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The technology used in the new ContiSportContact 5
 Continental once again shortens braking distances on high-tech tyres
 Rolling resistance reduced in sports tyre development
 ContiSportContact 5 suitable for sporty cars and high-performance SUVs
Hanover / Porto, November 2010. Continental's new ContiSportContact 5, which will be
available from stockists in spring 2011, is equally suitable for sporty cars and for SUVs with
sporty ambitions. When compared with its popular predecessor, this new model reflects the
substantial progress made by the tyre engineers - thanks to extensive research and a
multiplicity of tests carried out during the development period, braking distances on both wet
and dry roads have been markedly reduced, whilst rolling resistance has been cut by over
10% and mileage performance increased by 13%. This progress has been made possible
through the use of an innovative compound which provides for maximum transmission of
forces when braking and low rolling resistance during normal driving.
To do this, the rubber formula, referred to as BlackChilli Compound, uses the different
vibrations of the tyre. Improvements have also been achieved in the handling of the tyre,
which can now deliver an even sportier performance than its predecessor. This coming
spring Continental's new sports model will be available from dealers as a 50 to 35 Series car
tyre suitable for 17" and 18" rims and approved for speeds of up to 300 km/h (187 mph),
whilst for SUVs the range covers 55 to 45 Series tyres suitable for 18", 19" and 20" rims, also
approved for speeds of up to 300 km/h.
BlackChilli Compound - an adaptive formula for greater safety
What makes the BlackChilli Compound developed by chemists at Continental so innovative
is that it adapts to the driving conditions, using the vibrations to which a tyre is exposed
during driving and braking. Normally, when a tyre rolls along an asphalt surface, it vibrates at
13.8 Hertz (at 100 km/h - 62.5 mph). This low excitation in the compound activates polymers
with long chemical chains which prevent the thermal energy generated during driving from
entering the tyre, dissipating it outwards. This enables the tyre to cool down well during
normal use, which reduces rolling resistance considerably, thereby cutting fuel consumption -
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-2and emissions as well. At the same time a cool tyre achieves a higher mileage performance,
improving the service life of the new ContiSportContact 5.
However, when a tyre brakes the vehicle, the number of vibrations rises abruptly to 200
times the norm - reaching 2770 Hertz (braking from 100 km/h with an ABS control range of
10% slip). This extreme increase in the tyre vibrations activates short-chain polymers which
are able to absorb the energy produced during braking. The vibrations to which the tyre is
exposed during braking are converted into heat in the process, generating high grip, which
shortens braking distances on wet roads, for example, by 9%. As a result, the
ContiSportContact 5 provides very short braking distances when these are needed, and the
low rolling resistance protects the environment and reduces fuel costs.
Precise, sporty handling thanks to macro-block design on the outer shoulder
During cornering the tyre's ground contact patch shifts to the outer shoulder, which transmits
most of the forces required for precise lateral guidance. To achieve particularly good
handling characteristics on the ContiSportContact 5, the macro-block design was used to
generate a particularly large contact patch during cornering. In this process the tyre is
supported primarily by the large and very sturdy tread lugs on the outer shoulder; at the
same time, the entire contact patch increases substantially compared with that of a standard
tyre. In this way precise, safe handling is achieved, even when driving at the limit.
The ContiSportContact 5 - high performance in safety and rolling resistance
What motorists and vehicle manufacturers expect from a sports tyre is first and foremost
good, safe handling, together with short braking distances. In both disciplines the
ContiSportContact 5 manages to outperform its well-established predecessor, with up to 9%
improvements in braking and 5% in handling. What is also conspicuous is that at the same
time the engineers managed to reduce rolling resistance by 12%. With this new high-tech
product, the Continental portfolio now includes for the first time a tyre which combines safe,
sporty driving with conservation of resources - an impressive result for the Hanover-based
Research and Development Centre.
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Size range:
50 Series:
45 Series:
205/50 R 17 V / W XL
205/45 R 17 W XL
215/50 R 17 W XL
215/45 R 17 W / W XL
225/50 R 17 Y XL
225/45 R 17 Y / Y XL
225/45 R 18 Y XL
40 / 35 Series:
235/45 R 17 Y / Y XL
245/40 R 17 Y
235/45 R 18 Y XL
225/40 R 18 Y XL
245/45 R 17 Y XL
235/40 R 18 Y XL
245/45 R 18 Y XL
245/40 R 18 Y XL
255/35 R 18 Y XL
SUV Series:
235/55 R 18 V
255/55 R 18 Y XL
255/50 R 19 Y XL
275/45 R 19 Y XL
275/40 R 20 Y XL
275/45 R 20 Y XL
With targeted annual sales of i25 billion for 2010, Continental is among the leading automotive
suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of tyres, brake systems, systems and components for powertrains
and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers,
Continental contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a
competent partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs
approximately 146,000 staff in 46 countries.
Continental is the European market leader for passenger and light truck tires. More than 30 percent of all
new European cars leave the factory fitted with Continental tires. The tire divisions are an official sponsor
of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. For further details, please go to www.ContiSoccerWorld.com.
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Contact:
Alexander Lührs
Head of Public Relations
Passenger and Light Truck Tires Division
Continental AG I Rubber Group
Klaus Engelhart
Press Officer
Passenger and Light Truck Tires Division
Continental AG I Rubber Group
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
Büttnerstraße 25
30165 Hanover
Ph.: +49 (0) 511 938 2615
Fax: +49 (0) 511 938 2455
E-mail: alexander.luehrs@conti.de
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
Büttnerstraße 25
30165 Hanover
Ph.: +49 (0) 511 938 2285
Fax: +49 (0) 511 938 2455
E-mail: klaus.engelhart@conti.de
Media database at www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com