Last year was a very successful year for Continental as a supplier of original equipment tires to vehicle manufacturers. In Europe Conti obtained additional approvals from manufacturers across almost all vehicle categories, from sub-compact cars to luxury limousines. At the same time, new deals were concluded in Asia, not least with local Chinese manufacturers a first for Conti.
The tire maker also equips many of the new electric and hybrid vehicles that were introduced at Geneva Motor Show 2015 such as the Audi R8 e-tron (pictured), the A3 e-tron, the Mercedes V-class hybrid, and the VW Golf hybrid. Several other vehicles unveiled at the show are also equipped with Conti rubber including the new Renault Kadjar, the Superb from Skoda, the Hyundai ix 20 and Suzuki S-Cross.
But the company reiterates its strong position with European manufacturers: “We have cornered over one third of the original equipment market here,” said Karlheinz Evertz, who heads up worldwide original equipment activities for passenger and light truck tires. “But that doesn’t mean we can meet every customer requirement almost without trying. On the contrary, developing the tires for the various types of vehicle is invariably a major challenge that calls for every effort from our engineers.”
March 19, 2015
