FARMINGTON, Pa. (July 14, 2016) — Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C. held its first joint launch of both a Continental- and General-brand tire for distributors and the media July 12-13 in Farmington, where the new tires were put through their paces to show off their all-terrain capabilities on off-road courses.
Earlier this year Conti revealed the TerrainContact A/T, the first-ever Continental brand all-terrain tire, and the General Grabber X3 mud terrain tire at the company's annual dealer meeting. The tires will be available for ordering in two phases.
About half of the sizes for both tires will be available in September, with niche sizes available in November for the U.S. and Canada markets, the tire maker said.
Conti will support the launches with a General consumer rebate promotion in September and a Conti consumer promotion in November.
The TerrainContact A/T represents a new category for the Conti brand in North America — an off-road tire for light trucks and SUVs. The tire targets vehicle owners who value a quiet ride and good wet traction for on-road driving but want the aggressive look of an off-road tire, the company said.
The tire features Conti's Traction Plus Technology, which provides a combination of off-road capability and on-road driving comfort.
Other features include:
- Open, high-void tread pattern with gripping surfaces;
- Large stable tread blocks for durability;
- Noise blocking elements on the shoulders for a quieter ride;
- Patented-plus silane in the tread compound for better wet traction;
- Flat contour and strong shoulder compound for longer tread life;
- Traction grooves and sipes for snow traction; and
- A 60,000-mile treadwear warranty.
The TerrainContact A/T will be available in 35 sizes, including 20 metric and 15 LT metric sizes. Nineteen of the sizes will be available with raised white lettering.
The General Grabber X3 is a mud-terrain tire designed specifically for the U.S. market, Conti officials said, offering performance capabilities on mud, dirt and rock. It replaces the Grabber red-letter sidewall tire.
The tire targets enthusiasts and off-road drivers of 4x4 trucks, Jeeps, Hummers and vehicles with lift kits.
Among the tire's features are:
- High-void tread pattern for traction with large, evacuation channels;
- Alternating shoulder scoops to break groove vacuum;
- Block chamfers for traction on loose surfaces;
- Stone bumpers to eject stones embedded in the tread blocks;
- Multi-angle gripping edges for improved traction;
- Deflection ribs to protect the upper sidewall; and
- Multi-pitch tread pattern to reduce noise.
The tire features a three-ply construction with ultra-high-strength steel belts. Conti officials said the company added light truck tire capacity at its factory in Mt. Vernon, Ill., to include building three-ply tires.
The Grabber X3, which provides for OE size swap outs, will be available in 29 sizes, including 13 flotation and 16 LT metric, with several sizes also available with red lettering.