Xavier Adam Blog

Tyre Technology

Tyre design does not sound very exciting, but it is! Take Formula1, general racing and performance cars, so much comes down to tyre technology, which has been evolving a pace. Tread patterns, compounds and construction are all elements the manufacturer will develop at length and cost.

Having recently worked on a large scale tyre marketing and finance project, it is amazing how many car owners and drivers have so little awareness of the four bits of rubber at each corner of their vehicle.

It is common at the high end, for example with the Aston Martin One 77, for motor manufacturer and tyre provider to develop a specific tyre product for a specific vehicle. Another example would be Renault Formula1′s partnership with Michelin during their successful F1 Championship seasons of 2005 and 2006. Since Michelin’s withdrawal, Renault F1 has been off the pace of the glory years.

The main development for road vehicles in the tyre world over the last 24 months has been the general move to the asymmetric tread design, as shown above. Now coming from factory on most road cars and offered by a range of OEMs. It is thought the asymmetric tread design has greater road adhesion and water dispersing qualities.

The eco-pattern above comes from Good Year and was seen at a recent trade event. You see tyre technology can be interesting!

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It’s out…

After much will they won’t they. Formula 1 team, Team Lotus, launch their new car this week, with design cues harking back to the world famous black and gold John Player Special car.

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Future Car Challenge

Being around Waterloo Place in London most weeks, I can confirm it is a hive of new initiatives; launches, dramas, filming, and in turn a good source of income for Westminster City Council. Today it was the turn of the ‘green’ car movement to suspend the parking bays and build a temporary structure, the finish point for the first Future Car Challenge.

Running on the same weekend as the now renowned London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, which takes place annually on the first Sunday of November. This was a Brighton to London run on the preceding day and designed to bring together old and new. Just under 70 cars took part, from the small T25 and latest edition Smart, to more regular five door family models. The range of power units varied in type and potential, from electric to hybrid and other.

Some vehicles were entered by the large corporates, think Asia and Japan, while there were a few innovative privateers, including Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, listed as the driver of one of three Teslas in the contest.

Energy used measurements took place at the finish line, in a mini-parc ferme, from where the latest models were dispatched to meet their 100 year old predecessors half a mile north west on Regent Street.

Still a fragmented sector and slightly abstract to the ‘man-on-the-street’, the green transport movement is gaining some ground. Although a thought through prediction would suggest there will be a few casualties on the way to this radical shift.

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Got to keep moving

Lola is one of those iconic British marques of yesteryear, except, it is still here and going strong. I know this as we spent an enjoyable afternoon there this week, kindly organised by the excellent MIA and affable Lola employee, Sam Smith.

Having won countless awards over its half century existence, Lola is today a leader in advance design, composites and carbon fibre development. Motorsport represents 30% of the company’s current activities.

These days most famed for its ongoing Le Mans successes; it was interesting to see products being developed for the latest Royal Navy destroyers, private jet aircraft and far flung news organisations, reporting from some of the hottest trouble spots on earth. Lola’s carbon fibre crate system, enables one reporter to single handedly have a satellite dish live and positioned from kit form to broadcast, anywhere in the world in around five minutes. Seeing is believing. Lola has certainly got on with it and like many other firms in its sector has not sought fanfare or unsubstantiated endorsement.

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Stretching the Brand

This week I visited Audi in west London. The German marque has made a significant investment in two London based brand experience centres. The one pictured is on the A4 at Brentford and is the largest of the two locations. Through this initiative, Audi aims to get guests in touch with the Audi brand. From the slick blinds and clean line fittings to the historic cars at the venue, the whole place shouts, or rather whispers Audi.

Companies are invited to book the space for their own events at a competitive rate. There is a day and evening rate. Audi will oblige by leaving cars in the space or remove them at the request of event organisers. Like many of the more innovative motor companies, Audi has looked at ways to get people in touch with the brand and on the day I visited, it seemed to work!

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Brand Equity

Recently I spent a day with Volvo at a former WWII air base. The windswept location chosen for a range of driving activities to demonstrate Volvo’s new S60 model. Like Mercedes with its new C-Class, Volvo is putting a lot in to their latest model. It is seen widely as a post Ford (ownership) marker for the organisation. For the S60′s handling alone, they have consulted a British BTCC driver. Volvo means business.

The S60 is in part being promoted via a series of trade and public track days. These well organised events see professional drivers take people out to engage in a range of driving techniques, utilising both the petrol and diesel models. This endeavour has to be costing the company a noticeable sum, and we have to ask, is it worth it?

At the overseas’ launch of the Volvo C30 a while back, I felt Volvo did not really know where to pitch the good looking, if slightly expensive car. With the S60 it is different. Volvo is firmly after the BMW 3 Series market, the sales reps and fleet buyers. In my opinion the marketing works. But, pretty much whatever they do, it is a Volvo and to me that says a safe car not a fun one.

After polling friends in and out of the sector, they fed back unanimously their association with safety, reliability and family, when thinking of Volvo. As one of the other delegates from the day since emailed, Volvo have to take the existing image with both hands and propel it in this new direction, by actually getting people in to their cars. A case of driving is believing.

What do you think? Is Volvo going to upset its core customer base with this Max Power style of activity? Is Volvo’s previous marketing just too good and powerful to enable this brand shift? Should companies just play it safe and stick to the knitting?

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Interesting Advertising

Earlier today I was on my way to an art show in London and noticed two of these advertisements for Tesco Mobile. An interesting subliminal message is put across, namely, because Tesco Mobile is not running a large promotional programme their rates are low. What do you think? Is this valid advertising? Is this missing the point of motorsport and sport in general?

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Italia 2010

This week I have been in the north of Italy meeting specialist engineering firms and visiting well known motor manufacturers. Thanks to Mito in Modena and MIA in the UK for organising an excellent visit.

There were many highlights, from seeing the first paddleshift system from the mid-1990s in a BMW rally car and walking the production line at Ferrari, to meeting some of the motorsport world’s well known designers and engineers. Mr Dallara and Mr Forghieri, were just two of the renowned figures who were extremely hospitable and made our stay very enjoyable.

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Driving Innovation

Thanks to Stefan from Bosch for inviting me to Donington, to see the latest innovations in motoring. The above Honda from the 1000cc series.

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A Snip

This is the new concept car from Nissan’s high-end marque, Infiniti, and is valued at £2 million.

With scratch resistant paint and a few other innovations, the idea is to take some of the highlights and use them on other Infiniti vehicles.

Infiniti has now been around several years, launching in continental Europe in 2008 and the UK in 2010.

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