Winter Driving

When it's below 44 degrees, it's tires, not ice that's the biggest hazard on the road

Eileen Falkenberg-Hull
Nov 10, 2019, 1:32 pm

Pirelli has launched an education campaign to help Americans understand that they need to switch over to winter tires.

Photo by Getty Images

Hello, winter. The seasons have changed and just like that freezing rain, ice, snow, road salt, and hidden potholes have become the norm. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, winter storms, bad weather and sloppy road conditions are a factor in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths every winter.

Pirelli is kicking off a new campaign, #Below44. The 44-day campaign aims to educated drives on why winter tires are critical for anyone who lives in an environment where the temperature regularly dips below 44 degrees.

Pirelli Winter Tires: Enjoy the bad season. Video by Pirelli

Sure, there's always going to be people out there that boast about driving their rear-wheel drive boat of a sedan on all-season tires through "Nor'easter of '75" but that doesn't mean that you should tempt fate.

Why make the switch to winter tires?

"There are two reasons why we recommend consumers who live in colder climates switch over to true winter tires," said Ian Coke, Head of R&D, Pirelli North America. "The first is because tires are made of rubber compounds that respond to extreme temperatures and become stiffer as temperatures decrease. This stiffness can significantly reduce the traction levels of the tire tread – the part of the tire that makes direct contact with the road surface – and compromise the tire's overall performance and a driver's safety. As the temperature continues to drop the performance level of the tire will also continue to be impacted."

In Canada, where winter tires are mandatory, there has been a significant reduction in serious accidents that occur during the winter driving season, AAA reports. In Montreal alone, the rate dropped 46 percent.

Pirelli Winter Tires: The winter season is not so bad. Video by Pirelli

The Pirelli Pro Guide: Winter has launched and features answers to some questions you might have rattling around in your head about winter tires and driving. There are also tips and a consumer rebate offer.

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Restoration

1972 Jaguar E-Type once owned by Kevin Keegan gets a complete restoration

This E-Type wasn't always this pretty.

Photo courtesy of E-Type UK

Kevin Keegan is a football legend, an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, and the former owner of a vintage Jaguar that was recently restored by E-Type UK. Presently, the vehicle resides with a private owner in Middlesex, South East England.

Everything wasn't always coming up roses for the car. After leaving Keegan's ownership, the 1972 Jaguar E-Type 3 Roadster was left bruised and battered as the result of an accident. When it came time for a repair, E-Type UK's team was able to discern that most of the damage was superficial. They the set about on a complete restoration of the model, restoring it to very near the condition it was in when it rolled off the assembly line in Coventry in 1972.

1972 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12 Roadster Restoration

1972 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12 Roadster Restoration

Photo courtesy of E-Type UK

E-Type UK's restoration technicians started by stripping down the car, removing all chrome and brightwork. It then became apparent. The latest crash wasn't the E-Type's only one. The Roadster had been subject to numerous scuffs in the past and a number of poorly executed repair jobs.

The workshop team removed the repair victims, the offside sill and top scuttle, and fitted new ones, before reshaping the vehicle's hood back to its iconic curve.

Once the metalwork had been repaired the car was filled and primed, and made ready for its respray. All the car's panels had been cleaned, hardened, and block sanded.

The current owner of the car made it clear. They wanted it finished in its factory color - Jaguar Willow Green. And so it was.

Jaguar E-Type Paint Restoration - Willow Green www.youtube.com

Once the exterior of the vehicle was completed, the interior leather was trimmed in biscuit with a matching mohair hood.

The final steps of restoration checked off items on a list of requests from the owner: adding period-appropriate number plates, side mirrors, and factory standard wheels. The car also got a stainless steel sports exhaust and a 14-inch Motor-Lita steering wheel.

E-Type UK Founder, Marcus Holland said: "We are particularly proud of this restoration and delighted with the way that it looks after spending time in our workshop. The owner was particularly upset after the car was involved in an accident and wanted us to restore it to its former glory. With its celebrity past due to Kevin Keegan's former ownership, we worked hard to bring it back to factory standard, with a glorious Willow Green finish. Not only are we delighted to have delivered our client with his car back in perfect condition but we are honored to have played a part in the ongoing story of this iconic British sportscar."

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Hollywood

Rolls-Royce's 'Inspiring Greatness' film series features unique insight from global citizens

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan, seen here in disguise during testing, is just one of the models featured in the series.

Photo courtesy of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Each of the films in the Rolls-Royce "Inspiring Greatness" series features the story of a individual and how they strive to achieve greatness. The films hone in on what greatness means to them and how the Rolls-Royce story is a good match for theirs, in a natural way.

Each video is approximately three minutes long and features stunning cinematography that captures genres from art to fashion to worldwide exploration.

Watch the first five films of the series below.

Inspiring Greatness Episode 1: Refik Anadol

What does it mean to remember the future? For Refik Anadol, art is a way to grasp this evasive feeling. In the first episode of #InspiringGreatness, Anadol's artwork for Muse, the Rolls-Royce Art Programme, invites you to travel vicariously to the future through his machine-driven, yet human-centric world.

Inspiring Greatness Episode 2: Dr. Esther Mahlangu

Celebrated South African Dr. Esther Mahlangu began her illustrious life as an artist from an early age. Now, her geometric artworks that blend traditional Ndebele culture with the modern world are highly desired by a range of global clientele.

Inspiring Greatness Episode 3: 90 Pairs of Hands

90 pairs of hands. 600 hours of masterful artistry. This is what the construction of a single Rolls-Royce motor car demands. ⁣ ⁣ Before possession of our creations is turned over to an owner, each one receives a level of devotion that can only attributed to one place on earth — Goodwood, the Home of Rolls-Royce.⁣

Inspiring Greatness Episode 4: Rankin

Recognised as one of the greatest creatives of our time, photographer and director Rankin has shaped modern culture in infinite ways. His atmospheric storytelling encourages creatives — and broader society — to expand upon the notions of what is possible.

Inspiring Greatness Episode 5: Cory Richards

National Geographic photographer and explorer, Cory Richards uses emotive visuals to capture universal human truths. Richard's work illustrates how humankind is all connected, despite our apparent differences. His passion has taken him to the far-reaching corners of our globe, where extraordinary moments are crystallised forever.

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