Press release
Tyres for compact cars still in fashion:
Hanover, April 2011. Summer tyres for small and compact cars continue to be popular. For tyre brand Semperit this was reason enough to keep focusing on development and launch a new car tyre - the Comfort-Life 2. Last year consumers in western Europe purchased some 46 million tyres for vehicles in these two categories. For Semperit the new model is therefore an important mainstay in a highly competitive market. The Comfort-Life 2 comes in a wide range of sizes with 47 products to choose from and approvals for speeds up to 210 km/h (131 mph) - certainly sufficient for small, nippy cars like the Smart, Lupo, Fiesta and Hyundai i 20.
To ensure that the new Comfort-Life is successful on the market, the tyre developers at Semperit have improved its performance quite considerably versus its predecessor. Rolling resistance has been reduced by 6% and braking distances by up to 10%, whilst handling characteristics were further enhanced. Rolling noise, which is particularly audible for drivers of smaller, lightweight cars, was also cut by around 5%. For product manager Roman Gaebel, who wants his brand to convey an assurance of quality, these driving characteristics - which affect safety and economy - are key to the success of the new Comfort-Life 2. The 'alpine proven' trademark of these tyres, with their Austrian origins, underlines the fact that even under adverse weather conditions they offer safe driving characteristics on both wet and dry roads.
Semperit is firmly established in Austria, the land between the River Danube and the River Drava. In southern Germany, too, tyres bearing the stylised 'S' in their trademark have a steady following of fans whose purchasing decisions are regularly confirmed by the positive test results issued by the trade press. In issue 3/2009 of its magazine 'motorwelt', the German motoring organisation ADAC, for example, gave the predecessor of the new Comfort-Life 2 top marks, rating it as 'highly recommended'. The sales figures are also impressive - between 2005 and 2009, Semperit produced over 3.5 million tyres for the small car category. "We want to use the new Comfort-Life 2 to ensure continuation of our high level of market acceptance" Roman Gaebel explains, although he does anticipate a slight reduction in demand in the segment as a whole. "In Europe the overall trend is more towards larger tyres with approvals for speeds of over 210 km/h (131 mph)." He goes on to say: "Last year demand from consumers in western Europe reached around 46 million tyres for small cars; by 2015, we expect the market to stabilise at just under 40 million." Nevertheless the 'small tyre segment' remains attractive to Semperit. "Whoever makes a good offer to consumers needing 13"-15" tyres will survive well in the market over the long term" says Gaebel confidently.
There is fierce competition in the tyre market serving the small and compact car segment, with tyres being offered by European, American and Asian manufacturers ranging from 'premium' to 'very cheap'. Unknown brands have a tough time on this market and sales often rely on price rather than on the tyres' driving characteristics. However Semperit, the well-established Austrian brand, scores in terms of manufacturing quality as well as through its 'alpine proven' driving characteristics. After all, Semperit products are designed to perform safely, even in such adverse circumstances as changing weather conditions, poor stretches of road with limited visibility or situations where abrupt evasive manoeuvres are required.
Tyre range:
80 Series: 70 Series:
135/80 R 13 70 T 145/70 R13 71 T
145/80 R 13 75 T 155/70 R13 75 T
155/80 R 13 79 T 165/70 R 13 79 T
155/80 R 13 83 T XL 165/70 R 13 83 T XL
165/80 R 13 83 T 175/70 R 13 82 T
175/80 R 14 88 T 165/70 R 14 81 T
175/80 R14 88 H 165/70 R 14 85 T XL
175/70 R 14 84 T
65 Series: 175/70 R 14 88 T XL
155/65 R 13 73 T 185/70 R 14 88 T
165/65 R 13 77 T 185/70 R 14 88 H
175/65 R13 80 T 205/70 R 14 98 T XL
155/65 R 14 75 T
165/65 R 14 79 T 60 Series:
175/65 R 14 82 T 175/60 R 13 77 T
175/65 R 14 86 T XL 165/60 R 14 75 T
175/65 R 14 82 H 165/60 R 14 75 H
185/65 R 14 86 T 185/60 R 14 82 T
185/65 R 14 86 H 185/60 R 14 82 H
145/65 R 15 72 T 185/60 R 15 84 H
175/65 R 15 84 T 185/60 R 15 88 H XL
175/65 R 15 84 H
185/65 R 15 88 T 55 Series:
185/65 R 15 92 T XL 185/55 R 14 80 T
185/65 R 15 88 H 185/55 R 14 80 H
195/65 R 15 91 T 175/55 R 15 77 T
195/65 R 15 95 T XL
Semperit is a tyre brand of Continental AG. With sales of €26 billion in 2010, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, Continental contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately 150,000 people in 46 countries.
Continental is Europe's market leader for car tyres. In the Original Equipment sector, over 30% of all new European cars leave the factory on Continental tyres. The Tyre Divisions are an Official Sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup BrazilTM. For further details, visit www.ContiSoccerWorld.de.
Contact:
Alexander LührsHead of Public Relations
Car Tyre Division
Continental AG
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
Büttnerstraße 25
D-30165 Hannover, Germany
Tel.: +49 511 938 2615
Fax: +49 511 938 2455
E-mail: / Klaus Engelhart
Press Officer PLT-/Two-Wheeled Vehicles Tires
Car Tyre Division
Continental AG
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
Büttnerstraße 25
D-30165 Hannover, Germany
Tel.: +49 511 938 2285
Fax: +49 511 938 2455
E-mail:
Media database at: www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com
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