newsletter - superpro europe
TRANSCRIPT
www.superpro.eu.com
Winter 2013
NEWSLETTER
News New Products
2012 has seen double Time Attack success for
SuperPro. The series was won overall by Gavin
Renshaw driving in his impressive NR Autosport
prepared Mitsubishi Evolution IX, fitted with SuperPro
bushes. He was the fastest man of the day on five of the
season’s seven rounds and went on to claim the overall and Pro-Class titles
for the second year in succession.
Whilst in the category for less-modified two-wheel-drive cars running on
road tyres, Mike Cantelo
was doing SuperPro proud
in the Club Challenge
RWD class, scoring three
first and three second
places during the season.
Cantelo’s consistent
approach rewarded him
with his first Time Attack
title, driving his SuperPro-
equipped Vauxhall VX220
he had previously used for
many years as a road and
track day car.
“It’s great to see that cars fitted with our products have proved to be so
successful,” said General Manager for SuperPro Europe Richard Fearn. “It
just goes to show that whether you’re driving an extremely powerful four-
wheel-drive car on slicks, or a two-wheel-drive car on road tyres, SuperPro
bushes really can make a difference.
“Because of the extreme range of cars that compete in Time Attack, it is a
way of SuperPro endorsing that its products work on all levels, whether it’s for
cars that are used for day-to-day driving on the road or for those that are
driven flat out on the track.”
A report on the 2012 Time Attack series is included in the Motorsport
round-up section of this newsletter.
Race2Recovery takes on the DakarIn the last newsletter we reported that SuperPro would be supporting the
Race2 Recovery team in the 2013 Dakar Rally, which runs from 5th - 20th
January. Therefore, at the time of writing this article, the team is taking part in
this 8000km-plus, 15-day event that is globally acknowledged as the most
arduous test of man
and machine of the
planet.
The Race2Recovery
team is no ordinary
motorsport operation,
as it comprises
wounded service
personal who, despite
their injuries, will
attempt to be the first
of their kind to
complete this grueling
annual event. They will
be supported by a
team of volunteers and
expert civilians – some
able bodied and others
not – in a an operation
that will see three
competitive vehicles
plus five support
vehicles, which will carry parts and supplies as well provide workshop and
basic accommodation facilities.
Helping to support this incredible challenge, which raises funds for The
Heroes Project - a charity that works with veteran soldiers and military families
- are a series of sponsors and component suppliers, that includes SuperPro.
The competing cars are Qt Wildcats, specially prepared for their ordeal by
Plymouth-based Qt Services - and all are fitted with SuperPro bushes.
This year’s Dakar Rally takes place in South America. Starting in Lima,
competitors initially head south and travel along the coast of Peru, before
moving inland to Argentina. After a rest day in San Miguel de Tucumán, the
route continues south to Cordoba, then crosses the Andes and goes into
Chile, before heading to Santiago for the finish.
For further information visit: www.race2recovery.com
Time Attack success for SuperPro
New Stockists
UK
Cougar StoreLeicester
cougarstore.co.uk
Engine Tuner LtdPlymouth, Devon
enginetuner.co.uk
Groombridge Sussex Ltd.Heathfield, East Sussex
groombridgesussex.co.uk
Indigo GTTradegar, Gwent
indigo-gt.co.uk
Jerry Harvey Eng.Penzance, Cornwall
jerryharveygeneralengineeringpenzance.co.uk
PC MotorsBristol
www.pcmotors.co.uk
Vee Dub MachineRedruth, Cornwall
veedubmachine.co.uk
Vee W ServicesBristol
veewservice.com
Europe
AK MotorsportSchmiedefeld, Germany
ak-motorsport.de
The Bushing Factory Ltd.Dublin, Ireland
Hot Hatch ShopPrague, Czech Republic
hothatchshop.cz
Import RacingBenningen am Neckar,
Germany
importracing.de
Supaloy control armsNissan X-Trail - T30, 2001-2007Replacement alloy lower front control arms
and ball joints, with SuperPro bushes:
Standard alignment: ALOY0002K
Alignment correction: ALOY0003K
Subaru Impreza - 2001-2007Front control arms: ALOY0004K
SuperPro bush kitsNissan GT-R R35 - all models
Ford Ranger - 2011-on
VW Amarok - 2009-on
Range Rover Sport - 2005-on
Land Rover Discovery 3 - 2005-2009
Individual bushes are available
separately
Motorsport round-up
2012 saw SuperPro continue its close association with motorsport by supporting
championships and teams that promote the brand and, at the same time,
showcase the high performance virtues of fitting SuperPro bushes. This support
ranged from title sponsorship of a national race series to the supply of products
for individual competitors, all of them specifically chosen to demonstrate the link
between SuperPro, the performance capabilities of the bushes and the type of
car being used. Here’s a brief summary of motorsport activities supported by the
company in 2012.
Mk2 Golf GTI ChampionshipCoordinated and managed by the same organising team that runs the VAG
Trophy, the Mk2 Golf GTI Championship also benefited from the association with
SuperPro in 2012. This well-established and value-for-money series regularly
saw full grids of Mk2 Golf GTIs battling for Class 1 and Class 2 honours (the
categories defined by cars with either 8 or 16-valve engines).
Comprising 12-rounds over six race weekends, like the VAG Trophy, the
championship was boosted in 2012 by television coverage and increased PR.
Although the racing was close – sometimes too close – there was one driver who
stood out from the crowd: Jamie Martin. Winning nine times during the season,
his smooth style, car set up and outright speed proved to be an almost
unsurpassable combination and it was only mechanical issues that caused him
to falter, with Kevin Glover claiming a double-victory at Cadwell Park and 2011
Champion James Bark taking last round glory at Snetterton.
But, as equal points for the overall positions are allocated for the winners in
each class, Martin’s main challenge came from Alex Harris in Class 1. And, if it
hadn’t been for contact with a spinning car in the penultimate race, Harris could
have taken the battle for the overall title to the final round later that afternoon.
Even though he retired from the last race with a clutch problem, Martin’s
impressive performance throughout the season was enough for him to be
crowned 2012 Champion, with Harris’ reward that of the Class 1 title.
Stock exchange: why youshould fit SuperPro bushes to a new carOne of the questions the team at SuperPro often gets asked is: “why should
perfectly good factory fitted rubber bushes be replaced by their SuperPro
equivalents?” And it’s a good question. When a car leaves the showroom it
feels new: the steering responds well, the suspension feels taught and there
appears to be nothing wrong with the way the car handles. But that’s only
part of the story.
It’s a well-known fact that rubber deteriorates – and it’s not just high
mileages or excessive use that can cause this. Time alone sees rubber start
to weaken - or even distort - as it comes under attack from the elements and
petro-chemicals, which means that its ability to return to its original shape
becomes more and more reduced.
It is difficult for the average driver to recognise a degradation in steering
or in the effectiveness of a car’s suspension system. They will get used to
how a car feels and, as the effect of the rubber deteriorating is usually a
slow process, a driver will naturally tend to compensate for the
shortcomings in their car’s handling.
Depending on how the vehicle is used, this process can occur fairly
rapidly and some manufacturers freely admit that there are issues with
certain items that will wear more rapidly than would normally be expected.
This is often the case when bushes are used in suspension components
that require the rubber bush to twist or compensate for certain loadings –
some of them not that excessive.
As a bush starts to weaken it puts stress on other components and, once
this happens, changes in suspension geometry and consequently the
vehicle’s handling begin to emerge. If the geometric alignment of the
suspension steps out of tolerance, then the wheels will not rotate in a
straight and true trajectory. This will result in increased tyre wear, as well as
have a detrimental effect on other load-bearing components.
With SuperPro bushes manufactured from a unique blend of
polyurethane and formed using a hot-pour/thermo setting process, they
retain their original shape. This ensures the bushes resist the problems that
affect their rubber counterparts and a car’s suspension will work as its
designer intended. The result is a bush that lasts longer and performs
consistently throughout its lifespan. Development has also seen the
eradication of a harsh ride and increased noise – a problem that has often
been associated with other brands of polyurethane components.
Replacing worn or tired bushes with SuperPro versions is now well
established. Tests have shown that fitting SuperPro bushes to a new car will
ensure its suspension starts life in good shape and it will continue to
operate within manufacturer tolerance for much longer – even if other
modifications are made. Controlled bush movement means that suspension
component and tyre wear rates will reduce, whilst the car’s handling
remains consistent - or is even improved.
The added bonus is that the car will feel better, with greater feedback
through the controls and a more precise feel through the corners - or when
driving on uneven ground. The argument for early replacement is even
stronger if the car is going to be used in demanding circumstances, such as
high mileage journeys, off road driving, carrying heavy loads, towing, track
days - and especially motorsport.
Tech talk
SuperPro’s involvement with the VAG Trophy race series brought glamour
to the circuits, with the grid girls proudly displaying the company logo on
their ‘well-fitting’ corporate clothing at each of the events.
www.superpro.eu.com
RacingSuperPro VAG TrophyFor the third year running SuperPro provided title sponsorship for this highly
competitive championship for cars based on a pre-2006 VW Golf chassis. This
includes a range of models manufactured by VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda.
In 2012, the SuperPro VAG Trophy became a key area of promotion that
emphasised the connection between the company’s wide range of suspension
products for VAG cars and the inherent performance advantages. The five-
weekend, ten-round season (all events were run as double-headers) saw
SuperPro increase its presence in the paddock with a conspicuously branded
area that was used as an HQ by the organisers and teams, as well as providing
the location for the awards presentations.
The status and profile of the championship was further raised by coverage of
every race on Motors TV, press releases issued after every event and a report
from each meeting appearing in the major VW publications: Performance VW,
VW Driver and Golf+ magazines. The action on the track was worth watching too
and proved commensurate of its increased media coverage, with six different
winners emerging from the season’s 10 races. As it turned out, the battle for the
title went down to the final round, with Paul Taylor emerging the Champion by
just one point!
At the start of the year it looked like Daniel Rose was going to have it all his
own way, when the Seat Leon Cupra driver won the first four races at Donington
and Silverstone. However, a terminal engine problem when qualifying for rounds
five and six at Oulton Park meant that his season came to a premature end.
The two races that weekend were won by VW Golf drivers Paul Taylor and
Chris Levett, whilst the following rounds at Brands Hatch saw Taylor and VW
Vento driver Martyn Culley collect maximum points. Liam McMillan in his Seat
Leon Cupra won the final two races at a wet and windy Snetterton, although it
was a delighted Paul Taylor who proved that consistency pays off when it comes
to winning championships.
In Class B for less modified cars running on road tyres, it was Martyn Walsh
who took the title from Tony Taylor (Paul’s father), driving a VW Golf Mk2 and
Mk3 respectively. They also finished second and third in the overall standings.
SuperPro is pleased to announce that it will continue as title sponsor for this
increasingly popular race series in 2013, where it will continue to further the
promotion of its products and develop the status of the VAG Trophy within British
motorsport.
Time AttackA key motorsport activity for SuperPro in 2012 was the extremely popular Time
Attack series, which the company supported for the fourth consecutive season.
Over the years this association has proved successful, as it provides an
opportunity for products to be promoted directly to the tuning fraternity.
The 2012 season featured seven rounds at five different venues and, as well
as the track action, there was the added appeal of the Modified Live shows at
each of the events. This sees the amalgamation of 100s of static exhibits, car
club displays, entertainment and trade stands, allowing SuperPro to display its
products to an enthusiastic and captive audience.
Time Attack is a unique discipline in motorsport. Although the competition
takes place on race-tracks, there is no racing involved. Instead, competitors
drive as fast as they can against the clock, which means the driver who posts
the fastest lap time wins. In other words, it’s qualifying without the race.
This format allows drivers to concentrate on their own thing and not have to
worry about what other competitors are up to. Therefore, at one end of the scale
it sees unique and highly tuned four-wheel-drive machines with impressive paint
jobs and aero packages that in some cases develop in excess of 900bhp, whilst
at the other it sees road going two-wheel-drive vehicles that are almost
standard.
Because of the variety of cars that enter, the competition is split into classes:
from the two-wheel-drive cars in the entry-level Club Challenge Class, to the
immensely powerful four-wheel-drive machines steered by experienced drivers
in the Pro-Class.
As the front page story describes, UK Time Attack Champion for 2012 was
Gavin Renshaw, who claimed his second title in succession driving his
Mitsubishi Evolution IX. He also took Pro-Class honours, whilst Mike Cantelo
claimed the top spot in the Club Challenge RWD class driving his Vauxhall
VX220 – both running on SuperPro products.
Other winners included Garry Atkinson, who won the Pro-2WD class in his
Seat Leon Cupra; Jamie Wilson, who claimed the Club-Pro class in his Lotus
Exige S1; Richard Marshall took the Club Challenge 4WD Class in his Nissan
GT-R R35; Stephen
Fitzpatrick clinched the
Club Challenge non-turbo
category in his BMW M3
and Bo Nielsen topped the
tables in the Club
Challenge FWD class
driving his Vauxhall Astra
VXR.
SuperPro will continue to
support the Time Attack
Series in 2013.
British Drift ChampionshipAlthough the sport is the same, the BDC runs on a different format to that of the
EDC – and it has to - as nearly 80 competitors were registered for the 2012
season. Comprising six rounds at six different venues, the competition is split
into three classes: Semi-Professional, Professional and Super Professional.
With television coverage following each event broadcast on Motors TV - plus
more competitors, spectators and
media attention than ever - 2012 was
the championship’s best year yet.
Winners during the season were: Owen
Taylor - Semi-Pro Champion, driving a
Nissan PS13; Christian Lewis - Pro
Champion, driving a Nissan Skyline and
Paul Smith - Super-Professional
Champion, driving a Nissan S15.
SuperPro will continue to support the Mk2 Golf GTI Championship in 2013 and
use the association to help it further promote its range of suspension products
to VW owners.
Civic CupOpen to all versions of the Honda
Civic, this budget-conscious race
series moved up a gear in 2012, with
14-rounds, stand-alone grids and
more competitors more spectators
than ever before. Its progression was
helped by joining the Time Attack
series for its seven-event calendar, with the Civics taking part in two races per
weekend. SuperPro was once again involved as a technical partner and
associate sponsor.
Although the racing was close, it was Danny Winstanley who held the upper
hand, winning ten of the 14-rounds in his Civic EK. 2011 Champion Richard
Hockley won on two occasions, whilst Mike Woods and Brook Pitchford
recorded one victory each.
DriftingAlways a crowd pleaser, the spectacular sport of Drifting involves two cars per
run - one leading and one chasing - with drivers scoring points on style and
control rather than just speed. This means cars have to be positioned perfectly,
a factor that underlines the benefits of fitting SuperPro bushes which provide
more feel, better turn-in and improved performance in demanding conditions.
For this reason, SuperPro supported the European Drift Championship for the
fourth year running and the British Drift Championship for the first time in 2012.
European Drift ChampionshipSharing the same calendar as Time Attack, the European Drift Championship is
contested by invited drivers only, with eight given the opportunity to become
EDC Champion. This year saw seven rounds take place at five different venues,
with Paul Conlan taking the title in his
Nissan S15 having scored four wins.
Declan Hicks finished second in his
Toyota Cresta, with Antony Mortley
third in a Nissan Skyline – both drivers
scoring one win apiece. The final
round was won by Andy Cooper in a
Nissan S14.
Rallying and Off RoadNowhere more does suspension get put to the test than when vehicles have to
cover mixed surfaces and rough terrain – at speed! During 2012 SuperPro has
supported competitors in rallying and off road competition, with numerous
successes achieved in both disciplines at regional, national and international
level. The two most significant rally and off road campaigns supported by
SuperPro are featured in front and back page stories.
SprintingAs its name suggests, Sprinting is all about intense bursts of speed for short
periods of time, during which everything must work perfectly to achieve success
– and that includes the car and the driver! More and more ‘Sprinters’ are turning
to SuperPro, as the improvement in handling and feel and can make a real
difference to the time it takes to go from start to finish. In 2012, the company
supported two series’: one for Toyotas and the other for Mitsubishis.
Toyota Sprint Series2012 saw the Toyota Sprint Series fifth season
and its strongest ever, with a wide range of
cars from new to 25-years old entered, divided
into 13-classes – to keep the competition
close - and competing over five rounds.
With 2011 Champion Adrian Smith
developing and building a new GT86 mid-season, it opened the door for Iain
Gard to claim two outright wins in his ST205 Celica GT4 who secured the title
from Andy Bunny in a ST185 Celica GT4 and Steve Lawson in a Mk3 MR2.
MLR Sprint SeriesIt was also a bumper year for the well
supported MLR Sprint Series. Praised by the
competitors, the organisers provided drivers
with as many runs as possible at each of the
season’s six rounds. Emerging as 2012
champion at the final event of the season at
Teesside Autodrome was Richard Marples
driving an Evo V, whilst Ian Corcoran won the SuperPro-sponsored Class A - the
entry-level category for less-modified cars - driving an Evo X.
Adding to action throughout the year were other brands of cars, notably
Subaru, with 22B.com running a sprint series within that of the MLR’s.
www.superpro.eu.com
News
Coverage of the VAG Trophy race series on Motors TV has led to further
airtime for SuperPro, with the producers getting together with VAG tuning
specialists and SuperPro stockists JBS Auto Designs, to create a programme
called Road2Race. This half-hour documentary describes how to take a
standard road car and turn it into a competitive race-car that will compete in
the VAG Trophy. The chosen vehicle is a Seat Leon Cupra - and in fact two
are being built - with the target to run them as a team this season.
The project is being masterminded by regular VAG Trophy competitor
James Bradley-Silverstone and, as well as follow the building and preparation
of the cars, the documentary also intends to show that it doesn’t have to cost
a fortune to get a vehicle from workshop to track. Indeed, this philosophy is
all part of the appeal of the VAG race series.
To help get the programme
underway, a number of
component suppliers have
supported the project – and
SuperPro is one of them – with
both Seats having bush sets and
Supaloy arms fitted. However, the
company’s involvement has not
stopped there and General
Manager Richard Fearn was
recently interviewed on camera to provide a background to SuperPro and why
it choses motorsport to promote the virtues of its products.
Currently no broadcast date is confirmed for the Road2Race programme,
other than it is expected to be shown on Motors TV later this year.
Confirmation that SuperProbushes can reduce tyre wearFrom feedback recently received,
it has been confirmed that fitting
SuperPro suspension bushes can
significantly reduce tyre wear. The
reports relate to two similar cars:
one used for competition and the
other used for day-to-day driving
on the road.
For the second year running
SuperPro has supported the now three-times RAF Rally Champions Craig
Teesdale and co-driver Duncan Lilwall in the Spookworks Subaru Impreza.
And, whilst the military paring admitted that although they might not be
competing at the pinnacle of the sport, they are very successful in what they
do. Added to that, they are excellent ambassadors for the SuperPro brand.
Having replaced the Impreza’s original rubber bushes with SuperPro
versions during 2011, as well as being impressed by the improvement in
handling, Craig was amazed how the tyres lasted longer – even in the heat of
competition:
“It was an amazing transformation. The bushes made the car’s suspension
work properly and therefore we could take some corners a gear higher!
Pound-for-pound, this was the biggest performance increase we made all
season. But most significantly, we found that tyre wear was drastically
reduced - to around 50% in some cases.”
To establish this was a realistic claim, the team at SuperPro purchased a
2003 Impreza and likewise, replaced all of the car’s rubber bushes with the
SuperPro polyurethane equivalents. They then used the car on a daily basis
throughout 2012 and, after covering 14,000 miles on the same set of tyres,
took the car to Roger Clark Motorsport for a service and alignment check.
With technicians instructed to give the Impreza a thorough going over, it was
confirmed that the tyres were wearing evenly and were good for many more
miles to come. They also reported
that the suspension was still
perfectly aligned, with no need for
any adjustment whatsoever.
Proof indeed that SuperPro
can help tyres and components
last longer, plus reduce the
frequency of maintenance and
repairs.
Sprint or long distance,SuperPro has the answer
The introduction of an upgrade bush
kit to correspond with the launch of
the Toyota GT86 (and Subaru BRZ)
was reported in the previous edition
of the newsletter. Since then, these
sleek, two-litre, rear-wheel-drive
coupés have been selling well and,
because of their excellent handling
characteristics and sports-car
physique, unsurprisingly they have
already made their way onto the
tracks.
Two such examples are those built
by SuperPro stockists Fensport and Midlands race team GPRM, both
companies specifying SuperPro in their build programmes. Although in
essence they are exactly the same car, the competitive disciplines they
perform could not be at further ends of the scale.
The Fensport Toyota has been prepared to take part in Sprints, whereas
the GPRM car has been built to run in Endurance races. Both performed
exceptionally well on their maiden outings: the Fensport car winning its first
ever event, when Adrian Smith drove it to outright victory in round three of the
Toyota Sprint Series in August. Shortly afterwards, the GPRM car took part in
the Britcar 24-hours at Silverstone in September, finishing eighth overall and
fourth in class, after completing 512 laps of the 3.66-mile Grand Prix circuit.
These results show that, whether it’s for the precise and flat-out nature of
a quick-fire sprint course, or the lengthy and relentless demands of an
endurance event, SuperPro bushes deliver a performance which is exactly
what teams and drivers want: consistency, reliability, durability and a better
all-round feel from the controls.
SuperPro stars on the small screen
Ariel chooses SuperPro West Country specialist vehicle manufacturer Ariel Motor Company is fitting SuperPro for OE
engine mounts in its incredible Atoms. Using a range of power plants from a 245bhp Honda
V-Tec unit to a 500bhp V8, in a vehicle that weighs just over 500kgs, it is crucial there is as
little engine movement as possible and that vibration is not transferred through the car’s
tubular frame and chassis.
“We needed to find a product that would minimise engine torque movement and vibration”,
explained Tom Siebert, General Manager for Ariel Motor Company. “Having researched the
market and tested a number of different products, we found that SuperPro bushes provided
the best solution. We now fit them to all of the cars we produce.”
And, if you have seen an Atom in action, you will understand that this is praise indeed!
Photo credits: Rich Sams, Brian Pitblado, Land Rover, Toyota GB, Ariel Motor Co, MLR.
This newsletter is published by SuperPro Europe Ltd.Tel: +44 (0)1823 690281 | Fax: +44 (0)1823 698109 | Email: [email protected]
SuperPro Europe Ltd | Thorngrove Barn | Main Road | Middlezoy | Somerset | TA7 0PD | UK
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