General Tire Launches Altimax A/S 365 All-Season Tire

Press Release

General Tire launches Altimax A/S 365 all-season tire

 All-season tire with state-of-the-art technology and high safety reserves

 Wide range of sizes for up to mid-range cars

Hanover, Germany, August 8, 2016. With the new Altimax A/S 365, General Tire is launching an all-season tire for European requirements. The U.S. tire brand, which in America has a long history of developing high-performance all-season tires, has endowed its new arrival with a good blend of safe-driving characteristics in summer and winter alike. The Altimax A/S 365 with its directional tread will be available from late summer, when General Tire will be offering 24 sizes for 14-17 inch rims and approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h.

When designing the tread, the developers opted for a combination of elements from summer and winter tires. Stable longitudinal shoulder blocks provide good transfer of grip when moving off and braking. Wide circumferential and lateral grooves make for rapid water evacuation from the contact patch when driving in the wet. For safe driving in winter, the new Altimax A/S 365 features V-shaped blocks in the center of the tread, specially designed for all-year use and with sinusoidal sipes that offer a large number of biting edges. This way, the tires can build up the necessary grip for braking, moving off and lateral guidance in typical wintry road conditions too. The regular distribution of the sipes in the tread helps the blocks retain their stiffness, leading to even wear and enabling the tire to offer high mileage. Compared to a standard European winter tire from General Tire, the new Altimax A/S 365 offers three percent less grip on snow, a two percent drop in handling properties on snow, identical safe values for aquaplaning, as well as shorter braking distances and better handling on dry roads.

The Altimax A/S 365 will be manufactured in 26 sizes in widths from 155 to 215 mm, with aspect ratios of between 50 and 70 percent, and for 14-17 inch rims. Depending on their size, these tires are approved for maximum speeds of between 190 and 240 km/h. Along with the M+S symbol – an absolute must for winter use – the Altimax A/S 365 also bears the snowflake symbol on the sidewall to document its safe winter driving characteristics. On the EU tire label, the Altimax A/S 365 scores between F and C ratings for rolling resistance and between E and C ratings for wet grip. General Tire Founded in 1915, General Tire based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, can look back on a proud heritage spanning more than a century. Since the early days, the brand has been making tires for all kinds of motor vehicles. The company was acquired by Continental in 1987. Today, operating worldwide, General Tire manufactures tires for cars, trucks and industrial applications, as well as specialty tires for 4x4 vehicles. www.generaltire.eu

Continental AG Continental develops intelligent technologies for transporting people and their goods. As a reliable partner, the international automotive supplier, tire manufacturer, and industrial partner provides sustainable, safe, comfortable, individual, and affordable solutions. In 2015, the corporation generated preliminary sales of €39.2 billion with its five divisions, Tire, Chassis & Safety, Interior, Powertrain, and ContiTech. Continental currently employs more than 212,000 people in 55 countries. www.continental-corporation.de

Tire Division The Tire Division currently has 24 production and development locations worldwide. The broad product range and continuous investments in R&D make a major contribution to cost-effective and ecologically efficient mobility. As one of the world's leading tire manufacturers with almost 49,000 employees, the Tire Division achieved sales of €10.4 billion in 2015.

Passenger and Light Truck Tires Continental is one of the leading manufacturers of passenger and light truck tires in Europe and the world's fourth largest passenger tire manufacturer in the original equipment and replacement market. The product development focus of the Continental premium brand is to optimize all safety-relevant characteristics, while simultaneously minimizing rolling resistance. www.continental-reifen.de

Contact: Alexander Bahlmann Klaus Engelhart Head of Communications and PR, Passenger and Light Press Spokesman, Passenger and Light Truck/Two- Truck Tires Wheel Tires, Germany, Austria & Switzerland Continental AG Communications and PR, Passenger and Light Truck Tire division Tires Büttnerstrasse 25, 30165 Hanover, Germany Continental AG Tel.: +49 (0) 511 938 2615 Tire division Fax: +49 (0) 511 938 2455 Büttnerstrasse 25, 30165 Hanover, Germany [email protected] Tel.: +49 (0) 511 938 2285 www.continental-reifen.de Fax: +49 (0) 511 938 2455 [email protected]