Semperit Winter Tire for Speeds up to 240 km/h

(Hanover / Essen, June 2004) Semperit is offering two winter tire models for  passenger cars. The Sport-Grip, developed specifically for powerful vehicles, provides excellent grip in the cold months of the year. This season it is also available in a V-rated winter version, approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h. With the Winter-Grip owners of compact cars now have an efficient winter tire at their disposal that takes the scare out of driving on ice and snow. Both winter car tires are also a good choice for motoring under Alpine road and weather conditions. Good test results (e.g. ADAC motorwelt 10/03) for both standard Semperit winter tires leave no doubts as to their merits. For the winter season Semperit has further expanded its range.

Here you can find all Continental press releases for Reifen/Tyres 2004 ...

German Version...

The Semperit Sport-Grip – now approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h

Developed specifically for standard-size and larger vehicles with powerful engines, the Semperit Sport-Grip delivers top traction on ice and snow to ensure safe Alpine winter driving and braking. This was made possible by "add-traction" siping. The Z siping on the tread blocks ensures plenty of the kind of gripping edges needed when starting, braking and cornering. These edges really bite in deep and thus guarantee the required traction. What´s more, Semperit´s directional winter specialist has two block bands in the tread center for excellent directional control on straight and winding stretches. The extra-wide middle groove gives the tire good protection from aquaplaning. ADAC has given the Sport-Grip a "recommended" rating (ADAC motorwelt, Volume 10/03).

In terms of load-carrying capacity, the new V-rated versions, approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h, were developed exclusively as XL tires (extended load). The new Semperit Sport-Grip V has been equipped with a special flat contour to prevent these V-rated winter tires from heating up unnecessarily - even at top speeds -. It reduces heat buildup and the deformation of the sidewalls and provides for good handling, even when the vehicle is moving at top speeds. The reduction in sipe depth in the tire´s shoulder and center areas enhances direct transmission of forces and accounts for the tire´s excellent directional stability. By using a new-generation full silica compound tire developers at Semperit were able to further strengthen the tire´s grip on snow and ice. In short, the new Sport-Grip V is an awesome performer for fast yet safe winter driving.

The Winter-Grip

Developed especially for vehicles in the compact-size category, the Winter-Grip delivers mobility and safety under all winter-time road conditions - even when the roads are snow-packed or iced over. This is a crucial advantage for compact car owners in winter traffic.

Purposefully adapted sipe thicknesses account for the Winter-Grip´s uniform edge formation. Combined with the high number of interlocking edges, this has to translate into optimum traction. A natural plasticizer system in the tread compound guarantees these properties even at extremely two temperatures. To expeditiously expel water from the contact patch, the Winter-Grip has been given ample traverse groove volume between the tread blocks. Wedge-shaped grooves push  the water from there off to the sides. With its tread blocks entering into contact with the road in staggered sequence, the Winter-Grip is also a quietly comfortable escort through the winter months. In this year´s ADAC test, the Winter-Grip garnered the rating "highly recommended" (ADAC motorwelt 10/03).

The Van-Grip from Semperit – Alpine-tested safety for delivery trucks and vans

Safety when driving through Alpine regions in the winter means, above all, optimum traction on snow and ice and reliable handling characteristics, even on wet roads. With the Van-Grip Semperit satisfies these customer demands, in addition to offering extra mileage performance for more economical winter motoring.

With its strongly siped tread blocks - with inclined block edge arrangements in the center - the Van-Grip has what it takes to really bite in, even under the most inclement conditions, and thus offer unsurpassed traction on snow and ice. In combination with end-to-end traverse lateral grooves, the three wide circumferential grooves offer enough volume to evacuate slush and water out of the footprint. It effectively wards off the danger of skidding on slush or aquaplaning.

The range of sizes:

______________________________	______________________________
Winter-Grip:
80 Series:	70 Series:
135/80 R 13 Q	145/70 R 13 T
145/80 R 13 Q	155/70 R 13 T
155/80 R 13 Q	165/70 R 13 T
165/80 R 13 T	175/70 R 13 T
175/80 R 13 T	165/70 R 14 T
	175/70 R 14 T
65 Series:	185/70 R 14 T
165/65 R 13 T	195/70 R 14 T*
175/65 R 13 T	205/70 R 15 T*
155/65 R 14 T
165/65 R 14 T	60 Series:
175/65 R 14 T New	165/60 R 14 T New
185/65 R 14 T	185/60 R 14 T
195/65 R 14 T	195/60 R 14 T
145/65 R 15 Q	175/60 R 15 T
155/65 R 15 T
55 Series:
185/55 R 14 T
175/55 R 15 Q

*= Tread type SLG M 729

______________________________	______________________________
Sport-Grip:
65 Series:	60 Series:
175/65 R 15 T	185/60 R 15 T
185/65 R 15 Q/T	195/60 R 15 T/H
195/65 R 15 T/H	205/60 R 15 T/H
195/65 R 15 T RF	225/60 R 15 H
205/65 R 15 T/H	205/60 R 16 H
	215/60 R 16 H New
55 Series:	225/60 R 16 H
185/55 R 15 T	235/60 R 16 H
185/55 R 15 H RF
195/55 R 15 H	50 Series:
205/55 R 15 H	195/50 R 15 H
205/55 R 16 T/H	205/50 R 15 H
205/55 R 16 V New	205/50 R 16 H
215/55 R 16 H	225/50 R 16 H
225/55 R 16 H	205/50 R 17 H
225/55 R 17 H
45 Series:
225/45 R 17 H
225/45 R 17 V New
235/45 R 17 H

______________________________	______________________________
Van-Grip:
14 inch:	15 inch:
185 R 14 C 102/100 Q	185 R 15 C 103/102 R*
195 R 14 C 106/104 Q	195/70 R 15 C 104/102 R
(195/75 R 14 C)*	195/70 R 15 97 T RF
195/65 R 15 T RF	215/70 R 15 C 109/107 R*
205/65 R 15 T/H	225/70 R 15 C 112/110 R
	205/65 R 15 99T RF
16 inch:
205 R 16 104 R RF**
205/80 R 16 104 S RF*
205/75 R 16 C 110/108 N**
215/75 R 16 C 113/111 N**
225/75 R 16 C 121/120 N**
195/65 R 16 C 104/102 R
195/60 R 16 C 99/97 T

*= tread pattern variant M 729

**= tread pattern variant M 529

Semperit is 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 worldwide workforce of around 69,000.