Conti unveils General Altimax RT45 all-season touring tire

FORT MILL, S.C. — Joe Maher and the rest of the product team at Continental Tire the Americas had just one goal in mind when they embarked on designing General Tire's latest all-season touring tire.

Don't mess it up.

The Conti team believes it has accomplished that simple but sometimes difficult task with the release of the Altimax RT45, General's newest product, an all-season touring tire for passenger cars and CUVs. It replaces the successful Altimax RT43.

"We believe we have hit all the goals of not messing it up and improving it," Brian Beierwaltes, senior manager marketing, passenger and light truck tires, said.

The pattern of both tires is similar, but the symmetrical pattern of the Altimax RT45 provides more balance and stiffness, Maher said, which improves wear.

The AltiMax RT45 launches in 100 sizes — covering 73% of the market — and fits rim diameters from 14- to 20-inches. Phase 1 launches July 1, and Phase 2 commences in September with the launch of 36 more sizes, to cover 85% of the market.

It comes with a treadwear warranty of 75,000 miles on t- and h-rated tires and 65,000 on v-rated tires, with a 45-day trail period.

Maher said he and his team analyzed how its predecessor performed, talking with both dealers and consumers.

"We found in many cases in last eight to 10 years, we were chasing ourselves in the competitive world," he said. "We really have a high-level-performing, quality brand. We wanted to make sure we were stacking up well with our current product.

Maher said his team focused on improving wet handling, especially additional traction in snow. He said the tire performs exceptionally well in wet conditions, compared to others a host of competitor tires it was tested against.

"Wet performance sells the tire," Maher said, "and wear and longevity prompts a customer to buy it again."

The tire also limits road noise, Conti said, and each features a replacement tire monitor that indicates that at 2/32 inches of tread depth, the tire needs to be replaced. It also has visual indicators that show whether the vehicle is properly aligned.

Conti said the tires's retail MAP position is at or below its competitors.

Maher said the Altimax RT45 is being manufactured in several plants across the globe. It is being offered mainly in North America, with a limited number in Korea.

Manufacturing the product at several plants provides Conti with the "ability to move product from plant to plant on the turn of a dime," Maher said. "It gives us the opportunity to have a really good fill rate."

In fact, he said, Conti has been building inventory of the product for the past seven months, and it began taking orders from dealers in late May.

"We should be in a good supply position," Maher said. "And that's extremely difficult to do now, with demand outstripping supply."