K2K-II expedition rolls out on Goodyear Tubeless

Tyre major Goodyear India has set out on an expedition from Koteshwar

(Gujarat) in the western most point of the country to Kivithoo (Arunachal Pradesh) in the eastern tip, to promote

the concept of tubeless tyres in India.

Tubeless tyres, already the norm in the West and many Asian countries for 30 years now, are a technological

leap over tube-type tyres. With impermeable and airtight membranes in their insides, punctures in tubeless tyres let the air leak out slowly unlike tube-type tyres that deflate both suddenly and fast. Goodyear's tubeless radial tyres, developed using with Trinuum Technology, offer better handling, better road holding and better safety at high speeds. They also give added savings in fuel consumption in the long run.

The K2K-II expedition, organised in association with Autocar India and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, will be undertaken in two 'Indian' cars-the Hindustan Motor's Ambassador 1800cc petrol and Telco's Indica diesel. These two cars were selected as they represent India's cars in its most traditional and contemporary form, and, in a sense, are the 'heroes of India's automobile industry'. Both cars will be fitted with

Goodyear's tubeless tyres to evaluate their performance, durability and ease of repair along the entire 5,400-km route.

Said Mr. Antonio Capellini, Chairman and Managing Director, Goodyear India Ltd., "Goodyear in India is always keen to associate itself with innovative and challenging tasks to test and upgrade its tyre-technologies. We are proud to be going on this K2K expedition across some of the most challenging terrain and steep mountain roads across the country. I am sure that all the rallyists will be very glad they are using Goodyear tubeless tyres."

As most Indian motorists are unaware of the benefits that tubeless tyres offer, Goodyear has been publicising the benefits of using tubeless tyres to the Indian consumer on a regular basis ever since it launched tubeless tyres manufactured in India for the first time in 2001.

Said Mr. Arunabh Das Sharma, Marketing Director, Goodyear India Ltd., "K2K-II, like the Kargil to

Kanyakumari expedition last year, will serve to reassure Indian motorists of the high-endurance capacity of tubeless tyres. On the entire 4000-km route in last year's expedition, there was not even a single puncture on the Goodyear's tubeless radial tyres that were fitted on the cars. We are sure that this year too, our tubeless radials will roll out successfully."

The expedition team comprises of Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor of Autocar India; Rishad Saam Mehta, a travel correspondent; and Vivek Bhat, a technical correspondent, besides Kartik Ganesh and Farad Bhathena, 3-time National Rally Champions.

Speaking on the eve of the expedition, Hormazd Sorabjee said, "Any driving enthusiast will find it exciting and

challenging to drive on the roads of a geographically diverse country like India."

The team will travel through the salt pans of Gujarat, the deserts of Rajashtan, along the Aravallis, on the Grand Trunk Road in Uttar Pradesh, the hills and plateau of Bihar and Jharkhand, Siliguri in the Himalayan foothills, across the tea estates of Assam and by the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh. The expedition leaves Koteshwar on February 1 and expects to roll into the tiny hamlet of Kivithoo on February 13. It will go through the cities of Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Delhi, Lucknow, aranasi, Patna, Siliguri, Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Tezu.

About Goodyear

Goodyear is the largest tyre manufacturer in the world. The organisation designs, develops, manufactures tyres

as well as engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 90 facilities in 30 countries. Today, Goodyear has marketing operations covering almost every country around the world.

Goodyear in India today manufactures and markets radial and bias tyres for most applications. With plants at Aurangabad (South Asia Tyres Limited) and Ballabgarh (Haryana), Goodyear is a leading player in both OE and replacement segments. Goodyear India's range of products produced in both plants is marketed through a chain of exclusive Goodyear Tyre Centres and loyal multi-brand dealers.

Goodyear invests USD 450 million in its global R&D facilities every year in search of new technologies and raw materials to improve quality and performance of its products and this has paid significant dividends in India and elsewhere over the years.

Goodyear, in its quest to champion the cause of safety of its customers, has joined hands with several organisations with common cause, to propagate safety while on the road. It has recently brought out a Safety Guide for all motorists travelling on the 94 km long Mumbai-Pune Expressway, in association with the

Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation and Auto Car India.

Goodyear India has also taken the initiative to renovate and put up new traffic signs at the Delhi Traffic Police Children's Education Park at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi, for the benefit of the children, who come to get traffic classes at the Park, for the ultimate objective of safety.

The company is also planning to extend its association with the Delhi Traffic Police by holding workshops on safety-tips for Truck Unions and Taxi Unions, in the coming months.

For further information, please contact:

Achal Paul, Palin K Ningthoujam

e,Lexicon Public Relations & Corporate Consultants Ltd.

Ph 91-011- 2623 4726, 2622 3099, 2623 6603.

Fax 91-011- 2623 4725

E-mail: lexiconpr@vsnl.com