Hanover/Essen, May 2008. Semperit's dedicated cold-weather tyre offers superior winter suitability combined with a good price/performance ratio. With its all-new Master-Grip and the Speed-Grip introduced only last winter, the long-established Austrian tyre brand offers a completely fresh product range.

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NEW - the Semperit Master-Grip, giving compact cars top performance in winter

This coming autumn Semperit's Master-Grip will follow in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the Winter-Grip. Compared with this previous model, the new tyre benefits from substantial improvements in virtually all disciplines. These include, for example, an innovative tread compound containing special anti-frost polymers for permanent tread pattern flexibility at exceptionally low temperatures. Explaining the crucial benefit for motorists, Heike Schöpper, Product Manager for Semperit's winter tyres for cars, commented: "This means the Master-Grip provides continuously high grip in snow and ice throughout its entire service life."

Like the Speed-Grip, which Semperit has in its portfolio for luxury vehicles, the Master-Grip also features the well-proven network sipe technology used to substantially reduce braking distances on icy roads. Thanks to an increased number of lateral grooves in the shoulder section, which disperse water quickly outwards from the ground contact patch, this tyre boasts a 5% improvement in aquaplaning safety versus its predecessor.

Right from the start, the Master-Grip will be available in 31 sizes from 13" to 15". As a result, it will cover almost 99% of European market requirements in this segment. The new winter tyre is approved for speeds of up to 190 km/h (118 mph) and sizes range from 135/80 R 13 T to 175/55 R 15 T.

The Semperit Speed-Grip - performance in snow and ice for upper medium range and luxury vehicles

The Speed-Grip was launched last winter. All aspects of this tyre's performance have undergone improvements versus the previous model, particularly in terms of aquaplaning, braking in the wet, lateral guidance in snow and also traction in snow. Network sipes are the outstanding product feature on this tyre. "These provide high longitudinal and lateral flexibility, as well as ensuring good dispersion of the liquid layer created by braking friction" said Heike Schöpper, Product Manager for Semperit's winter tyres for cars, outlining the technical background to the tyre's outstanding traction in snow and reduced braking distance on icy roads.

"To achieve efficient water dispersion, the Speed-Grip was also given a large number of lateral grooves in the shoulder section."

In addition, the developers made the tread blocks in the shoulder more stable, ensuring that the tyre offers good handling characteristics on dry roads too. To achieve this the network sipes in the shoulder section are surrounded by a supporting wall. The specialists at the magazine 'Auto Zeitung' (issue 20/2006) tested this winter ace in the size 205/55 R 16 H and their expert opinion was 'highly recommended'.

The Speed-Grip is available in 47 sizes for 15" to 18" rims. Semperit's dedicated winter tyre is approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h (150 mph), depending on the model. Sizes range from 175/65 R 15 T to 225/40 R 18 V.

Semperit is a tyre brand of Continental AG. With targeted annual sales of more than i26.4 billion in 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the world's leading automotive suppliers. As a supplier of tyres, brake systems, systems and components for the power train and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers, the corporation contributes towards enhanced driving safety and protection of the global climate. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Today, the corporation employs approximately 150,000 people at nearly 200 locations in 36 countries.

The tyre divisions are an Official Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008^TM, which will be held in Austria and Switzerland in June 2008. For further details, visit the websites www.ContiSoccerWorld.com, www.ContiFanWorld.com and www.conti-online.com.