l ISSUE 66 l JANUARY 2011 l DHS 10 /- l USD 5.99/- KTM 525 XC Hot Products / Page 56 facebook.com/ The Automotive Tires & Parts Magazine www.tirespartsmag.com www.alexiawheels.com So what do Publisher I do with this? Hamid Moaref Editor You may have been noticing these bar code shaped looking Ali Reza things on magazines, item packaging’s, ads and so forth, oh Sub Editors yes and recently on the cover of our magazine too. They Sonja Baikogli are called QR codes which stands for “QUICK RESPONSE”. It Sherry Chen has been created by a Japanese company called in Denso- Sales & Marketing wave in 1994, the same company which also created the Ahmad Aji two dimensional bar codes. Many companies use QR codes worldwide in advertisements. Design Shabeer Azeez So how does it work? When users scan these codes with their smart phones such as Blackberries or Iphones, the user Circulation Assistants Ansar would be linked or redirected automatically to URL’s that Sasi Pillai provide additional information. You may have to download Contributors the app on your phone if you don’t already have it. There Peter Baikogli are several companies on most platforms that provide the Arezou Marzara Farsh Shafikhani application for free, enjoy scanning and see what awaits Kristen Koulic you, you never know it could be a URL redirecting you to Media Representative for a prize! Taiwan. Hong Kong and Other than the QR code we will also be launching our our China Ipod/Ipad application in February in order for you to be able P. Sean Mulvihill, to enjoy our magazine no matter where you are. Tires&parts International Relations Department,Worldwide magazine always strives to give you something different Services Co., Ltd. than your regular automotive magazine! 11F-2, No. 540, Wen Hsin Road, Section 1, Taichung, 408, TAIWAN. Tel.: +886-4-2325-1784 Distributor Dar Al Hikma Publishers Note : All images, designs,lay out and advertise- ments are copyrighted. Any attempt to recreate, plagiarize or copy in part or in whole is violation of international copy- right laws. While compiling this issue of Tires & Parts, the utmost care and attention has been given to ensure that all information is ac- curate. W Media is not responsible for the accu- MINI ‘sDriving Excitement app racy of content provided by third party The new Bentley Continental V8 Pirelli P Zero Silver PARTS / PAGE 50 sources. Range autOMOtive / PAGE 08 Tires / PAGE 37 To submit news and content please email to : [email protected] Please note: by submitting news and con- tent to Morjan Media for publication in Tires & Parts you automatically agree that Gt-R getsharder with track 16 Hankook secures first BMW OE 26 Toyata Launched Live art 49 Morjan Media is not obliged to publish pack with Ventus Prime² 26 Website this content. Furthermore,Morjan Media reserves the right to further edit and or Ferrari Tailor-Made 18 Bridgestone launches Potenza 30 Bosch’s new SMP480 barometric 51 reduce the size of any content or news Driving Lesson pressure sensor stories sent publication. HAMANN’s Range Rover V8 22 Pirelli launches new gravel truck 38 Hot Products 56 tire TIA applauds Tires & Parts’ efforts to bring the latest tire and automotive news to the Middle East. Morjan Media L.L.C P.O.Box 7830, Dubai, U.A.E For more information on TIA, visit www.tireindustry.org For administrative inquiries or for a copy of our media kit please Contact : +971 4 2270096 / [email protected] / www.tirespartsmag.com Could you please introduce yourself and Where are Continental tires manufactured What is the factory’s manufacturing give us a short biography of yourself and today? How many plants does Conti have? capacity annually? how you got into the tire world. Continental is currently producing its tires in The total global tire production capacity My name is Andreas Bertram, Managing 15 different factories around the globe. Main of Continental is currently around 125 Mio Director of Continental ME. I was born in June production facilities are in Europe, North America, units. 1966. After graduating in Geography and South America, Asia and Africa. What was conti’s turnover for 2010? Economics at University of Hanover / Germany I joined Continental AG in April 1995. Turnover for the total Conti Group was 26 Continental tires have a leading Billion Euro Where does the name Continental originate position in original equipment from? What differentiates Conti from other Tire and in the tuning segment. manufacturers? Continental-Caoutchouc and Gutta-Percha Compagnie Continental tires have a leading position What kind of tires does Continental in original equipment and in the tuning When and where was the first factory manufacture? segment. Conti is the only manufacturer established? The range of tire products consists of Passenger, among the 4 leading tire companies The company was founded in 1871 in Hanover Van, 4x4/SUV, Light Truck, Truck and Bus, Industrial, providing systems solution to the – Germany and it was established as tire Motorcycle and Two Wheel tires automotive industry. manufacturer www.tirespartsmag.com l 4 www.tirespartsmag.com l 4 The new ContiForceContact has been developed as racing tire with approval for operation on normal streets as well. The company invested as well in new tires with reduced rolling resistance and noise reduction to set new milestones for environment friendly and sustainable products. We know that Conti does many co-marketing activities with many major brands such as AMG, could you please explain why this is important to Conti? First of all we consider our strengths as technology driven partner for the automotive industry. With our cooperation with AMG we demonstrate our leading position as OE supplier and in tuning segment. What are your marketing plans for the Middle East in the near future and how has it changed from precious years? We are currently launching a regional campaign for key markets in the Middle East to increase our brand awareness through visibility and a more harmonized approach in terms of brand message. Are you going to sponsor the next What is your pricing policy with world cup? How effective is this the increasing prices of raw sponsorship for Conti? Does your factory manufacture materials? Do you plan a price After having sponsored the any other brands? If Yes why? increase in the near future? Champions league for some years we Since we are expanding Since the tire market can be The extreme price hikes in raw could significantly increase our brand divided into different segments the tire activities in the materials like natural rubber and awareness in Europe. The decision to for premium, quality and carbon black during this year were region our customer keep the platform of Football for our budget labels we are reflecting forcing us to adapt the sell out prices main sponsor activities and become base is constantly this fact by manufacturing to the market more than once. For an official partner for UEFA and FIFA adapted to support our different brands. Our inter brand beginning of 2012 Continental has since 2006 is helping us to promote growth strategy. positioning allows us to compete already announced a price increase the brand globally. in different segments and gain of 3-6% for all Passenger tires and How would you describe To which markets do you export additional market share. 2% for Truck tires for the Middle East Continental’s tires future direction and in which are you strongest markets. What cars does Continental and where do you see company in in? provide OE for? How does the current poor the next 5 years? Nearly 2/3 of Continental tires are economic situation in the Euro From our history Continental has Continental tires will further develop sold in Europe. so we are naturally zone affect your company? a strong OE share in European its position as technology driven strongest in Europe. Other strong car models like Mercedes, BMW, The effect is rather positive for the company with a strong growth markets are the US, Russia and Audi, VW, Porsche, Land Rover business in the Middle East mainly strategy in international markets. Asia. and Renault but also provides OE for two reasons. The devaluation of The position as one of the leading Who is your distributor in the tires for American, Japanese and the European currency is supporting automotive supplier will support to UAE? Are you looking to find Korean cars. our invoiced prices, which are in close the gap to the first three tire any new distributors in the Why is OE important for your Euro. In addition we are expecting manufacturer. MENA region? more flexibility in deliveries from company? What would you like to come our European factories due to a In the UAE we are cooperating in mind when one thinks of With our strong OE share we are rather stable demand situation for with our Continental partner Continental Tires? demonstrating our technology European markets in 2012. Emirates for Universal Tires, which orientation and ability to develop A reliable and agile product from is part of Abdulla Al Masaood & What have been the recent big specific tire characteristics for a strong technology orientated Sons Co. Since we are expanding changes at Conti Tires if any? the requirements of certain company which makes individual the tire activities in the region car models. In addition this OE Continental recently launched the mobility more safe. our customer base is constantly pull is positively affecting our new ContiSportContact 5P for high adapted to support our growth replacement business. end sports cars like Mercedes AMG. strategy. www.tirespartsmag.com l 5 Toyota Motor Corporation displayed the Operation of the Fun-Vii Toyota Fun Vehicle interactive internet (Fun is not limited to inside the Vii) at the Tokyo Motor Show, a concept vehicle itself, with a number vehicle that heralds a future where people, of the vehicle’s functions cars and society are linked.