Continental voted 'Best Brand' by readers of 'Auto Zeitung'

Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2010

• Continental takes first place for the third consecutive time
• 20,000 readers of 'Auto Zeitung' participate in vote
• Continental tyres gain top places in tests carried out by 'Auto Zeitung'

Hanover, 15th February 2010. For the third year running Continental has been voted 'Best Brand' in the category 'Tyres' by over 20,000 readers of the magazine 'Auto Zeitung'. The vote was held last autumn, with the results being published in the latest issue of 'Auto Zeitung' (4/2010).

The readers' positive evaluation of the premium tyre brand is also reflected in the very good test ratings awarded to Continental tyres by the experts from 'Auto Zeitung' in their regular tests of summer and winter tyres for cars. Last year, for example, in the winter tyre test, 'Auto Zeitung' gave the car tyres manufactured by the Hanover-based European market leader Continental the top rating 'highly recommended'. In the 2009 test, Continental summer tyres for cars also took first place. In the vote to determine the 'Best Brand' in the category 'Tyres', Continental was competing alongside brands from European, American and Asian manufacturers. The readers of 'Auto Zeitung' also voted for the best brands in ten other categories.

With sales of approximately i24 billion in 2008, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tyres and technical elastomers, Continental contributes towards enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately 134,000 staff at nearly 190 locations in 37 countries.

The Passenger and Light Truck Tyres division develops and manufactures passenger car and light truck tyres for compact, medium-size and luxury cars as well as tyres for 4x4s, MPVs, vans and light trucks. In 2008, the Passenger and Light Truck Tyres division sold 111 million tyres worldwide (2007: 109 million). The division produces tyres under the brand names of 'Continental', 'Uniroyal' (except in the NAFTA region, Columbia and Peru), 'Semperit', 'Barum', 'General Tire', 'Euzkadi', 'Viking', 'Gislaved', 'Mabor', 'Matador', 'SIME Tyres' and, in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, 'Dunlop'. The Passenger and Light Truck Tyres division also includes the two-wheel business (motorcycle and bicycle tyres) and retail companies with more than 2,200 speciality tyre outlets and franchises in 13 countries.