Presseinformation
New tyre for all-wheel-drive vehicles now available:
Launch of the Barum Bravuris 4x4
Hanover, March 2009. With the addition of the Bravuris 4x4, Barum has now rounded off its product portfolio. This new tyre for all-wheel-drive vehicles and SUVs has been designed in such a way that it builds up good road grip for lateral guidance and braking when used on the road and provides sufficient grip for driving in light off-road terrain. The balanced ground pressure distribution of the very flat tyre contour means low wear and thus high mileage performance - making the new Bravuris 4x4 an attractive tyre for a wide range of all-wheel-drive vehicles. The new Bravuris 4x4 is now available in 19 different sizes from 80 to 55 Series tyres, suitable for 15" to 19" rim diameters; tyre width is up to 265 millimetres. The range also includes a light van tyre and one line in an inch size for American SUVs.
The tyre developers at Barum have traditionally placed great value on economically-priced tyre lines that meet high safety standards, so the design of the brand's first 4x4 tyre offers convincing driving safety at an attractive purchase price. "To achieve this, we have given the new tyre large, sturdy shoulder lugs, which provide high stiffness during braking" commented Primus Kolmanz, 4x4 tyre engineer at Barum. "At the same time, the tyre compound was developed to ensure safe grip on wet roads."
The sturdy design of the three ribs in the tread centre means the that tyre responds swiftly and safely to steering movements, enabling steering commands to be implemented effectively, even in critical situations. The Bravuris 4x4 also achieves good results in wet grip and water dispersion: "The four wide grooves mean large quantities of water can be collected and then quickly channelled out of the tread on to the road via the grooves in the open tyre sidewall" Kolmanz went on to explain. "So the Bravuris 4x4 offers a high level of safety on wet roads, both when driving on the straight and when cornering."
The developers also scored a success with the rolling noise on the new Bravuris 4x4 - the varying number of tread lugs in the tyre centre and shoulder section, plus the use of sipes to subdivide the tread, mean that rolling noises are spread across different frequency ranges, keeping the overall noise level low.
As with any other summer tyre, Barum recommends driving the new 4x4 tyre until a tread depth of 3 millimetres is reached. To ensure that drivers are aware of this wear level, the new tyre has not only the normal TWI (Tread Wear Indicator - small bars 1.6mm high between the tread lugs), but also a Summer TWI. This also consists of bars between the tread lugs, but they are 3mm in height. If the remaining tread depth is any less, the braking distance on wet roads increases substantially and with it the risk of aquaplaning.
The new Barum 4x4 tyre is suitable for use on a wide variety of vehicles, including popular models like the Hyundai Tucson, Land Rover Defender, Mercedes M-Class and Porsche Cayenne.
Size range:
80 / 75 Series: 70 Series:
205/80 R 16 104 T XL 205/70 R 15 96 T
235/75 R 15 109 T XL 265/70 R 15 112 H
245/75 R 15 C 109/107 T 215/70 R 16 100 H
185/75 R 16 92 T 225/70 R 16 102 H
225/75 R 16 104 T 235/70 R 16 106 H
245/70 R 16 107 H 265/70 R 16 112 H
65 Series: 60 Series:
215/65 R 16 98 H 235/60 R 16 100 H
255/65 R 16 109 H
235/65 R 17 108 V XL Inch size:
235/60 R 18 107 V XL 31 x 10.50 R 15 LT 109 S
55 Series:
255/55 R 18 109 V XL
Barum is a tyre brand of Continental AG. With sales exceeding i24 billion in 2008, the Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of tyres, brake systems, systems and components for the powertrain and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers, the corporation contributes towards enhanced driving safety and protection of the global climate. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. The corporation employs nearly 140,000 staff at approximately 190 locations in 35 countries.
Continental is Europe's market leader with PLT-tires. In the Original Equipment sector, over 30% of all new European cars leave the factory on Continental tyres. The Tyre Divisions are an Official Sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South AfricaTM. For further details, visit www.ContiSoccerWorld.de.
Alexander Lührs Klaus Engelhart
Head of Public Relations Car Tyres Press Officer
Continental AG Continental AG
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Germany Germany
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