In The News

Continental introduces five new truck tires

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —  Continental Tire North America (CTNA) Thursday unveiled  the next generation of new truck tires during the Mid-America Trucking Show under way here.

The all-new entrants to Continental’s tire line-up include the latest technology designed to improve fuel efficiency and extend tire mileage.

“Continental is offering truck fleets outstanding new products that meet their needs; from steer tires, to drive tires, to trailer tires,” Clif Armstrong, commercial vehicle tire marketing director for Continental Tire-The Americas, said.  ”We listened to our customers and used their feedback to create tires that maximize the efficiency of their operations and offer them the lowest overall driving costs.”

HSR2

Leading the lineup of new tires is the redesigned regional steer tire, the HSR2, which replaces Continental’s best-selling HSR, introduced in 2002.

Produced in Continental’s Mt. Vernon, Ill. manufacturing plant, the HSR2 (Heavy Steer Regional) is set to maintain Continental’s industry benchmark in the regional steer application.  The updated tread compound is designed to increase mileage by 15 percent over the current HSR, Armstrong said.

Key features of the HSR2, according to Armstrong, include:

23/32” deep and improved cut and chip-resistant tread compound for optimal performance Patented groove geometry for better resistance to cracking and tearing Improved curb rib for sidewall stability Visual Alignment Indicator (VAI) alerts users to vehicle alignment problems, and Patented stone ejection system, developed for longer casing life.
HDL2 DL

Continental’s all-new HDL2 DL (Heavy Drive Long-Haul Deep Lug) over-the-highway long-haul drive tire sports a full inch of tread depth.

The design of this tire offers attractive wear and removal miles characteristics.

Key features of the HDL2 DL include:

32/32” tread depth for optimized mileage and low cost per mile Wider tread width for better wear and improved removal miles Wider casing means increased handling stability, and Patented stone ejection system, developed for longer casing life.
HTL Eco Plus

Trailer tires contribute 42 percent of the rolling resistance of all the tires on a typical long-haul truck, Armstrong said, noting that was the reason Continental engineers were intent upon making the HTL Eco Plus (Heavy Trailer Long-Haul) one of the most fuel-efficient trailer tires possible.

This new tire improves fuel economy by 10 percent while tread depth increases by 3 percent, he said.

Key features of the HTL Eco Plus include:

13/32” tread depth minimizes squirm and irregular wear Stone ejection system reduces stone retention and casing penetrations Scuff ribs protect sidewall from curbing and cutting, and Visual Alignment Indicator (VAI) alerts users to vehicle alignment problems.
HSU2

Armstrong predicted waste haulers and construction fleet owners would welcome the new HSU2 (Heavy Steer Urban) as a tire that offers maximum life through its 8 percent deeper tread and 17 percent increased tread volume, putting more “rubber on the road.”

Key features of the HSU2 include:

26/32” deep rib design to provide increased tread life and high removal miles Cut and tear resistant tread compound to provide excellent wear in both high scrub and on/off road applications Enhanced bead design enables 10,000 pound capacity at 65 mph, and Visual Alignment Indicator (VAI) alerts users to vehicle alignment  problems.
HTL1

This wide-based super single tire is designed to replace two trailer tires, Armstrong said.  The HTL1 (Heavy Trailer Long-Haul) features 13/32” tread depth that minimizes irregular wear and maximizes fuel efficiency.

Key features of the HTL1 include:

Shoulder defense groove provides protection against rapid shoulder wear Unique pyramid stone bumper/ejection system to reduce stone retention and casing penetrations, and Scuff ribs protect sidewall from curbing and cutting.
“These five new tires demonstrate Continental’s commitment to the commercial vehicle tire business,” Armstrong said.  “We now have the newest, most technologically advanced tires available in the market today for every key segment. In the next few weeks, we’ll be releasing more details on each of these great new tires.”

The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at [email protected] .