2006.05.30 This year’s World Cup will see matches taking place in 12 cities across  and coach travel will be the preferred mode of transport for the teams taking part.  England for example, will be journeying from their base in Baden Baden to Frankfurt,  Nuremberg and  Cologne during the group stages. As a result, Continental Truck Tyres has combined its passion for sport with its enthusiasm for innovation to develop a tyre with football-themed sidewalls to mark the event and hopefully transport  England all the way to the final in  on July 9th.

Technically based on the HSL1 steer-axle tyre, the 295/80 R 22.5 HSL1 coach tyre sports stylised football emblems and distinctive yellow Continental logos moulded into the sidewalls. The benefits of the 295/80 R 22.5 HSL1 coach tyre go much further as specially developed groove geometry ensures exceptionally low tyre noise, while its wide footprint generates a particularly uniform contact pattern.

The importance of tyres is often underestimated, but as the only connection between vehicle and road, these features will help to ensure that the world’s top football players travel in comfort and arrive safely at the different match venues. For the coach operator, there is an additional advantage – the HSL1 tyre exhibits very low rolling resistance, which translates into outstanding fuel economy.

“We received very positive feedback from the drivers of the eight team coaches that were fitted with our special edition HSL1 tyre for the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup ,” explained Irmgard Matzke, responsible for global marketing communications in the commercial vehicle tyre sector at Continental. “As a result, all 32 of the Setra S 415 GT-HD and Mercedes Travego 2 team coaches for 2006 FIFA World Cup™ will be equipped with Continental HSL1 or HSR1 tyres.”

“As true fans of both road transport and football, all of us at Continental are very excited about our involvement in the 2006 FIFA World Cup™,” commented Ralf Hoffmann, brand manager for the passenger car and light truck tyre segment at Continental in Hanover.

“Continental is one of just three German Official Partners of the event – and of these it is the sole representative of the automotive industry. This provides us with an excellent opportunity to present our company and products to a global audience, while at the same time demonstrating our passion and enthusiasm for sport.”

Continental offers comprehensive information about the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ at www.contisoccerworld.com, including detailed portraits of all 32 teams and their stars, exclusive interviews and reports, plus further news of Continental Corporation’s football-related activities.