Continental at the Essen Motor Show

PressemitteilungContinental summer tires for all car segments

Fuel savers and world record settersAlloy wheels and wide tires are some of the most popular fittings with Germany's motorists, so it is no surprise that the vehicle manufacturers are already coming up with ever larger sizes in their Original Equipment.Hanover/Essen, December 2006. Thanks to its wide product range, Continental ensures the best driving characteristics for all types of car. The ContiSportContact 3, the Corporation's new flagship tire launched this summer in 34 different sizes, is the benchmark in the high-performance sector and the ContiSportContact Vmax has even established itself as the world's fastest standard production tire. "The special development expertise demonstrated here also benefits other Continental products, such as the ContiPremiumContact 2 for medium range and luxury vehicles, and the ContiEcoContact 3, which was designed for compact cars" commented Jos Corral, Product Manager Summer Tires Cars at Continental AG.

The ContiSportContact Vmax - high-end tire for speeds of up to 360 km/h (225 mph)The ContiSportContact Vmax was developed exclusively for the customising market and even meets the requirements of owners of customised super sports cars like the Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari 460 and Porsche 997. Approved for speeds of up to 360 km/h (225 mph), this 19" high-end product is the world's fastest standard production tire. The size range includes the 245/35 ZR 19 XL and 275/30 ZR 19 XL options for the Mercedes E-Class, 5 Series BMW and customised cars. The sizes 235/35 ZR 19 XL and 315/25 ZR 19 are available for the Porsche 996 and other customised cars, whilst the Porsche 997, Ferrari, Lamborghini and customised vehicles can be fitted with the 245/35 ZR 19 XL and 325/30 ZR 19 XL.

The ContiSportContact 3 - asymmetrical down to the last detailThis new high-performance summer tire permits speeds of 340 km/h (212 mph) and was designed for use on cars like the Porsche Boxster and BMW Z4. "The engineers succeeded in further optimising the performance features of this tire versus its predecessor in all the safety-relevant aspects" explained Jos Corral. "The asymmetrical tread ribs are characteristic of this high-tech tire - they give it greater longitudinal stiffness and thus substantially improved braking performance." The particular tread pattern design ensures exceptional driving stability at maximum speed and during fast cornering. The considerably enhanced performance in the wet is based on advances in the groove concept used on the ContiSportContact 2, where greater volume means it is now able to pick up far more water and channel it out of the tire. "The 20" and 21" sizes are modifications of the standard model specifically for the customising market" the product manager explained. "This tire has, for example, an additional circumferential groove and sipes in the central tread ribs." The outer shoulder also has a larger proportion of rubber, which helped to further improve braking in the dry and handling characteristics. The 20" version is available in sizes from 235/30 to 325/25, whilst the 21" option comes in three sizes between 225/30 and 295/30.

The ContiPremiumContact 2 - 3D groove ensures short braking distancesThe ContiPremiumContact 2 is ideally suited for motorists with special demands in terms of driving comfort. Developed for upper medium range and luxury vehicles, this tire provides short braking distances on wet and dry roads, and also boasts very good handling characteristics. Its most striking feature is the so-called 3D groove in the tread. Thanks to a combination of steep and shallow sides, this groove fulfils several functions. The steep side cuts through the film of water like a windscreen wiper, thereby ensuring the tire has direct contact with the road. This results in short braking distances in the wet. The shallow side stiffens the tread and provides particularly even pressure distribution; this in turn means outstanding braking performance on dry roads. The interaction of the different-shaped flanks creates a swirl effect on the rainwater, dispersing it more rapidly out of the tire. The ContiPremiumContact 2 is approved for speeds of up to 300 km/h (187 mph) and this year it is available in additional 17" and 18" sizes.

The ContiEcoContact 3 - low rolling resistance reduces fuel consumptionAccording to Jos Corral, the concept of the asymmetrical tread pattern design has been successfully adapted for use on smaller and less powerful cars like the Ford Focus, Opel Astra and VW Golf. The tire ensures considerably shorter braking distances in wet and dry weather, for example, whilst its innovative silica compound means best road grip. This successful H- and T-rated tire (approved for speeds of up to 210 km/h [131] and 190 km/h [118 mph] respectively) is also a hit from an economical point of view - the low rolling resistance reduces fuel consumption, so the current high fuel prices do not hit the motorist's wallet quite as hard. The ContiEcoContact 3 is available in 28 sizes for 13", 14" and 15" rim diameters and up to a width of 195 millimetres.

The Continental Corporation is a leading supplier of brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers. In 2005 the corporation realised sales of EUR13.8 billion. At present it has a worldwide workforce of approximately 85,000.

The tire business unit is an Official Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008TM. For further information visit the websites www.ContiSoccerWorld.de, www.ContiFanWorld.com and www.conti-online.com

Klaus Engelhart

Tire PR

Continental AG

Bttnerstr. 25

D-30165 Hannover

Germany

Tel.: +49 511 938 2285

Fax: +49 511 938 2455

E-mail: klaus.engelhart@conti.de

Website: www.conti-online.com