• Barum Polaris 2 - safe, economical all-round winter tyre
• New - SnoVanis winter tyre for light vans and MPVs

(Hanover, September 2005) The Barum Polaris 2 combines good driving performance in snow and ice, plus safe characteristics on cold, wet road surfaces, with an attractive price-/performance ratio. This all-round winter tyre is approved for speeds of up to 240 km/h (150 mph) and is available from specialist tyre dealers in a wide range for rims up to 17", including twenty-one sizes which have been added for winter 2005.

A new addition in the Barum range is the SnoVanis, a safe, high-performance winter tyre designed for MPVs and light vans. This tyre will be available at the start of the winter season in ten different sizes between 14" and 16", approved for speeds up to 190 km/h (118 mph).

Here you can download the press release as a doc-file (403 KB).

The Barum Polaris 2 - approved for speeds up to 240 km/h (150 mph)

The Barum Polaris 2 is an exceptionally economical, all-round winter tyre - the tread pattern features stepped and wave-shaped sipes which provide good grip and lateral guidance on snow-covered or icy roads. The deep, circumferential tread grooves pick up water swiftly and channel it out to the sides. This makes the Barum Polaris 2 a safe winter tyre at an attractive price. With its Polaris 2 V, the Barum range now includes winter tyres approved for speeds up to 240 km/h (150 mph). What distinguishes the V-version winter tyre is its reinforced sipe tie bars in the shoulder lugs and larger raised sections of the sipes in the lug centre of the standard version. Both features are designed to reduce material movement at high speed and ensure good stability during cornering. In addition, the silica compound used provides greater driving stability, positive winter characteristics and safe driving performance, even in the wet. All in all, these features make the Barum Polaris 2 V a fast, safe and attractively-priced tyre for winter use.

The new SnoVanis

Safe driving characteristics on roads in winter coupled with high mileage performance - these are the main characteristics of the new, attractively-priced SnoVanis. Compared with its predecessor, this tyre has a greater number of sipes to improve traction in snow and ice, whilst the wide continuous grooves plus lateral extensions swiftly disperse slush and water. The low noise level achieved by the computer-optimised tread lug arrangement means a comfortable driving performance. High tread stiffness ensures optimum driving stability, particularly when traction is pushed to the limit, for example, on snow-covered roads. High mileage is assured by the offset central tread ribs and the flat contour for low tyre wear. Barum's new SnoVanis will replace the well-established Cargo M+S OR 59 in the coming winter season.

______________________________	______________________________
Size range Barum Polaris 2:
80 Series:	70 Series:
135/80 R 13 T	145/70 R 13 T  Neu
145/80 R 13 T	155/70 R 13 T
155/80 R 13 T	165/70 R 13 Q RF*, T
165/80 R 13 T  Neu	175/70 R 13 T
165/80 R 14 T  Neu	165/70 R 14 T
175/80 R 14 T  Neu	175/70 R 14 T
	185/70 R 14 T  Neu
65 Series:
155/65 R 13 T  Neu	60 Series:
175/65 R 13 T  Neu	185/60 R 14 T
165/65 R 14 T  Neu	185/60 R 15 T
175/65 R 14 T	195/60 R 15 T, H  Neu
185/65 R 14 T	205/60 R 15 T, H  Neu
195/65 R 14 T*	205/60 R 16 H
185/65 R 15 T	215/60 R 16 H XL  Neu
195/65 R 15 T, T XL, H  Neu	225/60 R 16 H XL  Neu
205/65 R 15 T, H  Neu
215/65 R 15 H  Neu	50 Series:
215/65 R 16 H  Neu	195/50 R 15 T FR, H FR  Neu
	205/50 R 16 H  Neu
55 Series:	205/50 R 17 H XL
185/55 R 14 T FR
185/55 R 15 T	45 Series:
195/55 R 15 H	225/45 R 17 H FR
205/55 R 16 T FR, H FR, V XL	225/45 R 17 V XL FR  Neu
215/55 R 16 H FR, H XL  Neu
225/55 R 16 H FR
225/55 R 17 V XL Neu

*= OR 60 Polaris tread pattern

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Size range Barum SnoVanis:
14":	15":
185 R 14 C 102 / 100 Q	185 R 15 C 100 / 98 Q *)
195 R 14 C 106 / 104 Q	195/70 R 15 C 104 / 102 R
165/70 R 14 C 89 / 87 R *)	195/70 R 15 97 T RF
	225/70 R 15 C 112 / 100 R
16":	205/65 R 15 99 T RF
205/75 R 16 C 110 / 108 R*)	205/65 R 15 C 102 / 100 T

*= OR 59 tread pattern

Barum is a tyre brand of Continental AG.

The Continental Corporation is a leading supplier of tyres, brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers. In 2004 the corporation realised sales of EUR12.6 billion. At present it has a worldwide workforce of more than 81,000.

The tyre business unit is an Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. For further information visit the websites www.conti-online.com and www.ContiSoccerWorld.com