Continental Tires Named Original Equipment for Freightliner M2 Trucks

FORT MILL, S.C., May 12, 2009 -- Continental Tire North America, Inc. and Freightliner Trucks are pleased to announce that Continental tires will now become standard original equipment on all Freightliner Business Class(R) M2 medium-duty trucks.

In addition, Continental's lineup of commercial vehicle tires will become optional on other Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) brands including Western Star trucks, Thomas Built buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation chassis and all other Freightliner vehicles, said DTNA executives. Freightliner Trucks is a division of DTNA.

The addition of Continental's truck tires to the already impressive list of original equipment on the Business Class M2 trucks completes Freightliner's commitment to quality and performance, said Melissa Clausen, Freightliner Trucks' director of product marketing.

"Continental's heavy steer tires complement our proven engineering for the Business Class M2 trucks," Clausen said. "The M2 is designed for maximum reliability and fuel efficiency, and this is what we found in Continental's product offering. With long original mileage and capabilities for on or off-road applications, Continental tires will be able to handle the demands of our M2 customers for a reliable tire that can stand up to their toughest driving conditions."

Freightliner customers will soon be able to choose from new offerings from Continental to meet their truck tire needs. Continental will be launching a redesigned regional steer tire, the HSR2, which replaces Continental's best-selling HSR, introduced in 2002. Produced in Continental's Mt. Vernon, Ill. award-winning manufacturing plant, the HSR2 (Heavy Steer Regional) is set to maintain Continental's industry benchmark in the regional steer application. At 23/32" depth, the updated tread compound is designed to increase mileage by 15 percent over the current HSR and improves cut and chip resistance for optimal performance.

Freightliner customers for waste hauling, construction and other on/off highway service applications will also soon be able to choose Continental's newest tire for urban needs, the HSU2 (Heavy Steer Urban) which replaces the HSU model. The HSU2 is also produced in Continental's Mt. Vernon, Ill. plant and offers maximum life through its 26/32" deep rib design, which is 8 percent deeper than the HSU and puts more "rubber on the road." The HSU2's enhanced bead design enables 10,000 pound capacity at 65 mph.

"Continental is pleased to have been chosen as the strategic supplier partner to Freightliner Trucks and the brands of DTNA, especially at a time when we can offer them our newest heavy steer tires," said Tom Fanning, Continental's director of original equipment sales - The Americas. "The long mileage and fuel efficiency of our truck tires, paired with our innovative technologies in alignment tracking, stone ejection and chip-resistant treads will help keep drivers of DTNA trucks on the road longer."

Available in multiple cab configurations, Freightliner's Business Class M2 medium duty trucks support a wide range of bodies and chassis-mounted equipment, making them ideal for a wide variety of applications such as towing, pickup and delivery, food and beverage distribution, emergency services, utility or garbage collection.