BEAST OF BRIGHTON IS A PUMA!

MONDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2005

 A Puma has once again confirmed that it is one of the fastest movers on the planet, by setting a quickest time of 9.45 seconds at the Brighton Speed Trials last Saturday, (10 September).

 Although it bears little more than a cosmetic resemblance to the Ford Puma road car, at the hands of owner, Mike Endean, the 700hp Gould Engineering Puma, fully equipped with specially formulated Avon racing tyres, truly vanquished all opposition.

 Endean piloted the Puma to glory by covering the world famous seafront trials’ quarter mile drag strip by an amazing 0.53 seconds faster than the next quickest car – an Allard J2.  The car’s RS200 Evolution Nicholson McLaren engine, capable of propelling Endean from 0-60 miles per hour in a staggering 1.8 seconds and 0-120mph in 3.5, shot the car past the line stage with a terminal speed of 150mph.

 An elated Endean commented, “We knew that the Allard would run us close today, but not in our wildest dreams did we imagine that we would win by such a margin.  It’s shattered my personal best record and made for a fantastic day”.

 The awesome acceleration, which makes Mike’s the fastest Puma in the country, helped him triumph over strong opposition from the likes of a Nissan Skyline GTR and a Pilbeam MP62B, not to mention Avon Tyres’ own Pat Doran, who currently leads the British Rallycross championship in his 550bhp Hydrex Fiesta.

 Mike’s victory was made all the more simpler due to his Avon racing tyres, which were specially crafted by Avon’s technical experts to provide an unprecedented level of durability and grip to cope with the severe demands of the quarter mile drag, literally sticking the car to the road.  In fact, no less than six of the top ten time-setting cars were shod with Avon rubber.

 Annually the Speed Trials, which first tore up Brighton’s tarmac in 1905, sees two hundred car drivers and forty motorcyclists compete in a bid to see whose machinery can set the fastest pace along a quarter mile stretch of the coastal town’s Madeira Drive. 

 The event is a popular spectacle every year, and is probably the only chance to see such a diverse array of vehicles, from Ferrari F40s to Morris Minors, challenging for the same prize.

 Awards up for grabs included best time for particular types of cars, best motorcycle time and best time for a lady driver. Mike amazingly set the fastest overall time of any vehicle.

For media information, please contact:

Charlotte Latham                                                                Nick Dear

T: 0208 946 3456                                                                T: 0208 946 3456

M: 07773 324242                                                                M: 07808 172915

E: charlotte@performancepr.com                    E: nick@performancepr.com

 About Avon Tyres

 Cooper-Avon Tyres Limited of Melksham, UK, owned by the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company of Findlay, Ohio, USA, has more than a century’s experience at the leading edge of tyre technology. Tyre makers since 1885, Cooper-Avon produces a full range with the emphasis on grip, comfort and value for money.  

Cooper-Avon racing tyres are supplied to over 140 championships around the world, including the new A1 Grand Prix championship, as well as series supported by Audi, Ford, Porsche and Honda. Cooper-Avon Tyres Ltd was the first tyre manufacturer in the world to gain the prestigious ISO 9001 quality award. For more information visit www.avontyres.com or www.avonmotorcycle.com