Pressemitteilung

Continental summer tires for all car segments

Fuel savers and world record setters

Alloy 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 highperformance 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 EClass, 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 detail
This 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 distances
The 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 consumption
According 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 2008 TM. For further information
visit the websites www.ContiSoccerWorld.de, www.ContiFanWorld.com and www.contionline.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