- Continental offers the full range for SUVs
- New WinterContact TS 850 P with SUV sizes
- Low profile tires also available for sports SUVs
For safe winter motoring in 4x4 vehicles or SUVs, drivers would be wise to refit their vehicles with winter tires specifically designed for this vehicle category. Although it is easier to pull away on slippery road surfaces with a four-wheel drive vehicle, in comparison with a standard car they carry additional weight that needs to be managed when braking and cornering on typical wintry road surfaces - and this at speeds approaching those of medium-size sedans or even sports cars. In response, Continental has created an exceptionally broad product range for the ContiCrossContact Winter that meets virtually all expectations. Nearly all SUVs and 4x4 vehicles manufactured or imported in Europe can be changed over to these safe winter tires from Continental, the market leader in winter tires. The Hanover-based company offers around 50 sizes so that both smaller SUVs such as the Audi Q3, Toyota RAV, or Lada Niva as well as large vehicles such as the Porsche Cayenne or Range Rover can be fitted with ease. For next winter, Continental will also incorporate in its product range six further sizes with diameters of between 16 and 20 inches.
New: WinterContact TS 850 P with SUV tire sizes
The new Continental WinterContact TS 850 P SUV features a higher tread pattern percentage - that is, larger tread bars - to prevent stones from becoming lodged in the tire when driving on gravel roads. At the same time, the carcass is designed to easily bear the weight of heavy SUVs and effectively transmit the high forces when braking, cornering, and accelerating. It provides secure grip on wintry roads thanks to a high number of gripping edges, and its asymmetrical tread pattern enables precise handling and short braking distances on dry asphalt as well.
ContiCrossContact Winter: 35 sizes now in production
The asymmetrical ContiCrossContact Winter has large, stiff tread bars with sinusoidal sipes on the outer side of the tire, which guarantee cornering stability, while smaller, more flexible bars with biting-edge sipes on the inner side of the tire ensure powerful grip on snow and ice. Its sipe density, depth, and angle combine to make the circumferential and lateral tread stiffness ideal for the requirements of SUVs. This has enabled developers to reconcile the conflict between good handling on dry and snow-covered roads on the one hand and uniform wear on the other.
Additional elevations in the cross grooves increase the tread's circumferential stiffness and make for shorter braking distances on dry roads. These tread design features are perfect for heavyweight SUVs, which experience high levels of wheel load fluctuation. Approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h, the ContiCrossContact Winter tire is now available in 35 different sizes for rims of up to 22 inches in diameter, in widths of between 175 and 295 mm and aspect ratios between 85% and 35%. LT (light truck) versions are also available for vehicles manufactured in the U.S.A. The ContiCrossContact Winter has received awards in tests conducted by automobile associations and the trade press.