Since we were founded in 1871, Continental has worked for one ultimate goal: to bring safety to the streets without compromising driving comfort or pleasure. Early inventions included the world’s first tyre with tread pattern in 1904, to the visionary eContact electric vehicle tyre range and our technological automotive innovations – we constantly develop our expertise in mobility, transport and processing. Safety is at the heart of everything we do. Every day we have over 240,000 highly-skilled employees in 61 countries producing forward-thinking solutions and products, as well as operating and delivering at an impeccable standard.
See why Continental is the right choice for your car
Best in braking. Best in know-how.
Continental understands the streets of the world – and how to brake on them. Every day, we put all of our passion and experience into the development of our innovations. Manufactured of only the highest quality materials, we are setting standards with every new product.
How? By applying the knowledge of our innovations to every new design: Our high performance tyres give us deep insights on how to develop a safer driving experience for everyday use. Technologies used in the Conti.eContact™ will help regular cars to be more efficient in the future.
The ContiSeal™-principle made its way from the drawing board to being unstoppable on the road. Just a few examples why Continental is one of the Best in Braking.
And just one reason to it: We never stop exploring.
German engineering
Learn from the past, reach for the future.
German engineering and accuracy is legendary. As the inventors of the first tread pattern tire in the world, Continental seeks to prove this inventive spirit with every new product. Our centre of our engineering experience can be found in Hanover, Germany.
The research facility with its enormous and internationally renowned test race track, the Contidrom, bundles the expertise of over 1000 hard working scientists, engineers and designers in Europe and the US. And every new test follows one simple purpose: making driving safer. All that, of course, to the highest German standards – for over 140 years and counting. .
Tested for your safety
Before any Continental innovation goes into production, it is tested intensively. Established and all new test methods guarantee everyday suitability. Continental uses and developes more and more advanced testing measuring technology to deliver matured and optimized products.
We test for your safety – around the world.
Throughout the year, we show time and time again that there are no limits to our tire testing at our test sites in the USA, New Zealand, Sweden, Spain and, last but not least, on our in-house track near Hanover, the Contidrom – which is also a sought-after reference track for independent experts.
Each one of our winter and summer tires from all over the world is thus tested under all kinds of weather and road surface conditions. It goes without saying that this all takes place using the most modern testing methods and measuring technology.
140,000 tires alone are tested each year on a total 200 million kilometres. An international team of professional test drivers perform over 67,000 ests – and circle the world 500 times before an innovation is approved. This way, Continental ensures to deliver only the safest, most comfortable and reliable mobility solutions.
The first fully automated tire-testing system from Continental. Continental.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year: with the AIBA (Automated Indoor Braking Analyzer), Continental takes tire testing to a new level. Through a fully automated process in the Contidrom hall, an unmanned test vehicle accelerates to speeds of up to 120 km/h and then brakes on interchangeable, hydraulically powered road surfaces with standardized pads. Tests can be conducted year-round on wet and dry road surfaces and in a separate ice lane. While the tests are conducted irrespective of weather conditions, , Continental is able to offer the world’s most accurate braking testing procedure and to improve reproducibility by 70%. So you can rest assured that your tires will offer excellent braking performance regardless of the weather you’re driving in.
Automotive expertise
Looking ahead and further.
Since 1995, Continental has already developed major key technologies for safer and more comfortable driving. Now it's up to us to shape the future of the automobile.
The Continental Automotive Group is one of the world's leading automobile suppliers with over 87,000 employees in over 170 locations. They all work in an unique setup from tires to advanced safety systems with one common vision: making mobility safe, sustainable and interconnected. As cars get more intelligent, our three divisions Chassis & Safety, Powertrain and Interior work closely together to use this data for a better driving experience. From active and passive safety, data and fuel management right to the eye of the driver, Continental covers the entire process of driving a car – and maybe one day, even let it drive itself.
Original equipment
Trust in us. As experts do.
Get on the road with the highest quality.
Car manufacturers only use premium tyres that conform to the highest quality standards. We make sure Continental tyres meet all of these standards, from maximum speed to wet and dry braking, handling, comfort and noise level as well as mileage.
Our engineers perform more than 100 different tests – as well as the many initial safety tests - to ensure that an original equipment tyre (OE) suits the vehicle perfectly, whether it’s a sports car, van or electric vehicle. Only the right set of tyres ensures that the car’s performance on paper translates into performance on the road.
Safety always plays a major role in tyre development, but other attributes of the tyres have to be pushed forward, too. This involves resolving the traditional conflict of interests between rolling resistance and braking performance, as well as dealing with many other areas where two interests collide.
Nevertheless, facing these challenges every single day, we succeeded to gain OE supplier approval from international car manufacturers. A clear sign of a product’s exceptional quality, which results in becoming the leading original equipment supplier for car manufacturers around the globe. Almost one in every three new cars produced in Europe leaves the factory fitted with Continental tyres. That makes us Europe's first choice among all tyre producers.
If the leading car manufacturers trust Continental , so can you.
Independent tests
Approved around the world.
While developing our premium tires, we consider each and every safety and performance aspect. The result: top ratings for Continental tires – around the world. Continental not only claims to produce world‐class tires of highest quality standard. We can actually prove it, too: Our multi‐award-winning tires are regurlary tested by independent international magazines.
Since 2007, Continental products have received the highest recommendations in almost 80% of all tests. Furthermore, the company has been voted the top tire brand by renowned car magazines such as AutoBild and AutoZeitung and warded the best of 50 years test by auto motor sport. And our constant tire development will keep this tradition up.
These are just a few of our test results:
Auto Zeitung
The German magazine "Auto Zeitung" publishes in its issue (08/2015) a SUV Summer Tire Test for the tire size 215/65 R16 H/V. Test vehicle was a VW Tiguan.The test was conducted by Auto Zeitung on Continental's proving ground in Uvalde/Texas.
Rating for the ContiPremiumContactTM 5: "highly recommended"
About our ContiPremiumContactTM 5:
+ balanced tire
+ efficient and safe tire
ADAC
The Automotive Clubs ADAC (D) / OEAMTC (A) / TCS (CH) and the consumer organization Stiftung Warentest (D) have published the Summer Tire Test 2015 on their homepages (www.adac.de / www.oeamtc.at / www.tcs.ch / www.test.de)
- 185/60 R14 82H
- 205/55 R16 91V
The tests were carried out at the following proving grounds:
- All criteria on Wet Road, Fuel Consumption, Noise: Contidrom, Jeversen, Germany.
- All criteria on Dry Road: Bridgestone, Rome, Italy.
- Mileage 185/60 R14: Bridgestone Wear Machine, Rome, Italy.
- Mileage 205/55 R16: ADAC Wear Test around Landsberg, Bavaria, Germany.
- High Speed Test conducted by TU Darmstadt, Germany.
Rating for the ContiPremiumContactTM 5: "Good/Highly recommended" (Testwinner)
About our ContiPremiumContactTM 5 (produced in Lousado plant):
+ well balanced tire
+ very good on wet road
+ best in wet handling
+ very good also on dry road
Auto Bild allrad
In their April issue, Auto Bild Allrad (D) has published the 4x4 Summer Tire Test. The tested tire size was 215/65 R16 H/V, test vehicle a VW Tiguan.
The test was conducted by Auto Bild Allrad
- on the Contidrom, Jeversen, Germany (wet tests) and
- on Goodyear's proving ground in USA / San Angelo (all other tests).
Rating for the CrossContactTM UHP: "recommended"
About the Continental CrossContactTM UHP
+ very short stopping distances especially in the wet
+ amazing good traction on grass and mud
- average hydroplaning performance
- noise performance
- Price
Auto Zeitung
The German magazine Auto Zeitung has published in their issue 21/2014 the Winter Tire Test 2014. The tested tire size was 205/55 R16 91H, test vehicle Seat Leon 1,4 TSI ACT. The test was conducted by Auto Zeitung on the following proving grounds:
- Nokian Ivalo, Finnland (winter tests)
- Goodyear Mireval, France (wet and dry tests)
Result for the ContiWinterContactTM TS 850:"Testwinner"
About our ContiWinterContact TS 850:
+ very safe tire on snow, wet and dry
+ Snow-King "Schnee-König"
+ low fuel consumption
+ good hydroplaning and stable driving behavior in the wet
AutoBild sportscars
In it's October's issue 10/2014, AutoBild sportscars (D) has published the Winter Tire Test 2014. The tested tire size was 235/35 R19 W/V and the test vehicle BMW M 135i.
The test was conducted by AutoBild sportscars in cooperation with Pirelli at Vizzola, Italy and Alvsbyn, Sweden.
Result for the ContiWinterContactTM TS 850 P (235/35 R19 W/V): "vorBILDlich"
About our ContiWinterContactTM TS 850 P:
+ convincing winter tire with "vorbildlicher" performance on wet road
+ very good wet and dry handling, good steering response, precise side force build up
+ short braking distance of snowy and wet road
+ low rolling resistance
.
Auto motor und sport
The German magazine auto motor und sport (ams) has published in their issue 20/2014 the Winter Tire Test 2014. The tested tire size was 205/55 R16 H on a VW Golf.
The test was conducted by ams atfollowing proving grounds:
- Nokian, Ivalo/Finnland (winter tests)
- Contidrom, Jeversen/Germany (dry and wet tests).
Result for the ContiWinterContactTM TS 850:"Highly recommended"
About our Continental TS 850:
+ good snow Performance
+ best balanced tire
+ low rolling resistance
+ best on wet
- dynamic driving behavior on snow, not recommendable for cars without ESP