyres
were introducing the AD53 designed for tippers and skip lorries and the AGB 20, a city urban bus tyre.
Michelin Tyre Launch Highlights Performance Gap When Two-Thirds Worn
Michelin says that stopping 13m shorter is the equivalent of three family hatchbacks in a queue of traffic; under emergency braking conditions that’s potentially the difference between avoiding a collision and a multi-vehicle pile-up. The new Michelin X Multi tyres offer total performance year-round on all types of road thanks to their 3PMSF (Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake) certification, awarded following tests in defined snowy conditions. The accreditation shows the tyre has passed the “snow grip index” requirements – standards not necessarily met by tyres simply labelled M+S (Mud and Snow). Full-depth sipes ensure excellent handling from the first to the last kilometre, whilst new tyre architecture delivers an average 5dB reduction in noise across the range. This makes the new X Multi fitments
around 50 per cent quieter than the previous generation – enhancing their suitability for out-of-hours delivery vehicles and passenger transport.
The Michelin stand features six of the new X Multi tyres including the 215/75 R 17.5 X Multi Z, 215/75 R 17.5 X Multi D, 245/70 R19.5 X Multi Z, 245/70 R19.5 X Multi D, 225/77 R17.5 X Multi Z and 265/70 R19.5 X Multi Z.
In total, the new X Multi range is now available to buy in the UK and Republic of Ireland in seven all- position (X Multi Z) and seven drive axle (X Multi D) sizes.
To see a video of the testing, and the full results, visit http://goo.gl/NnvP97 or access the Michelin Trucks & Buses Europe YouTube channel.
Pirelli Makes
CV Show Return
Pirelli staged a return to the CV Show this year for the first time in more than a decade and presented the company’s flagship range of truck tyres and well as its systems for the management of truck fleets. Visitors had the opportunity to see the latest developments within the 01 Series of commercial vehicle tyres whilst learning about Pirelli’s integrated services for more efficient mobility.
Pirelli’s Commercial
Tyre Marketing
Manager Neil Booker
commented;
“Products for the
commercial sector
have to inherently
perform, and we are
keen to show that we
now have the range to
compete at the
premium end of the
market. However,
premium tyre
manufacturers also need the appropriate systems and our focus is on demonstrating to the market that we can meet this challenge
too.”
During the show Pirelli demonstrated its web-based Fleet Management System, which brings centralised invoicing, job authorisation and cost control under one roof. Visitors also got the opportunity to see Pirelli’s Cyber Fleet, which enables automatic monitoring of tyre pressures and temperatures. Cyber Fleet increases
efficiency by delivering lower running costs and fewer CO2 emissions, as well as improving safety.
Michelin used the occasion of the Commercial Vehicle Show 2015 to launch multiple new sizes in its growing X Multi range of 17.5” and 19.5” tyres, for 7.5 – 16 tonne trucks and midi-coaches.
Guy Heywood, Commercial Director of Michelin’s truck and bus division, says the tyres stand out for being safer, more fuel-efficient, quieter and longer-lasting than the 10-year-old Michelin XDE2s they replace. Critically, they combat what Michelin perceives as a “worrying trend” amongst some tyre manufacturers to
develop new products which deliver optimum performance under the three tyre labelling criteria measured when a tyre is brand new – at the expense of performance in other areas and when partly worn.
“Labels are a good step forward, but they don’t tell the full story,” says Heywood. “What matters more is how a tyre performs throughout its life, from the first to the last millimetre of legal tread depth.” Michelin commissioned TÜV SÜD in Germany to certify testing of its latest X Multi fitments against four
premium competitor brands rated either ‘B’ or ‘C’ for wet grip under European tyre labelling legislation.
Heywood explains: “The difference under wet braking when two-thirds worn told a different story to the rating on each tyre’s label. It points to a worrying trend.”
The testing revealed an average 13m difference in wet braking between a vehicle shod with Michelin X Multi Z and X Multi D tyres, and the four premium competitors tested, when braking from 50 to 0km/h on a low friction surface.
20 Commercial Tyre Business
