CTNA Pursuing North American Winter Tire Market with Focused Lineup

From Feb. 6-7, CTNA invited a group of journalists to Mont Tremblant in Quebec to learn about and experience the tires.

“Continental is in a strong position to grow its winter tire business,” said Andreas Gerstenberger, CTNA’s vice president of sales and marketing. “We will utilize our brand strength, winter tire technology and OE presence to gain marketshare in the U.S. and Canadian winter tire markets.”

CTNA’s newest winter tire, the ContiCrossContact Winter, is designed specifically for light trucks, SUVs and crossover vehicles, CTNA said. Ten H-rated-and-above sizes are available. The tire features the “latest generation” silica compound and siping technology to deliver traction and performance, said CTNA.

The ContiWinterContact TS790 comes in 50 sizes, with H-speed ratings and above. The TS790 offers shorter braking distances and increased traction due to its asymmetric tread and wide sipes on the inner shoulder, according to CTNA. Its silica tread compound uses “Cross Link Sipe” technology to enhance grip on snow and ice.

The ContiWinterContact TS810 comes in 24 sizes, H-rated and above and features “Innovative Component Technology,” which allows for handling in the wet without compromising snow performance, CTNA said. The tire’s sipe spacers prevent sipes from closing during surface contact, according to the tiremaker.

If you’re a shop looking to sell summer tires, it’s important to know that customers looking for these tires have very specific needs. Let’s talk about why, before recommending summer tires, you need to fully understand customer performance requirements.

Unlike all-season or all-terrain tires built for diverse driving conditions, UHP summer tires are designed with one priority: dry and wet traction for performance driving. Lateral and longitudinal grip in dry and wet conditions are also important, which is achieved through optimized contact patches, high silica tread compounds and circumferential grooves to channel water. Generally, UHP summer tire tread design features large blocks and fewer grooves for more road contact on dry surfaces. The grooves are designed to channel water away from the tire, reducing the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.