Continental Tire North America Inc. (CTNA) put its new Continental ExtremeWinterContact winter tire through the paces earlier this week during a ride-and-drive event near Big Sky, Mont.
The tire is Continental's "best winter tire to date," according to CTNA officials. Available for the 2009/2010 winter season, the tire is manufactured in 52 sizes, ranging from 13 inches to 17 inches in diameter.
It comes with a variety of features, including, among others:
* elevated lateral grooves for improved dry handling.
* inclined longitudinal grooves for excellent traction and braking in the snow.
* a high-tech, flexible tread compound and high sipe density for better braking, even on ice.
The ExtremeWinterContact's size line-up also includes LT-metric offerings.
"Winter tires are an essential part of our strategy," says CTNA Executive Vice President Andreas Gerstenberger.
CTNA's winter tire sales in the United States and Canada increased by 46% in 2008, he adds. "We anticipate future winter tire growth."
