Hanover, February 2007. The new Altimax summer tire line from General Tire comprises two tire models designed for use on compact to upper midsize vehicles. Safe driving characteristics on wet and dry roads, good steering response, high mileage and attractive design are the outstanding features of the new Altimax RT and HP/UHP tires. The easily-identifiable indicators on the tires provide consumers with an early warning of irregular wear and also show when the minimum permitted tread depth has been reached. The Altimax RT was developed for compact cars with 13" to 15" diameter tires and is approved for speeds of up to 190 km/h (118 mph), while the Altimax HP is suitable for medium range cars with 14" to 16" tires and speeds of up to 240 km/h (150 mph). The Altimax UHP is approved for up to 270 km/h (169 mph); it will be available from dealers in sizes up to 18" diameter this spring and will cover sporty vehicles with powerful engines. To meet the respective demands of a range of different vehicles, the RT tread pattern will be non-directional, while the HP and UHP patterns will be directional and feature an arrow-shaped design. General Tire is optimistic about demand for these new summer tires, as experts anticipate market requirements to continue climbing by two to three per cent annually until 2010.

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The Altimax product family - safe driving characteristics, high mileage

The deep grooves in the tire shoulder and the tread centre of the Altimax mean water can be picked up efficiently and channelled away quickly from the ground contact patch, thereby preventing aquaplaning. Thanks to the silica in the tread and the additional highly-active reinforcing fillers in the compound, driving characteristics in the wet and mileage performance have been further enhanced. The extremely flat tire contour and advances in the belt design enabled the developers at General Tire to extend the service life even more. These measures mean movement in the tire belt has been considerably reduced, which has a positive effect on mileage performance. The very sturdy tread blocks result in a direct yet harmonious transmission of the forces occurring during braking and starting off. Thanks to the innovative 'Acoustic Modulation Sound Technology (AMST)' in the tread pattern design, the tread blocks enter the ground contact patch separately, thereby reducing the tire/road noises generated in this process. In conjunction with the tire design, through which road unevenness is successfully absorbed, this means the new Altimax creates a very comfortable driving feeling.

Wear and tread depth indicators

Irregular wear, normally caused by incorrect track alignment, substantially reduces tire mileage performance, which is why General Tire has fitted the Altimax product range with VAI ('Visual Alignment Indicator') technology. VAI technology uses small sipes placed opposite one another at various points on the tread to reveal uneven wear caused by incorrect wheel alignment. If the motorist notices that these sipes vary in depth, this indicates uneven wear that should be rectified by a service facility. Another indicator that is easily checked can be found on the circumferential centre rib on the HP and UHP models. The words 'Replacement Tire Monitor' change to 'Replace Tire' once the legally prescribed minimum tread depth has been reached. General Tire's two indicators give motorists easily recognisable parameters for monitoring the service life of their tires.

The Altimax RT - ideal for compact cars

The non-directional tread pattern of the General Tire Altimax RT makes it highly suitable for the requirements of compact cars and their drivers. What is particularly striking about this tire is that, compared with its predecessor, its braking distances are around 8% shorter on wet roads and 4% on dry roads. Equally attractive to drivers of compact, economical cars is the further improved mileage performance, which is 5% higher than that of the tire's proven predecessor. The Altimax RT is a safe, high-mileage tire option for cars with 13", 14" and 15" rims and is approved for speeds up to 190 km/h (118 mph).

The Altimax HP / UHP - safe on vehicles with powerful engines

In addition to short braking distances and optimum characteristics in the wet, tires for vehicles with more powerful engines also have to provide good stability at high speeds. This is why General Tire's developers have given the Altimax HP / UHP tires a directionally oriented, arrow-shaped tread pattern with a distinctively wide circumferential rib in the tread centre. This tread pattern design means water can be efficiently channelled out of the ground contact patch and ensures fast steering response even at higher speeds. The rib in the tread centre also adds straight-line stability. This design makes the Altimax HP / UHP a very safe tire for fast cars, in particular since it offers 9% shorter wet braking distances than its predecessor. A car fitted with these tires also requires 3% less braking distance on dry roads, and when it comes to mileage performance, the Altimax outperforms its predecessor by 10%.

To view the complete tire size range of the Altimax RT / HP / UHP, click here.

Optimistic market forecasts

Based on the current market forecasts available from the European Rubber Manufacturers Conference in 2005, General Tire anticipates a further 2-3% annual growth in the European market for summer tires until the year 2010, by which time it will have reached around 144 million units. Experts anticipate substantial growth primarily among tires for speeds over 210 km/h (131 mph), where sales are expected to rise by approximately 33 per cent from 78.3 million to over 102 million units over the next four years.

General Tire - producing tires since 1915

Founded in 1915, General Tire, now located in Charlotte, North Carolina, can look back on a long history of manufacturing tires for all types of motorised vehicles right from its early days.

In 1987, the company was taken over by Continental and now sells tires for cars, trucks and industrial applications, as well as special tires for 4x4 vehicles on a global scale.

The Continental Corporation is a leading automotive supplier of tires, brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers. In 2005 the corporation realised sales of EUR13.8 billion. At present it has a worldwide workforce of approximately 85,000.

The tire divisions are an Official Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008^TM, which will be held in Austria and Switzerland in June 2008, and of the UEFA European Under‑21 Championship, to be held in Holland in June 2007. For further information, visit the websites www.ContiSoccerWorld.com and www.conti-online.com.