Performance tuning specialist Torque Developments International has expanded its range of offerings to include plasma-sprayed ceramic coatings from Zircotec

Torque Developments International (TDI) is now able to offer customers plasma-spray ceramic coatings from thermal barrier specialist Zircotec. Under the new reseller agreement, TDI will be able to add Zircotec’s coatings to its range of services, helping performance car owners to protect vital components from excessive temperatures. The move to make the coatings more widely accessible comes as heat management solutions become increasingly important to improving performance and reliability. Applied to exhaust system components, the ThermoHold® based ceramic coatings significantly reduce heat loss, while preventing damage to materials and components close to the exhaust manifold and pipes, and helping to reduce in-cabin temperatures.

Historic race car manufacturer Chevron Racing Cars is expanding its range of offerings to include plasma-sprayed ceramic coatings from Zircotec

Chevron Racing is now able to offer customers plasma-sprayed ceramic coatings from thermal barrier specialist Zircotec. Under the new reseller agreement, Chevron will be able to add Zircotec’s coatings to its range of services, helping classic race car owners protect themselves and their cars from excessive temperatures. The move to make the coatings more widely accessible comes as heat management solutions become increasingly important for historic race car owners. Applied to exhaust system components, the ThermoHold® based ceramic coatings significantly reduce heat loss, improving performance and reliability while preventing damage to materials and components close to the exhaust manifold and pipes, and helping to reduce in-cabin temperatures.

First ever victory by a KERS-equipped car (July 26th Hungarian GP)

The Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes team scored their first 2009 season grand prix victory with the KERS-equipped MP4-24, when Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, July 26th. Hamilton had qualified fourth, but made a fantastic start thanks to the additional power provided by the KERS system which enabled him to charge down to the first turn to take second place and continued a faultless drive to win his first grand prix of the season.

DOE grant will reinforce the company’s efforts to design and produce a cost- competitive hybrid drive system for commercial-duty trucks at its Indianapolis, Ind., manufacturing facilities

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, U.S.A. Allison Transmission Inc., the premier global provider of commercial and military duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems, has been notified that it will be awarded a $62.8 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Grant to continue its efforts to design, develop and manufacture a cost-competitive commercial hybrid truck drive system. President Obama made the announcement on August 6th in Elkhart, Indiana, during a speech in which he discussed a national investment in electric drive vehicles and component manufacturing facilities. The Allison Transmission DOE grant will further increase U.S. capacity to manufacture hybrid propulsion systems for the commercial truck market.

Harwell-based technology company Zircotec has taken on new staff and is planning further expansion as business continues to boom

Automotive technology company Zircotec continues to grow despite the current challenges faced by the automotive industry. The company has just recruited two new members of staff to its factory in Harwell and is seeking to take on further staff over the next few months. The company’s high tech ceramic coatings help to reduce heat across a number of applications and have proved popular in a wide range of industries, including automotive, marine, aerospace and industrial. The new recruits are working in Zircotec’s production department and are being involved in all aspects of preparing components for treatment and applying the coatings.

First application to supply Solomon Alsberg in Russia with lightweight wheel forgings for premium custom market

Alcoa has extended the range of lightweight wheel forgings supplied to Solomon Alsberg for their exclusive high-performance alloy wheels. The aerospace-derived metallurgy of the Alcoa blanks allows Solomon Alsberg to create a wide range of ultra-stylish wheels that improve vehicle performance and dynamics as well as reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

Innovative ‘Garage Monitoring Software’ allows race teams to monitor pressure and temperature of up to 240 tyres at once  

A new software option that offers race and tyre engineers the possibility to simultaneously monitor the pressure and temperature of over 240 tyres from a single location has been announced by BERU f1systems. With complete data from all the tyres available, engineers can quickly identify issues and select the optimum wheel set for the conditions.   

Alpine and Daimler AG are using specially designed, reusable, recyclable ARPRO containers to protect sensitive navigation equipment prior to installation in vehicles worldwide

A new packaging solution is helping Alpine Electronics, producers of original-fit navigation systems for Mercedes-Benz vehicles, to protect the parts on their very first journey. Thirteen different types of unit, produced to exacting Mercedes-Benz specifications, are shipped up to 6,500 miles from Hungary and Japan to the carmaker’s final assembly sites around the world. During elements of these journeys, the systems are protected from shock, moisture and electrostatic damage in custom-designed dunnage trays made of ARPRO®.

MG Rover parts specialist XPart is helping to promote interest in the automotive trade among under-18s by supporting Team Lunar Racing

Youngsters with an interest in becoming automotive technicians are being offered the chance to gain nationally recognised qualifications by building and supporting a professional race car. By participating in Team Lunar Racing, pupils learn the fundamentals of body and mechanical repairs while actively preparing cars for racing and working as a pit crew at the track. The team, led by teacher Paul Kneeshaw, races a mark 2 MG ZS 180 in the Britcar series and a mark 1 MG ZS 180 in the MG Car Club’s Peter Best Insurance Challenge, with parts supplied by XPart.

Race driver Paul Luti is launching his bid to be on the starting grid of the 2010 British Touring Car Championship with his new ‘racethemg’ website

MG race driver Paul Luti is launching his bid to enter the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with a new website, ‘racethemg.com’, where would-be sponsors can read about his quest to race an MG ZS in the country’s most popular race series. 26 year-old Luti is currently competing in the MG Trophy Championship and is one of the first drivers to race the new MG TF LE500 car since the launch of the re-designed sports car in 2008. He is also a highly skilled MG Rover technician and racing instructor, whose family business, Dreadnought Garage, specialises in MG, TVR and Caterham service and repair. With local sponsors already showing an interest in the project, Paul is keen to extend the invitation to motorsport and MG enthusiasts in the UK and around the globe.