Over the past 140 years, the company has grown continuously, not just organically but also through the acquisition of more than 90 companies and as such the brand must evolve to reflect this.

The Continental brand is being established with a new design system that sees changes to the typeface, with new colours and a reworked logo for a newer, fresher and more modern Continental.

According to the tyre manufacturer, this new approach strikes an “optimal balance between continuity and progress, strengthening Continental’s image without ignoring its identity and tradition”.

The new logo consists of the word mark which has been enhanced with an easily recognisable appearance that increases its legibility.

The figurative mark retains the horse, which is firmly rooted in the Continental brand and enjoys a long history.

The new tagline — The Future in Motion — again according to Continental, marks the “essence of mobility, a basic human need”.

Blackcircles.com stocks a comprehensive range of Continental tyres, in addition to those from all the other leading tyre manufacturers, all at the most competitive prices. Plus we can arrange for you to have your car’s new tyres fitted at a time and location best-suited to you.

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Initially two BMW i cars have been confirmed for production, the i3 city car and the plug-in hybrid i8 sports car, and the network will be up and running from launch later this year.

From July, order books will open for the new i3, which is rumoured to have a £35,000 price tag. It’s scheduled to arrive in UK showrooms from October.

Featuring an all-aluminium chassis, the i3 also comes with a passenger cell made entirely from lightweight carbonfibre reinforced plastic. It will be made available in either fully electric or range-extended form.

At the other end of the scale, the i8 — which is expected to cost around £80,00 and be capable of 0-62mph in just 4.6secs —  isn’t expected to appear until next year.

BMW says more than 6000 people have already registered their interest in the ‘i’ brand.

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For the second year running Goodyear beats off tough competition to win the Auto Express Best Summer Tyre Award

With a stellar all-round performance and strong wet and dry handling, the coveted Auto Express Best Summer Tyre Product Award was won by the Goodyear’s EfficientGrip.

The Award follows the EfficientGrip being named the Best Buy in the publication’s Summer Tyre Test in September 2012.

Commenting on the Award, Goodyear Brand Manager Michelle Fisher says: “We’re really excited to win the Best Tyre award – not only is it a great endorsement of our product, but it’s a testament to our on-going innovation and drive to bring high performance tyres to market that never compromise on safety.

“The EfficientGrip is a great example of this commitment – a strong performing tyre that combines fuel efficiency without compromising on handling in wet and dry conditions.”

This year Goodyear launched the EfficientGrip Performance and EfficientGrip Compact with the aim of offering a range of tyres to suit all European road car needs. From the EfficientGrip SUV, introduced last year to serve the larger car market, through the Performance, Goodyear now meets a significant percentage of Europe’s total car park needs in HP and UHP with a single branded product.

EfficientGrip Performance is currently available in 39 sizes and comes with a BA EU-label rating in 21 of the 23 sizes. While the EfficientGrip Compact, designed to serve the smaller car market and offered in sizes ranging from 14 to 16 inches, comes with a European tyre label B for wet grip and a C for rolling resistance in 85% of the total range.

“These latest additions to the EfficientGrip family demonstrate our belief in the superiority of this product – which is why it’s great to see our belief being mirrored by a leading industry title like Auto Express,” adds Fisher.

To celebrate, Goodyear have launched a competition where one lucky winner will win:

• a set of Goodyear tyres
• a year’s FREE subscription to Auto Express magazine
• plus a year’s FREE car insurance from Swinton

To find out more, visit the Goodyear Facebook Page.

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Ah, the countryside – green fields, blue skies and the smell of nature in the air. How peaceful and idyllic.

Countryside roads, on the other hand, although quieter than their town-based counterparts, can be rather dangerous – especially if you don’t treat them with the respect they deserve.

So here are some top tips on how to ensure you stay safe when driving on the countryside roads that wriggle their way throughout the UK.

Watch Your Speed

Generally, country lanes tend to have a maximum limit of 60 mph

However, just because the road is quiet and the law states you can drive at that speed, doesn’t mean you have to. Only do so if it is safe.

Due to the fact that country roads often lack the visibility and openness of a town or major road, you never know what may be just around the next bend. Sensible speeds save lives.

Road Types and Visibility

As we touched upon above, rural roads as a general rule tend to be rather bendy in nature.

It is important to use your common sense and to reduce your speed when approaching such bends in the road.

You will often find that country roads are typically surrounded by either hedgerows or fences. This can significantly reduce a divers visibility, especially if they are overgrown.

Farm Traffic

We complain about them if we are stuck behind one, but on country roads you are likely to come across tractors and other agricultural vehicles.

Yes it can be frustrating to find yourself stuck behind a large vehicle doing far less than you want, but keep your cool and don’t make any rash decisions to overtake.

This is because overtaking on rural roads is a complete different ballgame when you compare it to doing the same thing on a motorway, bypass or in the city.

Only overtake if it is safe. If you do not have a clear line of sight as to what is coming in the opposite direction, do not attempt it.

Expect the Unexpected

The potential hazards on a country road are very different to that of a town.

So it is important to keep your wits about you and practise hazard perception.

Look out for things such as mud on the roads – this can be caused by tractors coming out of fields and if wet is likely to make the road slippy.

Similarly, horse manure can cause a lack of friction on the road. However, it might also mean that there are horses on the road nearby.

One thing that you will come across is animals. In most cases they will be in fields; however it is not uncommon for a sheep to escape and cause havoc on the road.

Long Distances – Fill up

If you are going to be spending a lot of time driving through the network of county roads, the chances are slim that you will see petrol stations on a regular basis.

So, before setting off on your travels, make sure that you have filled your car up adequately.

The last thing you want to do is find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere due to lack of petrol.

Please note: images courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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As you would expect, the car comes with a clutch of snazzy additional equipment as standard.

Recaro seats, R-Link multimedia and a TomTom Live navigation system, Bridgestone Potenza tyres, the latest version of the on-board RS Monitor and, of course, Red Bull Racing branding, are all included.

Inside the cabin there’s even more Red Bull branding, with bespoke aluminium kickplates and carpets.

The RB8 is finished in an exclusive Twilight Blue with Platinum Grey detail.

Powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged 261bhp engine with stop-start as the Mégane Renaultsport 265 Cup, the RB8 features stiffer springs, dampers, anti-roll bar, limited-slip differential and grooved discs with Brembo callipers.

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It’s expected the new car will be a replacement for ageing C3 supermini: it’s also understood the new model was “inspired” by the radical C-Cactus concept (pictured) from 2007.

And Banzet stressed that the first C-line car will be “competitively priced” rather than a low-cost rival for Renault’s Dacia brand.

The newcomer will mark the final link in the repositioning of PSA’s Citroën, Peugeot and DS brands.

With a view to charging the same kind of premium prices as German brands, and an eye on serious growth in China, the DS line will become a stand-alone marque.

And while Peugeot will attempt to attract a more upmarket slice of the mainstream European market, Citroën’s mainstream models — the C-line — will be pitched at buyers who seek a balance between cost and functionality.

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It may seem obvious, but ask yourself whether you spend most of your time driving on motorways, country lanes, off-road or a mixture of all?

When you consider the number of models on the market it is important to ensure that you read reviews online, this allows you to develop a good idea of which tyre brands you should take a closer look at and which to stay clear of when choosing the the right 4×4 tyres.

One thing to watch out for is choosing a SUV tyre with an inappropriate tread design for the surfaces you intend to drive it on.  This could be fitting a mud terrain tyre to but then only driving on tarmac surfaces.

This type of 4×4 tyre is designed in such a way that it gives the user an excellent amount of grip in off-road conditions, but when out on the road the braking distance is increased and the handling responsiveness greatly hindered; making the purchase dangerous and a waste of money.

When buying new 4×4 tyres, always try and use identical sets across the whole vehicle. There are exceptions to this of course, but if in doubt always check to see what recommendations are made by the tyre and vehicle manufacturer.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask

If after you’ve looked around and read the relevant information and you are still unsure it is always best to get in touch with an expert – an impartial one, who will offer you advice that is in your best interest.

It is through specialist recommendations that you will be given advice such as, try not to mix sets of 4×4 tyres. If possible always try and use identical sets across the whole vehicle. There are exceptions to this of course, but if in doubt always check to see what recommendations are made by the manufacturer of the vehicle.

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This new model will be capable of handling weather conditions from throughout the year, offering improved traction on dry, wet and even snowy roads.

Named the Euroall Season AS200, their new tyre is said to have lower road noise and shorter braking distances.

In a release sent out today, the tyre manufacturer indicated that the tyre will be sold through tyre retailers from July 2013 in a total range of 27 dimensions.

In the same statement, the tyre was described as containing four wide and deep longitudinal grooves which have been designed to ensure excellent dispersal of water

With a tread constructed from an all-new rubber compound, which contains extra silica, the tyre is said to offer vehicles exceptional wet handling.

In addition, the AS200 has a built-in anti-aging mechanism in which an anti-aging agent permeates continuously from the lower reservoir tread to the outer tread, thus protecting the running surface from aging and aggressive environmental influences throughout the life of the tyre.

“The Euroall Season AS200 is our first all-year-round tyre, and is ideal for all regions,” explains Markus Bögner, Sales Director Germany at Falken Tyre Europe GmbH. “In developing the rubber compound, Falken focused on finding the perfect balance between outstanding wet and dry handling and high mileage – preferably throughout all possible driving conditions and weathers.”

The sidewall of the AS200 also features the M&S label required in Europe, as well as the snowflake symbol indicating good traction in winter conditions.

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The ‘Challenge’ app works by calculating the true cost of tyres over time and shares the performance data with all other users, before providing performance comparisons against competitors’ tyres, all on the user’s tablet.

Deployed in 2012, the technology has revolutionised Bridgestone’s sales process and is now regarded as a strategic tool, after being created by RNF Digital.

The app has been shortlisted in the Best Innovation category for the Motor Transport Awards 2013. The winner will be announced on the night of Wednesday, July 3, at The Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London.

“We have worked hard with Bridgestone to create a tool which is not only rich in functionality, but one that is easily used by staff who had previously had little or no experience working on mobile devices,” Rob Mannion, chief executive officer of RNF Digital, said.

“This recognition by the premier award body in the automotive sector, is testimony to the app’s impact and also to the huge role mobile technology can make within businesses across all sectors.”

Blackcircles.com stocks a comprehensive range of Bridgestone tyres, in addition to those from all the other leading tyre manufacturers, all at the most competitive prices. Plus we can arrange for you to have your car’s new tyres fitted at a time and location best-suited to you.

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The 6.0-litre V12-powered concept car made its world debut by completing a lap of the famous Nordschleife at Germany’s ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nürburgring race. It lapped the circuit together with the 1000km race-winning 1959 DBR1, with British racing legend Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel. It is the most tangible expression yet of the brand’s year-long 2013 centenary celebrations.

“CC100 is the epitome of everything that is great about Aston Martin,” Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez, who drove the new concept at the Nürburgring, said. ”

“It represents our fantastic sporting heritage, our exceptional design capability, our superb engineering know-how and, above all, our adventurous spirit.

“I have nicknamed it ‘DBR100’ because of its affinity to the great 1959 race-winning cars and, of course, our 100-year anniversary in 2013.

“But this car is more, even, than a simple ‘birthday present’ to ourselves: it shows that the soul of Aston Martin – the thing that differentiates us from all the other car makers out there – is as powerful as ever and I very much hope that everyone who caught a glimpse of it at the Nürburgring enjoyed seeing it.”

Designed and constructed in fewer than six months at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, working with key supplier Multimatic Inc, under the leadership of special projects and motorsport director David King, the finished look of the two-seater CC100 is the work of design director Marek Reichman working alongside the brand’s Chief Exterior Designer Miles Nurnberger.

“The brief was very simple, yet enormously testing,” Nurnberger explained. “Create something that reflects the 100 years of Aston Martin heritage and signals the future of the brand.

“The idea of an iconic speedster concept that nods to the Le Mans  — and Nürburgring — winning cars of 1959 soon came, and we have had complete freedom to shape this car.”

Measuring almost four-and-a-half metres nose to tail, and more than two metres wide (including mirrors) the Speedster Concept body is a classic example of the almost infinitely flexible nature of Aston Martin’s trademark ‘vertical horizontal’ engineering philosophy.

With a body and interior crafted from carbon fibre, tooled and provided by low volume specialists Multimatic, the CC100 utilises the latest generation AM11 naturally-aspirated V12 petrol engine mated to a six-speed hydraulically-actuated automated sequential manual transmission.

Controlled via steering column-mounted paddle shifts, the lightweight ‘box delivers truly sporting changes perfectly suited to the Speedster’s track-focused nature.

The drivetrain will power the CC100 from 0-62mph in a little over 4.0secs, while the top speed is limited to 180 mph.

“The future of Aston Martin is, very clearly, more exciting now than perhaps at any time in its history,” Dr Bez added, “and I’m looking forward to seeing the excitement and anticipation that CC100 creates among Aston Martin owners and enthusiasts worldwide.”

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