Continental to Add More Than 650 UHP Tire Sizes by 2027 as High-Performance Demand Grows
Continental plans to add more than 650 new ultra-high-performance tire sizes by the end of 2027, after UHP tires grew to 62 percent of its Continental-brand passenger-car tire sales in 2025.
- 650+
- 62%
- 27 of 29
- 24 inches
What Happened
Continental has significantly expanded its global portfolio of ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires — those measuring 18 inches and above — over the past five years and plans to push further. By the end of 2027 the company will add more than 650 new tire sizes across all tire lines, for both original equipment on new cars and the replacement market. The expansion covers the core Continental brand as well as secondary brands such as Semperit and Uniroyal. Continental says it is responding to growing demand for high-performance tires designed for larger, heavier and more powerful vehicles and electrified drive systems, while laying the foundation for further profitable growth in the segment.
650+sizes
Across all tire lines, for original equipment on new cars and the replacement market
- 49% to 62%
- 41% to 55%
- 70% / 66% / 43%
UHP tires account for around 49 percent of Continental brand passenger-car tire sales and 41 percent of sales across all brands globally.
The Continental brand UHP share rises to around 62 percent, while the all-brand global share reaches 55 percent.
Continental announces it will add more than 650 new UHP tire sizes across all tire lines.
The more than 650 new tire sizes are to be added for original equipment and the replacement business.
“With our expanded UHP portfolio, we are responding directly to the increasing demands of modern vehicles. This enables us to offer our customers around the world even more tailored solutions for safety, efficiency and driving dynamics.”
Continental links the shift toward larger tires to vehicle-market trends: cars are becoming larger, heavier and more powerful, SUVs have grown in popularity for many years, and the batteries in electric vehicles add considerably to overall mass. Modern drive systems also generate torque once associated only with high-performance sports cars, so tires must support heavier loads while still ensuring safety, efficiency and driving comfort. UHP tires combine high grip, short braking distances and precise handling with low rolling resistance and high mileage, and Continental says the rubber compound is central to balancing those partly conflicting requirements. Development ranges from digital simulations and laboratory analyses to bench tests and driving tests under a wide variety of temperatures, loads, speeds and road conditions, with insights from the High Performance Technology Center in Korbach applied across a global production network that makes UHP tires up to 24 inches. Testing takes place at tracks including the Contidrom near Hanover plus facilities in Arvidsjaur, Sweden, and Uvalde, Texas, focusing on wet and dry braking, handling, high-speed capability, comfort and durability, while tuning partners ABT Sportsline and BRABUS and the Hoosier racing-tire subsidiary feed further development input.
- Core Continental UHP summer tire, available in sizes from 18 to 24 inches
- Developed for high-performance vehicles powered by internal combustion engines or electric motors
- Ranked among the top three in 27 of 29 international tire tests since its launch
- Reviewers highlighted its short braking distances and balanced, confidence-inspiring handling on dry and wet roads
- Fitted as original equipment on selected models by Audi, BMW, BYD, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, Porsche, Volkswagen and Zeekr
Previously from Continental
Continental has recently been expanding its original-equipment footprint in other parts of its tire business. In August 2026, Volkswagen approved the EcoContact 7 as standard equipment on the all-electric ID. Polo, with winter and all-season tires also recommended. In September 2026, Continental tires were fitted on the new Audi Q3 from the factory, with the EcoContact 6 Q as the approved summer tire.
- Continental Supplies Factory-Fitted Tires for New Audi Q3, Recommends All-Season and Winter Options
- Continental Tires Approved as Original Equipment for New Volkswagen ID. Polo
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Continental's official releases.
Why this matters
The expansion shows how heavier, larger and more powerful vehicles — from popular SUVs to battery-laden electric cars — are changing what tires automakers and drivers need. Buyers of large or electrified vehicles are the target, and Continental calls the segment a foundation for further profitable growth, with Asia-Pacific and the Americas already the strongest regions for UHP tires.
Terms in This Story
- ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires
- Tires measuring 18 inches and above, built for high grip, short braking distances and precise handling.
- original equipment
- Parts such as tires fitted to a vehicle at the factory, as opposed to the replacement market where owners buy tires later.
- rolling resistance
- The energy a tire loses as it rolls along the road, which affects a vehicle's fuel or energy efficiency.
- rubber compound
- The rubber mixture used in a tire, which largely determines its performance profile and must balance several characteristics.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.