Jalopnik
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retro
It's 1969, And You Need Some 7.75x14 Whitewalls For The Buick!
A set of new Cragars for $50? OK, killjoys, we know that's about 300 bucks in 2009 money, but this Mark C. Bloome ad from the January 24, 1969 Los Angeles Times is still fascinating.
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Comment by v8corvairpickup: Wow! A 40000 mile tire guarantee. I have never gotten that kind of mileage from any tire. Seems that my... 13 Responses | Other threads
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2009 Pirelli Calendar
2009 Pirelli Calendar: Elephants And A Whole Load Of NSFW
It's that time of year again, when Pirelli sends aspiring Playboy photographers out on calendar assignment, letting them dream up ridiculous ways to photograph nude or nearly nude models in exotic locations. What this has to do with the business of selling tires we have no idea. Whatever, nekkid ladies! Hit the jump for a large and VERY NSFW gallery from the 2009 Pirelli Calendar. More » -
sema
Kumho Launches Ultra-Low-Profile 15-Series Tires
Own a high-performance supercar but want to ruin its ride and handling? Well Kumho has just the thing for you! Presented today at SEMA were these new ultra-low-profile 15-Series “performance” tires. Available only in 385/15-22 size for now, they’re designed for the otherwise-competent Ferrari F430, Dodge Viper and Corvette Z06. But, while the 15-Series tires are just for looks, their complete and utter lack of sidewalls has an unexpected benefit. More »
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By Wes SilerComment by c0de: i would like to ask a question here. I see a Mazdaspeed3 in my company's parking lot with, i think,... 14 Responses | Other threads
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tires
Top Five Reasons Your Tires Fail
Mike Allen over at Popular Mechanics put together a handy list of the top five reasons for tire failure. We figure it's important stuff since, you know, your tires are pretty much more important than any other part of your car — they're what the whole rest of the vehicle rides on. Believe it or not, there's more that can be wrong with your tires than just underinflation, so check out the list below the jump.
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2009 corvette zr1
Secrets Of The 2009 Corvette ZR1: Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 Tires
One of the most impressive things about the 2009 Corvette ZR1 is how much grip it has. Normally, sticking 638 HP into something that weighs just 3,350 LBS and driving only the rear wheels would result in massive amounts of wheel spin, both in a straight line and around corners. But in the ZR1, it doesn’t — not without significant provocation. This is partly due to the whiz-bang magnetic damping system that adjusts itself near-instantaneously to keep the car level around corners and keep the tires in contact with the road over rough surfaces. But a big part of its grip, and the resulting 7:26.4 ‘Ring time, comes down to the tires: Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZPs specially developed, racecar-style, alongside the ZR1. More » -
classic ad watch
Goodyear Polyglas Tires Help Stereotypical Women Drivers
This commercial aired during the first Monday Night Football game in 1970 and proves just what everyone already knew: women can't drive worth a damn and need exceptional tires to compensate for the lack of driving ability. Of course, the woman in the video has to deal with construction, bumpy roads, detours and more while picking up her manly husband from the airport after a very long and manly business trip. It kind of reminds us of the shower scene from Psycho, which is fairly accurate given a woman behind the wheel was like being murdered, at least in the 1970s. [Youtube] (Thanks, Sugi)
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Comment by Drujon: What did that jar head say? " I've got 40k miles on my sily ass" more » | Other threads
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accessories
Decorate Your Tires With Sweetskinz
Just when the cheesy and flashy auto customization market couldn't get any worse, a company with a horrible name like Sweetskinz has come out with artistic tires. If anything positive were to come from Sweetskinz, its the increased tire visibility, which is something maybe one person, somewhere in the world, may be interested in having. Other than that, these are pretty lame. More » -
gadgets
P-Eye Tire Pressure Sensor Simplifies The Age-Old Task
Forget about the complicated tire pressure monitoring systems integrated into luxury cars, the P-eye makes the task of checking your tire's pressure simple, very simple. It's a cap for the tire that will blink red when the tire is 5-percent below its recommended pressure. The system does have a flaw, albeit a minor one. More »
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Comment by rainfever: The system does have a flaw, albeit a minor one. This flaw seems to only affect the lazy. Walking around... more » | Other threads
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offbeat news
Goodyear Unveils Lunar Tire Concept
With missions to the Moon and eventually Mars in the cards, NASA is in need of a new tire capable of supporting surface exploration. Goodyear has unveiled this tire as a potential solution. Based on the original wire mesh 1960s Lunar Rover tires, they've been updated to fulfill NASA's much increased needs. More » -
accessories
Tires With Retractable Studs Take A Note From Bond
Anybody that has ever tried to put those damned tire chains on can smile and know that the age old midwest winter traditional may soon be extinct thanks to Q Celsius, a new tire that has retractable studs. The Q Celsius takes its name from James Bond's gadget man, Q, and operates with a switch inside the vehicle. More »
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Comment by Philscbx: Recently spent all winter in Sweden, it's the law to have all 4 studded tires. I thought it was odd at... more » | Other threads
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speed racer
New Speed Racer Trailer Shows Regenerating Tires And Speed As A Kid
Here we have the latest trailer for the live-action Speed Racer movie. It drops some backstory and provides our first insight into what made Speed Racer a demon on wheels. We're still not that impressed by the Wachowski brothers' extravaganza, based on these early looks. However, there's definitely some kinda cool stuff going on with Speed's famous set of wheels. For example, this trailer shows the Mach 5's ability to replace its own shredded tires while flying through the air. I bet Tony Stewert is really jealous right now. More »
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Comment by Bippy777: The 1967 cartoon tantalized me as a kid to draw the Mach5 over and over again from any angle on... more » | Other threads
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accessories
Ecsta DX Aroma Tires Make Burnouts Smell Like Flowers
This is quite possibly the first sign of the apocalypse, but Kumho now has the Ecsta DX Aroma all-season tires available. Kumho is using the term "aroma" literally, because these tires have ditched the masculine smell of rubber in favor of lavender. How does one get tires to smell like a color? More »
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Comment by vr6john: Am I the only one who would be interested in burnouts that smell like farts? more » | Other threads
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custom cars
GMC Suburban with 49 Inch Tires Will Stop At Nothing
Most guys into off roading will equip their rig with anything from a set of 33" tires for light duty rock crawling to 44" tires for deep mud bogging. Of course everyone has their preferences and guys usually make tire size decisions based on ego as much as utility. Kristjan Kristjansson of Iceland either has a big purpose, or an enormous ego because he's gone ahead and fitted his GMC Suburban with 49" flotation tires. They make sense for playing in Iceland's frozen wonderlands, but we have to wonder how the tire hum has affected the cabin ambiance. More »
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By Ben WojdylaComment by DoctorNine's D9 Cat: @TPSreports: It's not that it's that -small-, but it's cold up there in Iceland. He needs a ride that's gonna... more » | Other threads
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gadgets
Wireless, Digital Tire Pressure Monitor Forever Eliminates Auto-Related Plumber's Crack
It's winter, for crying out loud! Who wants to squat down on a frozen driveway while buffeted by subzero windchill to check their tire pressure with an old-skool gauge? Not me. Enter the TPMS-201, a great invention that caters to the lazy bastard in all of us. (Also caters to those people who don't own cars that automatically monitor tire pressure.) More »
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Comment by esky1600: @Novaload: Jesus, they even charge for air in the US? To think I've been complaining because service stations here don't... more » | Other threads
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Comment by Neckarsulm: That's definitely NZ. You can even see the harbour bridge in the background. If theres one thing we are good... more » | Other threads
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news
Reinventing the Wheel Invention: Flat-Detecting Smart Tires
I was more than sure that tires capable of sensing low air-pressure and flats already existed—either digitally or by the tilted axis. Reuters seems to think otherwise and is reporting on a new "smart tire" being developed by researchers at Purdue University. More »
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Comment by purdue057: So I had this guy as a professor, and he is using the technology he developed for another industry, in... more » | Other threads
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novelties
Drift Your Way Out Of Workplace Productivity!
It makes such incredibly perfect sense for tire companies to be huge supporters of Drifting Madness (and burnout competitions, of course) that it was inevitable that one of them would put up a drifting Flash game to encourage young hoons to hone their tire-wear-enhancing techniques while online (yes, yes, it's been around for a while, so anyone who's limbering up their 1337 skilz to break out the scathing "ur teh lame this so old" comments can just go somewhere else). Players can choose from a variety of vehicles, including a Fjord, Muzda, or Minimal minivan, all equipped with a selection of Marhal Tyres; the sound effects are just the thing to liven up a dull Monday workplace. We recommend the Minimal. Thanks to Franzouse for the tip! [Driftgame.au]
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Comment by bennetpullen drives a banana: I think the MINI is my favorite car... I got a 4,572,650 donut with it, though the best I could manage... more » | Other threads
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alternative energy
New fuel source: Microwaved tires
A researcher in Pennsylvania claims he's found a new source of oil, and it's right under our cars. By microwaving it inside a vacuum, Frank Pringle says he's able to break an old car tire down into ready-to-use diesel fuel. A 14-inch tire yields 1.2 gallons of diesel, 7.5 pounds of carbon black, 50 cubic feet of combustible gas and 2 pounds of high-strength steel. All of this takes about 50 cents of electricity. His process is currently being refined for large-scale use. Through the same method he's able to refine grass clippings into ethanol, extract oil from shale and create gas from coal. Pringle is also working on a way to extract usable fuels from heavily polluted river sludge, a process that could clean our industrial waterways while powering our vehicles. [Via The Daily Green] More »
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By Wes SilerComment by Moonshine Mike: @josejuan05: Interesting then, but it sounds like its a bit more expensive than 50 cents per nuke then. more » | Other threads
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woodward dream cruise
Big Bike Wheel Keep On Turnin'
Apparently the Woodward Dream Cruise ain't just all about the cars — but about the bikes as well. And when we say bikes, we don't mean something by Harley-Davidson or Suzuki, although there's plenty of those hangin' round these here parts. Rather, we mean the two-wheeled people-powered kind of transportation. And this here proud Mary bike's got a serious case of a swollen back wheel. Maybe the owners should apply a cold compress to it or something — you know, to cut down on the swelling. More »
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By Ray WertComment by biminitwst: Awesome.I gotta build one. The trip to the Haji- Mart for cheap ice cold beer would be like a virtual... more » | Other threads
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classic ad watch
Give Your 924 Some Enamel Coat-O, Then Jump In A Manhole!
We're not sure we want to get a translation of this ad from you Japanese speakers out there- it seems more bewilderingly profound when we can't understand what the tuxedo-clad barefoot protagonist and his sidekick are hollering at each other.
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Comment by TokyoMarc: @Teargas: The manufacturer, Willson, is still around, but they don't seem to use the "Enamel Coat" name any more.... more » | Other threads
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slip and slide
Drive and Learn: Bridgestone Horse Track Tire Party
A late season rain storm rolled into sunny Los Angeles a few Fridays ago, just in time for us to go down to the Santa Anita race track andblow our meager earnings on the poniesslide around on wet autocross course set up in the parking lot of the San Gabriel Valley horse track. Only a few journalists were on hand for the event which was largely attended by tire distributors and shop owners. The lot of us got to sit under a tent and learn a few things about tires before driving. More » -
news
Idaho to Champion Retractable Stud Snow Tires
In a move that restores our faith in the ability of technology to help instead of hurt us, the State of Idaho is considering allowing the use of studded snow tires year round. Idaho Senator Jim Hammond is sponsoring legislation that would legalize retractable stud snow tires regardless of season. These marvels of tire technology feature an internal bladder that inflates and deflates at the push of a button to unleash the traction grabbing studs. The older tech variety of full time studded snows tend to chew up the state roads pretty well in the warmer months. The catch? Nobody sells such a tire yet, although Q Tires says theirs will be available for use this coming winter. Now if only we could make the bag of spuds in the cupboard retract their eyes, we would make some delicious hash browns. More »
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By Mike BumbeckComment by AmishJohn: Yay! We're one step closer to my fully-functional Mach 5... Just have to work out the pogo-jack system, the retracting... more » | Other threads
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news
Free Beef With Tires! We Are Not Pulling Your Leg!
As we were driving home this afternoon from checking out Pedro Almodovar's latest flick we were suddenly reminded by a radio spot that we indeed were indeed staying in Sacramento, and that no, Toto we weren't in La La Land anymore. West Coast tire retailer Les Schwab is giving away free beef with any tire purchase. Buy two tires, get $7.50 worth of beef. Buy four and get $15.00 worth of beef! We assume you could outfit your dually with new meats all around and score $22.50 in slaughtered bovine products! Too bad about that whole being a vegetarian thing we've got going on. More »
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Comment by Seth L: Davey, you may need to stop talking up the NW, housing prices are already high enough. more » | Other threads
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news
Goat Tipping: Group Calls on Pontiac GTO Investigation
Lutz may be trying to remind us why the GTO failed as a car in terms of sales, but the NHTSA may soon be trying to remind us why it failed in a more serious way. The Center for Auto Safety called on the NHTSA to investigate the Holden Monaro-based GTO due to 65 complaints involving tire wear caused by the cars struts scraping against rubber. At issue is the width of the tires in America. According to the CAS, the strut was redesigned in 2006 so this applies to 2004 and 2005 models. More »
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Comment by my favorite car is a motorcycle: Oh, so that's why the dumbass tuners with the ultra-wide 22" diameter rims and rubber-band thick tires drop the suspension... more » | Other threads
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news
Getting A Grip On Where The Rubber Meets The Road
Most folks know one of the easiest and quickest performance enhancements you can make to your car when you first get it from the dealer is a good set of tires. As Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson illustrates in the video above, the difference between budget tires and performance tires on their closed course caused an almost two second difference in lap time with a professional driver at the wheel. That's because traction is all about making sure you've got the most rubber possible touching the road at any given moment. Thus, on a dry track, performance tires with a slicker surface allow a greater percentage of the surface of the tire to be in contact with the road, thus providing a higher level of "grip." See for yourself. More » -
gadgets
Lavender-Scented Burnouts?
Maybe we heard about this at the SEMA show this past November, but couldn't process the information. The engineers at Kumho have taken a long drag on their silly pipe and come up with another gimmick for the drifting crowd. They started with tires that produce colored smoke during burnouts — an arguably fitting visual addition to drifting competition. Now, they've gone down a dangerous road, as it were, creating scented tires that release their secrets, Glade-like, into the air. But who chose the scents — rosemary and lavender — participants in a Bucks County scrapbooking bee? More »
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Comment by pushlatency: Thaddeus: 3 scents? I thought you were suggesting "Uh...Oh yeah" as an individual flavor. Like something I could mount... more » | Other threads
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news
Deal And A Half: Bridgestone Drops Sponsorship Of Champ, Remains League Tire Supplier
Bridgestone finally made the decision to drop out as a sponsor of Champ Car — but for some reason, the open-wheeled racing league's decided to stay with them as the sole tire supplier. That means Bridgestone's probably up in the corporate boardroom right now engaging in some serious Bugs-Bunny-esque "what a nincompoop, what a maroon" laugh-antics right now. That's because, if I've got this straight — Bridgestone gets to pay less money to Champ, loses its name on the marquee, but prevents any other supplier from jumping into the race because they're retaining their right to be the only tire supplier to the league. So why'd Champ agree to this deal again? More » -
ad watch
UK Ad Watch: Goodyear Reminds Brits Changing Tires Can Be Dangerous
We're always leery of changing a tire by the side of the road at night, but that's got less to do with our abilities with a spare and more to do with being afraid of the dark. Still, these three humorous little Brit bits from the boys and girls at Goodyear remind everyone of the hazards of changing tyres (or tires if you're on this side of the pond) by the side of the road. Of course Goodyear would say that — they sell those run-flat tires, which to us sound silly 'cause, you know, how do you know if it's flat if it still feels like it isn't. Plus hey, didn't they have that trouble with the Lotus last week too? More » -
news
The Lotus Elise Should Probably Be Serviced Anywhere But Orlando
This story hit the EliseTalk forums yesterday — it all starts with an Lotus owner in Orlando, FL who took his Elise into Goodyear to drop a new set of tires on his canary yellow grip-tight speedster. And the result was — well, let's just say we'd be laughing if we weren't crying so hard. Here's the story, straight from forum member and dented-Elise owner qball:
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By Ray WertComment by ☠Grяrяrяrяrя sings the doom song now!: Tell ya what, just to show that there's no hard feelings, we'll give ya 10% off the tires! more » | Other threads
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sema
SEMA Show: How Can You Sell Tires If You Don't Have Any Booth Babes?
As Jalopnik photographer-of-the-star-cars Curtis Walker was want to tell us — there are rules for booth babes at SEMA. Apparently, this stuff doesn't just happen by chance — and here's his explanation of where you'll find the booth babes, what they'll be wearing and why — and all with a helpful reference gallery below:
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By Ray WertComment by Al Navarro: Just back from an auto pilgrimage. For the record, at the New York "show", the manufacturers of actual autos... more » | Other threads
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news
Breaking! Where The Rubber Meets The Road - Bridgestone Closing US Plant; Reports Lower Net Profit
Yeah, we know — tire manufacturers. They're only important when somethin's off-kilter — and let it never be said that Bridgestone (formerly Bridgestone-Firestone) can't deliver. The Japanese tire maker released numbers this morning — and they were — well, mixed. The company announced a lowering of their half-year net profit forecast by nine percent due to the likely closure of their plant in Oklahoma City. At the same time they raised their operating profit projection due to weaker yen valuations over the past six months. It seems like even the Japanese manufacturers are jumping on that "close plants and make money through accounting" method employed by other automotive manufacturers and suppliers. The May Day message appears to be the same as any other — what's good for corporate America is — umm — not-so-good for workers? More »
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By Ray WertComment by Peter Reynolds: Bridgestone-Firestone gets no sympathy from me. After they locked-out workers at their Decatur Illinois plant in the mid 1990's... more » | Other threads
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morning shift
The Jalopnik Morning Shift
• Here's an idea that took Metro Detroit just a little too long — leverage your automotive history as an asset. [Freep] More » -
news
Tire Companies to Consumers: Ten Years and Out
US tire makers have spoken, and they've told the country's cheapskates to upgrade their damn, crusty old, bald tires before they kill someone already. As reported in the Detroit News, Michelin USA and Continental Tire have joined Bridgestone and Firestone in the issuance of technical bulletins for dealers to replace tires that have trod the earth for a decade of longer. Six years is the norm for automakers' bulletins. Still, some say there's no real data to indicate that tires degrade over time to become unsafe, and that the companies have derived a timeline for their own benefit. Reeducation camps for those riding on original Bias Plys will open next Tuesday. More »
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Comment by ThnderbltDoherty: It's really kind of irrelevant what the tire makers say--they have no enforcement power. The initiative has to be taken... more » | Other threads
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news: industry news
Cooper Tire Acquires Majority of Chinese Tiremaker
And the the Chinese hookups just don't stop. Cooper Tire has announced that it has government approval to acquire 51% of China's third largest tire company, Shandong Chengshan Tire. The deal's expected to close in January and includes are you ready for this a 25 percent stake in a steel cord factory next to the tire facility. Now if that ain't a sweet deal on rubbers, we ain't never purchased a dusty pack o' Trojans at a convenience store at 3am. More » -
news
Tired and Feathered: Performance Tire Sales Grow, Some Consumers Shocked
A couple of months back, the man who asks, "Why can't there be more talk about buttsex on Jalopnik?" aka CTE blew a tire. Like, as in, it exploded. CTE, being the stylish man of means that he is, drives a Focus ZX3, which features a Blaupunkt stereo, crank windows and Pirelli tires that're some special half-inch size that also cost an arm and a leg to replace. Needless to say, when the time came to replace the tire, CTE wasn't a happy camper. But the tire companies and the automakers are loving it. More »
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Comment by 1974: The Fuldas were more expensive than $80 each. I figured cheap German is better than cheap Korean. With any luck,... more » | Other threads
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news: industry news
The Wings of Goodyear to Carry Less: Tiremaker to Slash Production in Wake of Hurricanes
Due to supply issues caused by the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes, Goodyear has cut output at its North American plants by 30%. The problems will affect Goodyear's nine North American plants, which make up roughly half of its worldwide production. While the company anticipates being able to fulfill its contracts for the time being, it has "force majeure" contracts with customers which allows it to drop out of an agreement if unforeseen circumstances make it impossible for the company to do so. More »
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