Press Release
Sporty Wet Tire Wins iF Design Award
Hanover, March 24, 2014. The wet tire manufacturer
Uniroyal has received the coveted iF Design Award for
its RainSport 3 model. The award was presented during
a ceremony held at BMW Welt in Munich at the end of
February. In its laudation, the jury highlighted the tire's
optimum aquaplaning resistance and convincing wet
grip. "The flow-optimized tread pattern with its
distinctive drainage grooves shows that a great deal of
water can be displaced," explained the specialists. Some
of the particularly good properties of this summer tire
for the compact up to the luxury class are thanks to its
shark skin technology inspired by the way in which a
shark's skin quickly drains away water.
Alongside its safety-relevant performance features, the iF
Design Award jury referred in particular to the Uniroyal tire's
design elements and use of forms: "The new RainSport 3
builds consistently on the Uniroyal brand's wet tire expertise."
The jury explained that the tire lives up to its claim to be "best
in the wet" by means of its optimum aquaplaning resistance
and convincing wet grip, and that all of its other safetyrelevant features also meet the highest standards. This
expertise is clearly visible in the tire's distinctive tread profile.
Elements of a unidirectional tread and an asymmetrical tread
have been combined to create a completely new type of
tread pattern: a flow-optimized, asymmetrical design. "In
addition to this, the tire features a surface structure that
reduces flow resistance (shark skin technology) and special
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cross-drainage channels," emphasized the design
specialists.
"Naturally, I'm delighted to receive this award," explained
Stefan Rittweger, senior designer at Continental's research
and development center in Hanover. "With this award, the
jury is acknowledging the fact that we are not only building
consistently on the Uniroyal brand's functional expertise with
wet tires, but that we have also discovered an innovative and
unique form for these tires with the new RainSport 3. The tire
not only lives up to its claim to be "best in the wet" through its
optimum aquaplaning resistance and convincing wet grip, but
this can also be seen in the product itself."
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The Belgian manufacturer of rubber goods, Englebert, had been
producing tires (for Continental AG, among others) since 1895. Following
the merger with US Rubber in 1958, the company came to be known as
Uniroyal Englebert. Uniroyal, the inventor of the wet tire, has been a
European brand of Continental AG, Hanover, since 1979.
www.uniroyal.de
Continental AG
With sales of around €33.3 billion in 2013, Continental is among the
leading tire manufacturers, automotive suppliers, and industrial partners
worldwide. As a supplier of tires, technical elastomers, brake systems,
systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation,
infotainment solutions, and vehicle electronics, Continental contributes to
enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also
an expert partner in networked automobile communication. Continental
currently employs more than 177,000 people in 46 countries.
www.continental-corporation.de
Tire division
As one of the world's leading tire manufacturers with more than 42,000
employees, the Tire division achieved sales of more than €9.6 billion in
2013. Today, the division 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.
Passenger Car and Light Truck Tires
Continental is one of Europe's leading passenger car and light truck tire
manufacturers and is the world's fourth-largest passenger car and light
truck tire manufacturer in the original equipment and replacement
business sectors. The product development focus of the Continental
premium brand is to optimize all safety-relevant characteristics while
simultaneously minimizing rolling resistance.
www.continental-reifen.de
Sponsorship
Continental's Tire division is an official sponsor of the German DFB Cup,
Major League Soccer in the U.S.A. and Canada, the 2014 FIFA World
Cup in Brazil, and UEFA EURO 2016TM in France.
www.ContiSoccerWorld.com
Media Database
www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com
Contact:
Alexander Bahlmann
Head of PR
Passenger Car and Light Truck Tires
Continental AG
Tire division
Büttnerstrasse 25, 30165 Hanover, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 511 938 2615
Fax:
+49 (0) 511 938 2455
alexander.bahlmann@conti.de
www.continental-reifen.de
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Klaus Engelhart
Press Spokesman
Passenger Car and Light Truck/Two-Wheel Tires
Germany/Austria/Switzerland
Continental AG
Tire Division
Büttnerstrasse 25, 30165 Hanover, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 511 938 2285
Fax:
+49 (0) 511 938 2455
klaus.engelhart@conti.de