Thanks Mike, I just thought you might have some feel for Australian media sources, such as The Advertiser or the Hobart Mercury. I just haven't found the story in other sources yet.
Nat > > Nat > > Thanks for the article. We only get what the Jap or US car makers give us, > it's not an Australian decision to change tyre sizes. Someone has to take > the initiative, and it seems the Japanese have the initiative to change > things these days. All our car parts come from Japan (even the Aussie > Holden is only assembled here). European car makers would have some input, > too. > > Regards > Mike > Perth > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Nat Hager III" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 8:34 AM > Subject: [USMA:22883] More metric tires/tyres > > > | I think this is coming from the same Australian news source as the > earlier > | article. It's recent, and I include the whole article for context. > | > | Still haven't found anything from any other source. Maybe our Australian > | members might have some insight? > | > | Nat > | > | > | >>> > | TYRE sizes are about to change. The old system of measuring wheels in > | imperial inches will be replaced by an all-metric scale, starting in > Europe > | next year, which will describe a tyre's width and overall diameter in > | millimetres. > | >>> > | > | > | 2002 Nationwide News Pty Limited > | The Mercury, Hobart > | > | October 19, 2002, Saturday > | SECTION: ON THE ROAD; Pg. 46 > | LENGTH: 520 words > | > | BODY: > | Mashed or baked? > | > | SWEET potatoes are being used to build Toyotas. The Japanese maker is > using > | the vegetable to develop an environmentally friendly, biodegradable > plastic > | for cars. The first potato panels, made from starch extracted from sweet > | potatoes mixed with natural fibres, have been fitted to a new > concept car > | called the ES3, above. Imperial sunset > | > | TYRE sizes are about to change. The old system of measuring wheels in > | imperial inches will be replaced by an all-metric scale, starting in > Europe > | next year, which will describe a tyre's width and overall diameter in > | millimetres. > | > | Super bus tyre > | > | MICHELIN is developing a super-width tyre for commercial vehicles to > replace > | dual rear wheels. The big advantage will be seen on buses: the single > tyre > | will not take up as much room as dual wheels, winning back > valuable space > | for passengers. > | > | Sitting pretty safe > | > | A NEW type of steering lock has been developed by Nissan in Japan. The > | driver's seat adjustment unit is modified so that the seat can be locked > so > | far forward it is hard up against the steering wheel, making the car > | impossible to drive. > | > | Triumph from ashes > | > | IN a triumph over adversity, Triumph in England is building motorcycles > | again just six months after fire destroyed a third of its Hinckley > factory. > | The famous motorcycle marque has even used the resulting spare time to > | upgrade equipment and improve the working environment for employees. > | > | Suzuki hard cell > | > | THE latest car company to join the fuel cell vehicle craze in the US is > | Suzuki. The Japanese small car company has commissioned integrated fuel > | systems manufacturer Quantum to supply hydrogen fuel cell storage > systems. > | > | One foot in China > | > | TO launch an assault on the largely untapped Chinese automotive market, > | Nissan has taken a 50 per cent share in Chinese company Dongfeng Motor > Co. > | Dongfeng was established in 1969 by the Chinese government and is one of > the > | three largest car, truck and bus manufacturers in China. > | > | New plastic fantastic > | > | PAINTED plastic exterior body parts on cars could become a thing of the > | past. A report produced by consultants BRG Townsend in the US suggests > new > | technologies, such as mould-in-colour and film insert moulding, could do > | away with the painting process for plastics, saving money and the > | environment. > | > | Opel Eau no > | > | A CONTENDER for silliest concept car at the Paris Motor Show was Opel > with > | the Eau Rouge Combo. Named after the menacingly fast left-hand corner at > the > | Belgian Spa racetrack, the Eau Rouge is actually a Barina Combo > commercial > | van fitted with a 92kW 1.8-litre engine, wider tyres and racing stripes. > | > | Keeping a grip > | > | YOUR car's tyre has a contact patch with the road only about the size of > | your hand, even less when cornering when the patch is deformed. Several > car > | manufacturers are testing a new road-holding system developed > by Michelin > | which keeps the maximum of rubber on the road at all times. The system > uses > | a revolutionary axle which enables the wheel to tilt on the inside of a > | bend, just like a motorcycle, to improve grip. The company says it will > | begin going on new models within a couple of years. > | > | LOAD-DATE: October 18, 2002 > | > | > | > > > >
