A record 375 Continental Gold dealers were treated to three new tire introductions at the 2019 Gold Dealer Meeting in Los Cabos, Mexico. Well, four if you count the VikingContact 7, the Nordic winter tire the company previewed in Canada in early February (see “VikingContact 7: Continental’s New Flagship Winter Tire”).
Two of the new tires were branded Continental: the CrossContact LX25, which will replace the LX20 (what?!) in the replacement market, and the TerrainContact H/T. The other was the General G-Max Justice. 1. CrossContact LX25. When Continental’s Joe Maher, product manager for passenger and winter tires in the U.S., told attendees about the tire replacing the popular CrossContact LX20, he was quick to promote how the replacement-only LX25 shared the LX20’s good attributes – like the Tuned Performance Indicators -- and highlight the improvements.
Continental’s latest technology was used in the development of the LX25. Comfort Ride Technology gives the tire a smooth, comfortable ride without sacrificing responsiveness. EcoPlus+ Technology not only helps the tire stop shorter on wet surfaces, but also extends its tread life and saves on fuel. And traction grooves help the tire grip in snow.
The LX25 will be officially launched in July in 41 sizes focusing on crossover vehicles through mid-size SUVs. The T-, H- or V-rated sizes range from 16 to 22 inches. The T- and H-rated sizes are backed by a 70,000-mile limited tread wear warranty; for V-rated sizes it’s 65,000 miles. All sizes are covered through a 60-day guaranteed trial period.
The UTQG rating on the tire is 740/A/B on the T-rated sizes, and 700/A/A on the H- and V-rated sizes.
The tire will compete against the Michelin Premier LTX; the Bridgestone Ecopia H/L 432 Plus and the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus; and the Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max.
As for the CrossContact LX20, it will remain in the lineup as an original equipment tire.
2. Continental TerrainContact H/T. The tire features TractionPlus+ Technology, which the company says gives the tire “robust” durability and excellent wet performance, and gives the driver a quiet ride. It also has full-depth, interlocking sipes that provide stable handling and braking under heavy loads, and all-season grip throughout the life of the tire.
The TerrainContact H/T will be available in 34 sizes focusing on pickup trucks and full-size SUVs. They break out as follows:
* 24 metric sizes from 16 to 22 inches;
* 10 LT metric sizes, LRE, from 17 to 20 inches.
Continental backs the tire with a 70,000-mile limited tread wear warranty (60,000 miles for the LT sizes). It has UTQG ratings of 800/A/B for T-rated and under sizes, and 720/A/A for the H-rated sizes.
Direct competitors of the tire include the Michelin Defender LTX M/S; Bridgestone Dueler H/T D684 II and Dueler H/T D685; and the Goodyear Wrangler Fortitude H/T. 3. General G-Max Justice. Thanks to being one of the top bidders for the business, Continental will be supplying police departments, government entities and law enforcement agencies with the latest member of the General G-Max family for the next five years.
The successful bid with NASPO (National Association of State Procurement Officials) will go into effect April 1, 2019. NASPO represented 38 states last year, with “police pursuit” representing 50% of the overall business.
In the tire’s development process, Continental focused on extended tread life; grip and response; all-season traction; and durability. The result? The tire is CATL-1922 Pursuit and Emergency Approved.
CATL stands for Cooperative Approved Tire List. CATL-1922 approval is needed for the U.S. Government to purchase the following:
For non-military applications: new and retreaded passenger tires; pursuit and emergency high-speed tires; light truck tires; truck and bus tires; and off-road severe application tires, also known as ORSA.
For military applications: retread light, medium and heavy tactical truck and trailer tires.
The G-Max Justice will fit the Ford Police Interceptor sedan (245/55R18 103V), Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicle (245/55R18 103V), Chevy Tahoe PPV (265/60R17 108V) and the Dodge Charger Pursuit vehicle (225/60ZR18 100W). It also has sizes to fit older pursuit vehicles like the Chevy Caprice PPV (235/50R18 101W), Ford Crown Victoria (235/55R17 99W) and Chevy Impala Police vehicle (225/60R16 98V).
