The Polaris 2: Safe, economical and approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h

(Hanover, October 2004) The new Barum Polaris 2, approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h, is set to be launched this winter season. It offers good value for money: excellent performance on snow and ice and sure handling on cold, wet roads at a very reasonable price. The new Polaris 2 is available in a wide selection of sizes approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h and fitting rims through to 17 inches. The Cargo M+S, the economic van and delivery truck alternative, rounds off the Barum winter tire range.

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Der Barum Polaris 2 - approved for speeds up to 240 km/h

As all-a­round winter tire, the Barum Polaris 2 is an especially good buy. Its tread pattern, with zigzag and winding sipes, offers good adherence and cornering stability on snow-covered and icy roads. To make the tire fit for rainy weather as well, Barum´s tire development engineers assigned high priority to obtaining good water propulsion out of the contact patch. Deep circumferential tread grooves are able to quickly absorb water and channel it off to the side.

The design of the Barum Polaris 2 highlights its wet properties; engineers attained handling features with top grip on snow and ice. The Barum Polaris 2 is thus a safe winter tire at a reasonable price. With the Polaris 2 V versions, Barum is now introducing its first V-rated tire.

To guarantee the additional speed without sacrificing winter safety, the sipe tie bars in the shoulder area of the Polaris 2 were reinforced and the sipe bases in the block center enlarged. The sipe ties to the block edges were reinforced in the tread´s center blocks as well. Both measures serve to reduce material movement at high speeds and thus to ensure optimum cornering stability. What´s more, a new type of silica compound is now used that offers added handling directional stability, good winter properties and safer handling characteristics, even on wet roads. Together with an especially flat contour - which reduces heat buildup at high speeds - the Barum Polaris 2 V has become a fast, safe and inexpensive V-rated winter tire.

The Barum Cargo M+S

As a winter tire for vans and delivery trucks Barum carries the Cargo M+S. Thanks to the uniform distribution and rigidity of the tread blocks, it has proved possible to guarantee uniform wear and thus good mileage performance. Its sipes, with differently inclined edges, offer good traction and thus more reliable driving and braking performance on snow and ice, while its deep traverse grooves and wide, circumferential longitudinal grooves quickly expel water and slush and provide effective protection against aquaplaning. The Cargo M+S, which can also be supplied in certain spikeable versions, is a winter tire for vans and delivery trucks that offers good value for money.

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Size availability for the Barum Polaris 2:
80 Series:	70 Series:
135/80 R 13 T	155/70 R 13 T
145/80 R 13 T	165/70 R 13 T
155/80 R 13 T	175/70 R 13 T
	165/70 R 14 T
65 Series:	175/70 R 14 T
175/65 R 14 T
185/65 R 14 T	60 Series:
185/65 R 15 T	185/60 R 14 T
195/65 R 15 T / H	195/60 R 15 T
205/65 R 15 T	195/60 R 15 T
	205/60 R 15 T
55 Series:	205/60 R 16 H
185/55 R 14 T
185/55 R 15 T	50 Series:
195/55 R 15 T	195/50 R 15 T
205/55 R 16 T / H	205/50 R 17 H XL
205/55 R 16 V XL
215/55 R 16 H	45 Series:
225/55 R 16 H	225/45 R 17 H

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Size availabilty for the Barum Cargo M + S:
14 inch:	15 inch:
185 R 14 C 102/100 Q*	185 R 15 C 100/98 Q
195 R 14 C 106/104 Q*	195/70 R 15 C 104/102 R
	195/70 R 15 97 T RF
	225/70 R 15 C 112/100 R
	205/65 R 15 99 T RF
	205/65 R 15 C 102/100 T

*= spikeable

Barum ist a tire brand in the Continental AG family. The Continental Corporation is a leading supplier of brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers. In fiscal 2003 the company realized sales of EUR11.5 billion with a workforce of around 69,000.