Navistar Selects Continental Tires as Standard Equipment for Severe Service and Medium Duty

Defense News ~ FORT MILL, S.C., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) and Continental Tire North America, Inc. ("Continental") announced today that Continental truck tires are the standard fitment for all International® PayStar®, WorkStar®, and DuraStar® severe service and medium duty vehicles as of January 1, 2010.
Navistar, a market leader in the North American severe service and medium duty segments, is a natural fit with the rugged durability of Continental's on/off highway and construction truck tires, said Tom Fanning, director of original equipment sales for Continental – The Americas.
"International truck customers count on their vehicles to provide heavy duty performance and maximum uptime, even in the most demanding conditions. Now they can rely upon their Continental truck tires to work in tandem with these powerful vehicles, providing the top-level reliability and high mileage that can only come from a tire engineered to handle the toughest driving conditions," Fanning said.
Continental's expansion into the regional, on/off highway and construction segment is backed up by truck tires engineered with maximum resistance to damage, tread patterns designed for optimum traction, extra tough compounding and stone ejection systems.
"All of these factors provide excellent durability and long original mileage that complement the worksite-readiness of International brand severe service vehicles. Drivers of International PayStar, WorkStar, and DuraStar trucks will now be able to depend on Continental tires to keep them moving safely, even in unpredictable road conditions," Fanning said.
"The severe-duty cycle of International WorkStar and PayStar trucks required a tire selection that can perform under these conditions, and Continental truck tires have the intelligent engineering and durability required," said Melissa Gauger, vocational marketing manager for Navistar.
"International trucks can tackle some of the most severe conditions on earth and routinely come back for more. With our MaxxForce® big bore engines and heavy duty chassis features, we needed to select original equipment tires that were equal in capability and strength to the components of the truck itself."
"This is why Continental truck tires are the new standard for our severe service and medium duty vehicles. We have confidence that our customers will be just as satisfied with their Continental tires as they are with the power and reliability of their new International truck," Gauger said.
With the Navistar fitment, Continental is expanding its footprint into the severe service and medium duty vehicle segments to highlight its tire products that are engineered for maximum durability. Continental's complete lineup of truck tires, including tires designed for regional highway, on/off highway and construction use, can be viewed at its Web site, www.continental-truck.com.
About Navistar
Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International® brand commercial and military trucks, MaxxForce® brand diesel engines, IC Bus™ brand school and commercial buses, Monaco RV brands of recreational vehicles, and Workhorse® brand chassis for motor homes and step vans. It also is a private-label designer and manufacturer of diesel engines for the pickup truck, van and SUV markets. The company also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com/newsroom.
About Continental
With sales of approximately euro 24 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, tires and technical elastomers, Continental contributes enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently employs approximately 134,000 at nearly 190 locations in 37 countries.
Online media database: www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com
Continental Tire North America Media Site: www.ctnamedia.com