Press Release
Continental: Winter tires to meet all needs
 Car, light truck and two-wheeler winter tires for Central European and Nordic
countries, with a Central European or soft compound and with or without studs
Hanover, Germany/Levi, Finland - December 2015. Tire manufacturer Continental has one of
the most extensive winter ranges in the market with products to meet almost any need. Be it
driving in wintry Central Europe, cold Scandinavian cities or on icy northern slopes, premium
winter tires from Continental deliver added safety in even the most unfavorable road
conditions. The current product range alone offers nine different tire options for a variety of
uses and vehicles.
Winter tires for Central Europe
The ContiWinterContact TS 850 is the latest winter tire for compact to mid-range cars. Since
it was launched four years ago, this premium winter tire has scored numerous “best in test”
results and recommendations in the test reports of leading trade journals. Its directional tread
pattern is designed to provide especially strong grip for linking securely with snow and ice.
The ContiWinterContact TS 850 also combines impressive safety on wet and dry roads with
the added advantage of low rolling resistance. The range of sizes for this popular model has
been further extended this winter to more than 50. Continental manufactures these tires for
14- to 17-inch rims.
The Continental WinterContact TS 850 P is the model for mid-range and luxury models as
well as for sports cars. Here the development engineers at the leading winter tire
manufacturer have achieved a noticeable improvement in performance characteristics. For
example, the Continental WinterContact TS 850 P delivers a tangible improvement over its
predecessor in both its handling on snow and dry roads and its braking performance. This is
made possible by the tire's asymmetrical tread design. New this winter is a special version
for all-wheel drive vehicles and vans which bears the letters "SUV" on the sidewall alongside
the customary product designation. Both models are manufactured for 16- to 20-inch rims.
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With the ContiWinterContact TS 830 P, the tire manufacturer is targeting the owners of highperformance vehicles who want to do their winter driving too on tires approved by the
appropriate premium manufacturer. This winter tire from Continental has received numerous
approvals from vehicle manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Maserati, MercedesBenz and Porsche. These winter tires are tailored precisely to the design of each model, thus
serving up a perfect combination of driving pleasure, safety and economy.
Winter tires for the High North
Continental has two solutions at the ready for drivers in the cold regions of Scandinavia,
Russia and north of the Arctic Circle. For driving mainly in urban areas but also overland there
are winter tires made of a particularly soft compound that retains its flexibility in the cold.
Equipped with a large number of sipes and block edges, these soft compound tires mesh very
closely with ice and snow to deliver excellent grip. The other option for providing extra grip and
extreme traction on icy roads in Scandinavia and Russia is to use studded tires. And of course
the statutory regulations of each country must be taken into account when choosing tires.
The functional, asymmetrical tread pattern of the ContiVikingContact 6 soft compound winter
tire features rigid double tread blocks on the outer portion of tire which takes the greatest
load when cornering, delivering high grip for precise lateral guidance on dry roads. These
tread blocks support each other to achieve maximum stability under the loads generated
during cornering. For SUVs there is a special ContiVikingContact 6 product line designed to
match the typical requirements and wheel sizes of these vehicles. It carries the additional
"SUV" lettering after the product name on the sidewall.
With the studded IceContact 2 winter tire from Continental, the developers have managed to
further improve the predecessor model's good winter driving characteristics. The result is a
gain in handling on dry roads, on ice and also on snow. Also new are the studs themselves
and their particularly robust anchoring in the tread. This involves the studs, which have a
small "foot" of adhesive, being inserted in the tire by a robot specially developed for the job.
In the next patented process step, they are molded with the tire at a specific temperature,
thus attaining around 400 percent more holding power than can be achieved with the
conventional stud insertion process. This tire with its asymmetrical tread pattern is currently
manufactured in sizes suitable for cars and SUVs, with further expansion of the range
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planned for 2016. The IceContact 2 tires for 4x4 models also carry the additional "SUV"
marking on the sidewall.
SSR and ContiSeal mobility solutions also available for Nordic winter tires from 2016
Tires from the WinterContact TS 850 P and ContiWinterContact TS 830 P ranges can already
be ordered with the self-supporting runflat (SSR) solution for extended mobility. If the tire loses
pressure due to a puncture or blow-out, the specially reinforced sidewall continues to bear the
vehicle's weight for up to 80 kilometers at up to 80 km/h so that the nearest repair shop can be
safely reached. Both premium winter tires are also available in versions with ContiSeal
technology. In these tires, a viscous inner layer below the surface of the tread closes up small
punctures of up to 5 mm diameter caused by nails or screws – which means that ContiSeal can
help deal with around 95 percent of all tire damage. From late 2016, the first versions of the
Nordic winter products IceContact 2 and ContiVikingContact 6 will also be available with SSR
and ContiSeal.
Winter tires for two-wheelers
The ContiMove 365 is a safe all-season tire for scooters. The ContiMove 365 achieves an
impressive balancing act between summer and winter suitability, mainly thanks to its
innovative tread design. Pairs of deep sipes provide safe grip both on clear and snowcovered roads. The wide drainage grooves guarantee optimum water displacement to allow
riders to maintain control of the scooter even in heavy rain. With its M+S designation, this
Continental tire meets the requirements of the road traffic regulations and is therefore also
officially approved for winter use. Continental also offers a "standard" winter tire and two
studded versions for bicycles. The TopContact Winter II is ideal for cycling on wet wintry and
snow-covered roads, while the NordicSpike or the SpikeClaw are trusty companions on icy
slopes. The three tires are offered in a range of sizes suitable for both touring bikes and
mountain bikes.
Continental AG
Continental develops intelligent technologies for transporting people and their goods. As a reliable
partner, the international automotive supplier, tire manufacturer, and industrial partner provides
sustainable, safe, comfortable, individual, and affordable solutions. In 2014, the corporation generated
preliminary sales of approximately €34.5 billion with its five divisions, Tires, Chassis & Safety, Interior,
Powertrain, and ContiTech. Continental employs approximately 208,000 people in 53 countries.
www.continental-corporation.com
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Tire Division
The Tire Division currently has 24 production and development locations worldwide. The broad product
range and continuous investments in R&D make a major contribution to cost-effective and ecologically
efficient mobility. As one of the world's leading tire manufacturers with more than 47,000 employees, the
Tire Division achieved sales of €9.8 billion in 2014.
Passenger and Light Truck Tires
Continental is one of the leading manufacturers of passenger and light truck tires in Europe and the
world's fourth largest passenger tire manufacturer in the original equipment and replacement market.
The product development focus of the Continental premium brand is to optimize all safety-relevant
characteristics, while simultaneously minimizing rolling resistance.
www.continental-tires.com
Media Database
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Contact:
Alexander Bahlmann
Head of Communications / Public Relations PLT
Continental AG
Tire division
Büttnerstrasse 25, 30165 Hanover, Germany
Tel.:
+49 (0) 511 938 2615
Fax:
+49 (0) 511 938 2455
alexander.bahlmann@conti.de
www.continental-tires.com
Klaus Engelhart
Press Spokesman, Passenger and Light Truck/TwoWheel Tires
Communications / Public Relations PLT
Continental AG
Tire division
Büttnerstrasse 25, 30165 Hanover, Germany
Tel.:
+49 (0) 511 938 2285
Fax:
+49 (0) 511 938 2455
klaus.engelhart@conti.de