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: info@superpro.eu.com

SuperPro Europe Ltd | Thorngrove Barn | Main Road | Middlezoy | Somerset | TA7 0PD | UK

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