LONDON – May 31, 2011: Developed in co-operation with Europe’s leading car manufacturers, the new ContiEcoContact 5 sets new standards in terms of the environment and safety.
The challenge in tyre design is to reduce rolling resistance and wear whilst, at the same time, ensure that the tyre is still good at wet braking. Continent al’s tyre engineers had to start with a completely new approach to all four components of the tyre to achieve this. The experts looked at design, contour, compound and tread pattern.
The result is a tyre that delivers reduced CO2 emissions and lower fuel consumption while still delivering excellent braking performance. This means that the ContiEcoContact 5 has 20% better rolling resistance than its predecessor leading to a 3% reduction in fuel consumption. Engineers have also improved wear by 12% and braking on wet roads by 10%.
A specially developed compound and optimised tread grooves have lead to an improvement in grip in the wet. Continental’s tyre designers have combined this with functionalised polymer chains forming a stronger bond with the silica which gives lower rolling resistance. Extra thin sipes reduce tread deformation minimising energy loss.
A higher apex and the use of additional bead reinforcements ensure safer and more direct transmission of the lateral forces which occur when steering on wet and dry roads. The lighter sidewall construction is more flexible in its design which also contributes towards improved rolling resistance.
The engineers also found that the tyre's ground contact patch offered scope for reducing rolling resistance. The tyre developers at Continental managed to lessen movement in the belt structure by using a very flat contour and adapting the distribution of tread depths to suit this.
Not happy to stop there, the engineers also looked at the sidewall lettering on the tyre. A flatter, more smooth design now reduces the drag on the car helping to improve the aerodynamics of the overall vehicle.
The ContiEcoContact 5 is currently available in size 14-16 rim sizes. For more information and stockists, visit www.continental-tyres.co.uk/passenger.
Article Courtesy of: http://www.theautochannel.com