Kumho Tire USA, one of the world's leading tyre manufacturers, has added three new tyres to its lineup of ultra-high-performance tyres. The new tyres – Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71, Ecsta Sport PS72 and Ecsta Sport S PS72 – were showcased at the recently concluded SEMA 2024 event in Las Vegas and will be available in the spring of 2025.

Featuring wide and stiff outside tread blocks and zig-zag grooves on the inside tread blocks, the Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71 is an all-season tyre that enhances grip and traction in any weather condition without sacrificing performance. The lateral grooves in the tread design further aid in water drainage and maintain performance in wet weather. Equipped with proprietary ‘K-NOISE DEFENDER’ dimple design, the tyre provides excellent low-noise performance. The tyre also comes with a 50,000-mile (around 80,000 km) treadwear warranty to stand out as the perfect all-season tyre.

The Ecsta Sport PS72 and Ecsta Sport S PS72, on the other hand, are the most advanced ultra-high-performance summer tyres developed by Kumho Tire. Featuring an enhanced compound and special tread design, these summer tyres provide maximum traction and excellent performance in handling, stability, cornering and steering response in the rain as well as summer. Both the tyres come with a 30,000-mile (around 48,000 km) treadwear warranty.

Shawn Denlein, President – Sales and Marketing, Kumho Tire USA, said, "We are introducing our most technologically advanced ultra-high-performance tyres that set a new standard for what a high-performance tyre can and should be. We are continuing to deliver superior tyres with exceptional warranties at extremely competitive price points, which is what customers can and should expect from Kumho Tire.

"The Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71 delivers a combination that is hard to find. It offers true performance and grip, is excellent in wet weather and features a high-mileage warranty. This tyre pushes the limits of what is possible in an all-season, high-performance tyre.

"The Ecsta Sport PS72 and Ecsta Sport S PS72 product line sets Kumho Tire apart in the ultra-high-performance tyre space. The magic is in the details, and we left no stone unturned to design tyres with the mission to unleash peak performance and include an impressive tread wear warranty."

The Ecsta Sport All-Season PA71 is available in 56 sizes, ranging from 16-inch to 21-inch, whereas the Ecsta Sport PS72 is available in 56 sizes, ranging from 17-inch to 21-inch, and the Ecsta Sport S PS72 in 52 different sizes, ranging from 18-inch to 22-inch.

A delegation from WESTLAKE MARKETING (MALAYSIA) SDN. BHD. recently visited ZC Rubber’s headquarters at Hangzhou. The visit provided a chance to deepen the understanding of ZC Rubber's operations, technology and future direction while also strengthening the collaboration.

The visitors were given a tour of ZC Rubber's 5G Future Factory to demonstrate how technologies such as automation, real-time monitoring and smart logistics are integrated into daily operations to improve efficiency, product consistency and sustainability. During their tour of the ZC Rubber Showroom, the visitors learned about the company's whole product line, technological advancements, brand history and global expansion, demonstrating the company’s dedication to performance, safety and innovation. The guests also learned more about ZC Rubber's sustainability development and corporate social responsibility initiatives. In order to strengthen market cooperation, align growth goals and investigate new prospects for the Malaysian market, ZC Rubber organised a strategy conference following the tours.

Justin Cui, Asia Sales Director, said, “Malaysia is one of our key strategic markets in Southeast Asia. We highly value our partnership with WESTLAKE MARKETING (MALAYSIA) and look forward to working even more closely to deliver high-quality products and strong support to our local customers.”

The N Vision intelligent tyre from Maxxis has strengthened its resolve for innovation and sustainability by winning the gold A’ (A-Prime) Design award. The tyre was recognised in the Vehicle Parts, Auto Accessories and Care Products design category.

N Vision, which was created for the autonomous vehicles that are expected to be commercially available in 2030, makes use of information from several sensors to forecast tyre condition, vehicle load, speed and road conditions. By modifying the spokes' stretch and bending in response to such circumstances, it gives the tread area the best possible pre-compression or pre-tension. In the end, this lowers the cost of travel per mile. In order to maximise sustainability, N Vision was built using recycled materials made from fishing nets, tyres and PET bottles, as well as bio-based components made from rice husks and sunflower seeds. Tyre scrapping is decreased by its environmentally friendly design and materials, which also give customers an inexpensive, renewable travel choice.

A jury composed of 316 top designers, scholars and prominent members of the press selected the winners of the international A' Design Award competition, which recognises excellence in design in a wide range of fields, including transportation, hospitality, furniture, beauty and much more.

The Victra Sport 6 and HP6 tyres from Maxxis have won the Red Dot Product Design Award for 2025 in the Vehicle Accessories category.

The Maxxis Premitra HP6 features improved rolling resistance, effective braking, a smooth ride, improved mileage for longer travel and accurate handling in wet situations. Designed for sport and luxury automobiles, the Maxxis Victra Sport 6 is an ultra-high-performance tyre that works well with electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. It offers outstanding handling and performs quite well at sporty, faster driving. Both the tyres are available in Europe.

Red Dot Award winners are selected by a panel of 40 worldwide professionals who test, analyse and assess each entry in one of the biggest design contests in the world. The categories for awards include Design Concept, Brand Communication and Product Design. Winners will receive the Red Dot trophies during a banquet in Essen, Germany, on 8 July.

Continental's SportContact 7 tyre has emerged the test winner in this year's Auto Bild sportscar summer tyre test (issue 6/25) with an overall grade of 1.2 (exemplary).

Seven tyre models in the sizes VA 245/35 R 20 and HA 295/30 R 20 from European, Asian and American manufacturers were tested by the editors. The Lotus Emira served as the test car. The SportContact 7 scored top marks in wet handling, cornering, braking and aquaplaning. It had a 43.7-metre braking distance from 100 kmph on wet asphalt, which put it four metres ahead of the second-place tyre and eleven meters ahead of the last-place tyre. It clinched an intermediate score of 1- for the wet tests, which puts it far ahead of its rivals in the test field. After 31.2 metres at 100 kmph in the dry testing, the tyre came to a complete stop. Overall, the tyre received an intermediate 1- throughout the five dry categories.

The SportContact 7 is specifically made for high-performance sports cars that may be powered by electricity or conventional power. Several automakers have authorised it, and it comes in sizes ranging from 18 to 24 inches. Continental concentrated on achieving excellence in every performance criterion throughout development in order to maximise driving enjoyment and safety.

Andreas Schlenke, tyre expert at Continental, said, "The SportContact 7 took first place in the AUTO BILD sportscar test in both wet and dry conditions. This once again proves its leading position in the sports and UHP tyre segment.”

The final verdict from the tyre testers read: "Conti's sport tyre sets the standard for braking on dry and wet roads and offers a big plus in driving safety. Stable, well-balanced handling on dry roads.”