Toyota Motor Europe bestowed its Superior Quality Award on Continental's Chassis & Safety Division on April 17, 2008. This was Toyota's way of marking its appreciation of Continental's quality performance in supplying the complete braking system for the Yaris subcompact car; the award also recognized the company's outstanding management skills during the project phase. This distinction, the highest of its kind which Toyota awards to its suppliers, was accepted by Dr. Ralf Cramer, President of the Chassis & Safety Division, during Toyota Motor Europe's annual suppliers' conference in Brussels.

A further stage in this successful collaboration

During the conference at the Brussels Expo site, to which Toyota Motor Europe had invited more than 600 suppliers, Dr. Cramer said: "This award fills me with great pride because achieving such an outstanding result for a complete braking system represents a major overall effort. Special thanks should go to all the production sites involved, Cairo Montenotte (Italy), Frankfurt, Gifhorn, Jicin (Czech Republic), Manila (Philippines), Mechelen (Belgium), Rheinböllen and Vezprém (Hungary)", added Dr. Cramer. Five categories - Project Management, Supply, Cost Management, Quality and Value - are eligible to receive Toyota's Supplier Award.

Continental has a long-standing partnership with Toyota in Europe and North America as a supplier of brake components and sub-systems. Collaboration on the Yaris project began in 2002. The current model Yaris was the first Toyota for which Continental supplied the design and integration of the entire braking system. In 2005 Continental gained the Toyota Superior Award for Project Management as a direct result of establishing a team-based working environment.

Continental produces the components for the Toyota Yaris braking system in eight plants worldwide. Two other suppliers are directly involved as well. The assemblies supplied include electronic braking systems such as ABS and ESC with brake assist, ESC sensor clusters, master brake cylinders and brake boosters as well as active wheelspeed sensors and wheel brakes for front and rear axles and brake disks and drums.