Broad Continental range on show at Reifen

No particular surprises awaited Tyres & Accessories at Continental’s Reifen 2012 stand. The German tyre maker presented its full consumer tyre range, including several key new products also seen at the Geneva Motor Show in February – the recently launched ContiPremiumContact 5, the ContiWinterContact TS850 and the Conti.e.Contact Winter.

The commercial vehicle segment was represented by, amongst other products, the newly-developed HDL2+ and HSL2+. These two tyres are the latest members of Continental’s second generation long-distance transport range first introduced in 2010. According to Conti, the steering HSL2+ steering axle fitment is particularly important for fleets since this axle position accounts for over 35 per cent of the replacement requirements. During development, Continental placed a focus on handling, specifically better wet braking and steering performance. “The new tread on the HSL2+ long-distance tyres perfects the handling and the overall mileage,” commented Bernd Korte, head of Commercial Vehicle Tire Development at Continental. “Four front-axle variants of the successful long-distance tyre will be launched as XL versions for front axle loads up to eight tonnes.” 

The tyre label was not a particular focus for Continental at Reifen 2012. While some manufacturers threw the spotlight on their results, the German company took a more low-key approach. As one Conti stand representative commented to Tyres & Accessories, Continental views the label positively but also thinks it important to remember only three specific qualities are tested, and thus it doesn’t give the final word on tyre performance. The manufacturer has taken a similar line in its press releases; upon announcing the rollout of its commercial vehicle label results after the show, Herbert Mensching, Continental’s managing director Marketing & Sales Truck Tires EMEA, said the label serves as an “initial reference point” that should be supplemented with advice from a specialist retailer. “A large amount of studying lies ahead for the tyre manufacturers and tyre retailers,” he commented. “Properties like mileage, handling and life are not covered by the tyre label, but are important when choosing tyres and above all when working out the lowest total costs in the fleet.”