The Classic Himalayan Drive 2025, a 10-day motoring expedition, concluded recently, which was supported by Yokohama India and included over 60 classic and vintage cars from the UK, France, Kenya, Bhutan and India.

The drive celebrated heritage motoring by retracing rally routes and uniting enthusiasts, showcasing vehicles spanning decades of automotive engineering.

Participants navigated terrains and elevations through Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. The route covered Noida, Corbett, Rishikesh, Mussoorie, Theog and Manali, including high-altitude sections such as Jalori Pass (10,800 ft) and Rohtang Pass (13,095 ft) via the Atal Tunnel. The drive included highways, gravel stretches, hill climbs and cold-weather routes representative of Himalayan motoring conditions.

A dedicated Yokohama Club Network Pitstop was set up at Batra Tyres, Chandigarh. The facility supported the entire convoy with tyre checks, alignment and balancing services and inspections after the high-altitude sections. This stop ensured the vehicles were road-ready for the final stretch and served as a technical checkpoint.

Rajiv Batra, Batra Tyres, said, “Events like the Classic Himalayan Drive push vehicles to perform across varied and demanding conditions. We are proud that Yokohama tyres remain the preferred choice for drivers seeking reliability and control. Seeing enthusiasts place their confidence in Yokohama reinforces our commitment to delivering performance that is matched by long-term dependability on every drive.”

A participant from the drive expressed his take on Yokohama tyres and said, “I completed nearly 2,500 kilometres during the drive, and the Yokohama tyres delivered consistent grip and comfort across every surface we encountered. They are soft enough for classic cars yet stable and reliable on high-altitude sections and tight turns. I’ve been using Yokohama tyres on all my classics for over five years, and the performance on this drive reaffirmed why. For a car like my 1977 Peugeot 504, the fit, handling, and control were exactly what I needed for a long-distance run like this.”

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Bridgestone India, a subsidiary of the Bridgestone Group, has announced the opening of its latest Bridgestone Select Store, Arora Wheel and Car Accessories, in Firozpur, Punjab.

The store was inaugurated by Rajiv Sharma, Executive Director – Integrated Consumer Business, Bridgestone India.

The Bridgestone Select stores represent the company’s retail format that delivers a comprehensive ownership experience. These outlets provide guidance, diagnostics, and infrastructure, ensuring safety, performance and driving confidence.

Rajiv Sharma, Executive Director – Integrated Consumer Business, Bridgestone India, said, “Punjab is a key market for Bridgestone, and the opening of our new Select Store in Firozpur reflects our focus on being closer to customers, through modern, high-quality retail touchpoints. At Bridgestone, we are committed to providing not just superior products but also an enhanced customer experience that combines premium products & services along with Bridgestone’s promise of safety, and trust. The Select Store format allows us to deliver the best of Bridgestone’s global expertise with a local, customer-first approach”

Arora Wheels is making available Bridgestone’s latest offerings: Turanza 6i and Dueler All-Terrain A/T002. The Turanza 6i is engineered with ENLITEN technology and delivers a driving experience. Compatible with both internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles (EVs), this tyre is EV-ready, offering efficiency, comfort and durability for mobility.

The Dueler All-terrain A/T002 is built for adventure and is a said to be a preferred choice among off-road enthusiasts. Its tread design and on- and off-road capabilities make it the choice for drivers seeking performance without compromising control or safety.

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Michelin, a tyre technology company, has expanded its network in India with the inauguration of three new Michelin Tyres & Services (MTS) stores in Tamil Nadu.

Two stores were launched in Coimbatore: one with Covai Tyres in Sundarapuram, and another with Carzone in Goundermills. The third facility was inaugurated with Carworld Automotive in Tirupur.

Each new dealership offers Michelin’s complete range of products, along with advanced diagnostic tools and high precision equipment for alignment, balancing and car services. The new facilities were inaugurated by Prashant Sharma, National Sales Director at Michelin India.

Shantanu Deshpande, Managing Director, Michelin India, said: “The opening of three new Michelin Tyres & Services Stores in Tamil Nadu reflects our continued investment in expanding our retail network and strengthening consumer access to our products and services. These new touchpoints align with our broader strategy as we prepare to introduce our Made-in-India passenger car tyre range, ensuring we are well positioned to serve the evolving needs of our consumers.”

Tamil Nadu is a key market for Michelin, supported by the company’s production facility in Chennai. Michelin stated it is focused on delivering mobility experiences that combine safety, durability, and performance through collaboration with partners like Covai Tyres, Carzone and Carworld Automotive.

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Michelin’s engineering expertise and premium urban tyres have been instrumental in enhancing the performance and reducing downtime for Big Bus Tours’ newly converted electric bus fleet in London. As the world's largest open-top sightseeing company, Big Bus Tours faced a significant challenge after converting 20 Ankai double-decker buses from diesel to electric with drivetrain specialist Equipmake. While this conversion met London's emission rules, the new batteries added 800 kg, altering the weight distribution and creating concerns about tyre loading, especially on the steer axle.

Seeking a solution, service provider Tructyre brought in Michelin's specialists. Carl Williams, Manager of Customer Engineering Support at Michelin, along with Territory Business Manager Ian Roberts, performed a detailed weighing analysis. This study accounted for passenger numbers and axle loads to define the ideal tyre pressures. Their report confirmed that the original tyres were inadequate for the new demands, prompting Big Bus Tours to upgrade all wheels on its Ankai buses to MICHELIN X InCity EV Z tyres.

The results were so impressive that the company has now fitted most of its 56-bus London fleet with these tyres. The MICHELIN X InCity EV Z tyres are specifically designed for urban electric buses, providing key benefits including robust resistance to kerb damage, reliable all-weather grip and low rolling resistance for optimised energy efficiency and cost savings. This successful collaboration has supported Big Bus Tours, which has global operations across more than 25 cities.

Jon Reed, Head of Engineering – Europe, Big Bus Tours, said, "Michelin said to us that from a cost, as well as a duty cycle, perspective ‘the MICHELIN InCity EV Z is the best tyre for you’. And it has been. They are performing well, and we’ve had zero complaints of road noise. We seem to be getting less sidewall damage too. While we are paying more for them initially than our previous brand of tyres, the cost is worth it. We’re getting much longer life out of them.”

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India’s tyre industry has secured a stronger foothold in the global market, with four domestic manufacturers ranked among the world’s top 20, according to the latest Global Tyre Report released by Tire Business based on 2024 sales.

MRF was the highest-placed Indian company, taking the 13th spot worldwide. Apollo Tyres followed at 14th, while JK Tyre & Industries ranked 19th. CEAT entered the top 20 for the first time, securing 20th position and underscoring the country’s growing influence in the global tyre trade.

“The presence of four Indian tyre companies among the world’s top 20 is a matter of immense pride for the Indian manufacturing ecosystem. It reflects not only the scale we have achieved, but also the focus on technology and global competitiveness that Indian companies have pursued. This milestone is a validation of India’s emergence as a global hub for high-quality, value-driven tyre manufacturing,” said Mr Rajiv Budhraja, Director General of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA).

Indian companies have been steadily climbing the global rankings over the past decade. Apollo Tyres has moved up three places since 2013, while JK Tyre has advanced six positions in the same period. CEAT has shown the fastest recent progress, rising three spots in just the last year.

The country’s manufacturing strength is also reflected in its industrial footprint. China leads with 158 tyre plants, followed by India with 67 and the United States with 44. This places India as the world’s second-largest tyre manufacturing base by number of plants.

In Asia, MRF holds the second-largest manufacturing footprint with 10 plants, trailing only Bridgestone, which operates 19. Indian companies have also built strong positions in specialised and high-performance categories. MRF is the world leader in racing tyre manufacturing with three plants. It also ranks second in motorcycle tyres with four plants, followed by CEAT with three. In the farm tyre segment, MRF again ranks second globally with seven factories.

Investment has played a central role in this expansion. Apollo Tyres recorded the highest capital expenditure globally as a share of sales, reinvesting 59% into expanding and modernising its operations. MRF also ranked among global leaders, with capex exceeding 10% of sales.

Long-term prospects remain robust. A recent report by ATMA and PwC India, titled Viksit Bharat 2047: Vision and Roadmap for the Indian Tyre Industry, forecasts that India’s tyre production could nearly quadruple by 2047, while industry revenues may grow nearly twelvefold to about ₹1,300,000 crore.

“With strong domestic demand, rising exports and policy support under the vision of a Viksit Bharat, we are confident that Indian tyre manufacturers will continue to move up global rankings and play a defining role in the future of global mobility,” Mr Budhraja added.

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