The BMW Group is extending its holistic approach to sustainability to the new BMW X5, focusing on decarbonisation, improved efficiency, and the use of secondary materials across the entire vehicle lifecycle. The aim is to minimise the carbon footprint of…
Chemicals giant Dow has unveiled plans to pump $100 million into expanding its global specialty silicones manufacturing and innovation footprint across the US, China, and Japan by the end of 2027. The investment targets increased production capacity for liquid silicone…
Researchers at Qingdao University of Science and Technology (QUST) have developed a supercritical foaming technology for polymers and elastomers that experts have rated as reaching “an internationally leading level.” The breakthrough, announced on 1 June, stems from a project titled…
Germany’s rubber manufacturing sector faces extinction by 2035 unless policymakers slash energy costs and slash red tape, the country’s leading industry body has warned. In a stark assessment delivered on 22 June, Boris Engelhardt, managing director of the German Rubber…
Goodyear will shut down its tire manufacturing plant in Izmit, Turkey, for a month-long production suspension starting July 2 and resuming August 3. The move is framed as part of the company’s “annual temporary production suspension” for inventory adjustment, according…
Natural rubber futures have recovered from a dip in early June, with prices closing higher across all major Far East exchanges during the week ended 19 June. The rally was supported by gains in global equity markets, a weaker Japanese…
The 120-mile stretch of California’s Highway 1, also known as Cabrillo Highway, between Morro Bay and Carmel-by-the-Sea, is now open after being closed for the last three years due to various land movements and fires. The editor recalls his first…
A 1985 Chevy Blazer has been transformed into a Testarossa-styled vehicle, dubbed the Blazerossa. The custom bodywork includes Testarossa-inspired styling elements on the doors and rear fenders, but the execution is far from perfect. The seller notes that the driver…
Modern manual transmissions in cars like the Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V come with a feature called “no-lift shift,” which lets drivers change gears without lifting their foot off the accelerator. At first glance, this seems impossible—after all, traditional manuals require…
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) were supposed to offer the best of both worlds: electric commuting range with the flexibility of a gas engine for longer trips. But Consumer Reports’ latest reliability data suggests that the added complexity of combining batteries, electric…