Continental has launched the first tire engineered to both
meet the needs of the “people-moving segment” while also
performing on roads throughout North and South America – the
steer and all-position HSR2 SA.
The company’s engineers have completed their product
portfolio for people-movers, as the division also boasts a
long-distance steer/all-position tire for heavier buses and
RVs (the HSL1 Coach, introduced in January of 2010) and a
steer/all-position tire for urban bus traffic, the
HSU1.
“A standard method of travel in Central and South America,
bus and rapid transit is rapidly growing in the North
American markets as public transportation systems are added
and consumers look for ways to reduce their environmental
impact,” says marketing director Clif Armstrong.
“By completing our product lineup for bus tires with the
HSR2 SA, we have introduced our first regional application
bus tire for the Americas that will help fleet managers and
even RV drivers control their tire and fuel costs,” he
reports.
The HSR2 SA accomplishes the goal of maximum fuel efficiency
on regional roads through advanced tread design and
compounding, according to Armstrong.
It was verified in July 2010 by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency SmartWay Transport Partnership as a low
rolling resistance truck tire when used in line haul steer
positions, says Roger Stansbie, the company’s director of
truck tire engineering.
“Not only will fleet operators and drivers find the HSR2 SA
to be fuel efficient, but other features we added to this
tire mean that it will perform well on regional roads in
both North and South America, where you may find wet and
muddy conditions, stones and other road hazards,” Stansbie
explains.
“We added customized tread geometry that aids in water
evacuation for good wet traction, and reduces stone
retention that can damage the tire’s casing,” he adds. “We
also balanced the pressure distribution with a five rib
tread design and added our exclusive VAI+ visual alignment
indicator system to help ensure even wear.”
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The system is a series of sipes that helps detect faulty
alignment conditions by allowing early detection of wear
differences between the shoulder ribs, Stansbie says. The
exclusive Continental feature also indicates tread wear by
changing from a plus sign to a minus at 8/32 inches of tread
wear, and then disappearing at 4/32nds.
The long mileage, reliability and fuel efficiency of the
HSR2 SA “are an unbeatable package that both bus fleet
managers and owners of larger RVs will appreciate,” says
Armstrong.
“We’re proud to have engineered this uniquely ‘American’
tire for bus and RV travel throughout our part of the
world,” he notes.
The HSR2 SA is available throughout North and South America
in sizes 275/80R22.5, 295/80R22.5 and 315/80R22.5.
For more information visit www.continental-
truck.com.
