News & Events

The central coast of NSW may be better known for its natural beauty and outdoor pursuits, rather than mechanical workshops, but in Long Jetty perched between Sydney and Newcastle, Apex Tyre and Auto has earned a reputation as one of the best ‘independents’ for miles around. Established almost 19 years ago by Luke Kay upon completion of his mechanical apprenticeship, the workshop now employs a team of seven across two locations and will shortly acquire a third outlet.

There are plenty of opinions about the value of left foot braking in the motoring world depending on who you speak with – and as with most contentious topics, the best answer probably lies somewhere in the middle. Determining the effectiveness of left foot braking also depends on several variables: are you driving a manual or automatic car?

Bendix is this year celebrating its 70th anniversary in Australia. Initially beginning operations in Ballarat, Victoria way back in 1955, seven decades on, the company continues to proudly manufacture from its Ballarat facility which also serves as the company’s research, development and testing headquarters.

Grin factor? Yes.

Bendix has expanded its range of popular Ultimate 4WD™ Brake Pads with front pads now available to suit L319 and L462 Land Rover Discovery (from 2009 onwards), and both front and rear pads for the iconic JK / JL Jeep Wrangler (from 2010 onwards). Bendix's range of Ultimate 4WD™ Disc Brake Pads has expanded to include options for Land Rover Discover (from 2009 onwards).

The southern hemisphere isn’t known for its icy and snowy road conditions, but that means that come ski season, thousands of drivers head to the slopes with few skills and very little practice at managing these difficult road conditions. Although owners of all-wheel drive vehicles will have better control in the conditions thanks to the extra traction and surety these drivetrains provide, mastering the tricky road surfaces also has a lot to do with driving techniques and attitude.

Owners of selected BMW and Mercedes Benz models, now have greater choice when it comes to their braking components, with Bendix introducing new brake pad shapes to its Euro+™ range to suit these vehicles. Applicable models include 2019MY Mercedes Benz A Class, GLA and GLB (W177 / H247 and X247) with AMG Sport Brakes, and 2019 W177 / H247 without AMG Sport Brake, for which new front options are available. Rear Euro+™ brake pad options have also been released for A Class and GLB variants (W177 / X247) of the same era, with pad shapes being introduced for models both with and without AMG Sport Brakes.

With its clever ‘Plug ‘n’ Play’ design and simple self-installation, Bendix’s new Ultimate Tow+™ Portable Electric Brake Controller makes it easy and fast for drivers to move between tow vehicles, trailers and caravans.  Rather than being limited to a single tow vehicle with a fixed brake controller, the portable controller’s flexibility allows any vehicle equipped with a towbar to be used with any trailer fitted with electric brakes.

Bendix will display its extensive range of commercial vehicle friction products at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show, including disc brake pads, brake shoes and brake linings from its ProTrans™ and ProTrans™HD ranges. Also on display will be the company’s Ultimate 4WD™Electric Park Brake kits for light commercial 4x4 vehicles.

Depending on environment and driving conditions, car brakes can reach temperatures as high as 500 degrees Celsius, not only impacting braking performance, but reducing the durability of brake parts. Manufacturers of quality braking components such as Bendix, overcome these conditions with extensive research and testing programs, and by procuring the best possible source materials to develop their components.