Hanover, March 2009. General Tire, the 4x4 tyre specialist, is supporting the Baja-Saxonia. This motor sports event will be held near Leipzig over the Easter weekend, and offers amateurs and semi-professionals the rare opportunity to take part in 4x4 motor sports racing. The American General Tire brand, which is known first and foremost for its powerful off-road tyres, is supporting the event for the second time so that teams from across Europe have a platform where they can measure their own performance and that of their vehicles in an off-road challenge.

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Sponsorship of 4x4 motor sports events is a well-established tradition at General Tire. "We have sponsored the Baja California, possibly the most historic 4x4 long-distance race apart from the Dakar Rally, for many years" explains Matthias Harlfinger, who is responsible for General Tire's sales activities in Germany. "We naturally also hope that the Baja-Saxonia will generate even greater attention for our products, which have been fitted to some of the team vehicles and will be delivering good grip in the fast sections as well as on the trail stages."

The Baja-Saxonia will be held in an open-cast mining area near Leipzig from 10th to 12th April 2009. Depending on the weather, some sections of the 400 km long route will be laid out like a trail, but most can be driven like rallies. So far over 200 participants have registered from nine countries. Motorcycles with and without sidecars, buggies, quad bikes, all-wheel-drive cars and 4x4 trucks will be taking to the track. In addition to the racing, the organisers will be providing a lively supporting programme in the heated marquee. A viewing platform has been set up to enable spectators to see what is happening across the entire course.

General Tire - producing tyres since 1915

Founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio, USA, General Tire can look back on a long history, with tyres for all types of motor vehicle being produced right from the firm's very early days.

In 1987 the company was taken over by Continental. General Tire now sells tyres for cars, trucks and industrial applications, plus dedicated tyres for 4x4 vehicles, worldwide.

With sales exceeding 24 billion in 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of tyres, brake systems, systems and components for the powertrain 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. The corporation employs nearly 140,000 staff at approximately 190 locations in 35 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 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa^TM. For further details, visit www.ContiSoccerWorld.com.