Hannover, August 2011. With the Speed-Grip 2, Semperit is offering a new high-tech winter tire for medium- and full-size cars. In comparison to its predecessor model, the new tire is distinguished by its brake performance on snow and ice, which has improved by approximately 12 per cent.

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For over 100 years, the Semperit name has stood for reliable, high-performance winter and summer tires specially adapted to the requirements of driving on alpine roads. “Our brand of winter tires has been in existence for 75 years - and we'd like to celebrate that with our new model, the Speed-Grip 2,” says Heike Schöpper, product manager of Semperit winter tires for passenger and light truck vehicles. Thanks to a new kind of tread compound, the newly developed tire achieves very good results on both dry and snow-covered roads. “The special tread structure of the Speed-Grip 2 offers additional grip for braking and curves on typical winter roads.”

The new Speed-Grip 2 has a high number of high-grip edges, guaranteeing that the tire bites into the snow. Thanks to a new type of three-phase high-performance compound, the new tire stays flexible even at very low temperatures and loses none of its traction, thus increasing driving safety considerably. Through the variable design of the centre and the side of the tread of the tire, the developers succeeded in gaining additional grip for braking and traction.

Better brake performance on ice

With its straight sipes at right angles to the direction of travel in the centre of the tire, Semperit Speed-Grip 2 achieves very good brake performance on icy roads. The straight design of the sipes ensures that a water film on ice is quickly channeled away. It is first cut through by the sipes and then channeled away to the sides. “By virtue of its scraping edge technology, the Speed-Grip 2 provides the best possible traction on icy surfaces”, says Heike Schöpper, explaining the new tire’s high brake performance.

High safety reserves on dry roads

With the structure in the tread centre as well as special elevations between the individual blocks, the developers were able to strengthen the support between the individual tread blocks. This has improved the handling characteristics and made the steering response more exact. Even when temperatures are warmer in autumn and spring, the Speed-Grip 2 maintains its high tread stiffness thanks to its new three-phase compound.

Increased safety on wet roads

Funnel-shaped cross grooves und two circumferential grooves ensure that water is quickly taken up and channeled away from the contact patch when driving in the rain. In this way the risk of hydroplaning has been considerably reduced.

“The new Speed-Grip 2 offers buyers a winter tire that is suited to the adversities of winter weather and provides a high degree of driving safety and comfort,” Heike Schöpper sums up. Semperit is offering the new winter specialist at the same price level as its tried-and-tested predecessor. Altogether 48 sizes are to be manufactured for rims between 15 and 18 inches. The tire is approved for speeds between 190 and 240 km/h.

Range of sizes:

70/65 series:                                           60 series:

215/70 R 16 T                                         185/60 R 15 T

175/65 R 15 T                                         185/60 R 15 T XL

185/65 R 15 T                                         195/60 R 15 T / H

195/65 R15 T / H / H XL                         205/60 R 15 H

205/65 R 15 T / H                                    225/60 R 15 H

215/65 R 15 H                                         205/60 R 16 H /H XL

215/65 R 16 H                                         215/60 R 16 H XL

235/65 R 17 H XL                                   225/60 R 16 H

                                                                   235/60 R 16 H

55 series:                                                50 series:

185/55 R 15 T / H XL                             195/50 R 15 H                                                 

185/55 R 15 H XL                                   205/50 R 15 H

195/55 R 15 H                                         205/50 R 16 H

205/55 R 15 H                                         225/50 R 16 H

195/55 R 16 T / H                                   205/50 R 17 H XL/V XL

205/55 R 16 T / H                                   225/50 R 17 H XL/V XL

205/55 R 16 H XL/V XL

215/55 R 16 H /H XL

225/55 R 16 H /H XL

215/55 R 17 V XL

225/55 R 17 H/V XL

45 series:                                                40 series:

225/45 R 17 H/V XL                               225/40 R 18 V XL

235/45 R 17 H

245/45 R 17 H

Klaus Engelhart

Pressereferent

Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH

Büttnerstraße 25

D-30165 Hannover, Germany

Tel.: +49 511 938 2285

Fax: +49 511 938 2455

E-mail: klaus.engelhart@conti.de

http://www.semperit.com

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