Texas Two Step
CTNA Rolls Out New Conti UHP and All-Season HP Lines
Let’s see ®ƒ a 1.1-mile dry-handling course, a three-mile multi-surfaced oval, and 640,000 square feet of wet pad. Couple that with Porsche Boxsters and Jaguar X-Types, and that should be the recipe for fun.
But Continental Tire North America (CTNA) was at its Uvalde Proving Grounds in Texas for more than just a quick spin. It was there so dealers and the media could road test its new ultra-high performance ContiSportContact 2 and all-season ContiExtremeContact.
Uvalde is CTNA’s 5,000-acre test facility, which has on-road, off-road, and circle courses, curbing and puncture/blowout testing, and hydroplaning and wet grip facilities.
ContiSportContact 2, launched last year in Europe, is now available for the North American OE and replacement markets. According to CTNA, the tire provides optimum braking and handling performance, as well as hydroplaning resistance.
"The ContiSportContact 2 was developed for luxury and sports cars with powerful engines and sophisticated suspension systems," said Jim Mayfield, CTNA marketing director. "Owners of these cars want fun at the wheel, as well as styling that reflects their individuality. They also want safety, which means high cornering stability, and shorter braking distances on both wet and dry roads."
The Continental ContiSportContact 2 is available in 38 different sizes.
ContiExtremeContact is the tiremaker’s first all-season ultra-high performance tire in North America.
According to CTNA, the tire features a V-shaped "shark fin" tread design that finds the "optimum angle of attack" in all driving circumstances, including cornering, and delivers all-weather traction. The specialized, angled tread design grips wet surfaces, preventing hydroplaning, and provides ultra-high performance in dry conditions.
The tire’s wide footprint and silica-based high-grip tread compound provide outstanding wet and dry handling, as well as long tread life, the company said. Directional siping and advanced groove technology evacuates water efficiently, helping the tire maintain constant contact with the road. ContiExtremeContact has 29 sizes.
