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Continental’s PremiumContact 6 and ultra-high performance (UHP) SportContact 6 tyres have once again come out on top of comprehensive and independent summer tyre tests in Europe.
The PremiumContact 6 featured in a test conducted by the German, Austrian and Swiss automobile clubs – ADAC, ÖAMTC and TCS. The comparative test focused on the popular 225/40 R18 tyre size and used a VW Golf GTI as the test vehicle. A total of 16 tyre brands were evaluated, with the PremiumContact 6 sharing first place in the final results with a more expensive competitor tyre.
In their assessment of the PremiumContact 6, the clubs primarily underlined its very good performance on wet roads.
“Top marks in the wet (above all for braking and handling),” they concluded.
“This latest test once again confirms the exceptional performance of the Continental PremiumContact 6, delivering outstanding grip and all-round driving safety, particularly in wet conditions,” says Ryan Visagie, Product Communications Manager at Continental Tyre South Africa.
The PremiumContact 6 uses a safety-optimised crystal silica compound for optimal wet braking performance, along with a tread design derived from the ultra-high performance SportContact 6 tyre to provide maximum control, precise steering response and superb cornering stability. Based on the EU Tire Label, the PremiumContact 6 achieves the top “A” rating for wet grip.
With a unique footprint and wear-optimised polymer blend, it also delivers exceptional ride comfort and low noise levels, matched to low rolling resistance and high mileage. The PremiumContact 6 range spans 16 to 22-inch sizes and is designed for a wide variety of cars, including mid-range hatchbacks, executive sedans as well as road-oriented sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
SportContact 6
German magazine, ‘sport auto’ (www.sportauto.de), published their ultra-high performance (UHP) summer tyre test in their recent issue (4/2020), comparing a range of UHP, ultra-UHP and semi-slick tyres. The tested tyre size was 245/35 R19, fitted to a Mercedes-AMG A45 S.
The SportContact 6 achieved the best scores in both the UHP and the UUHP categories, with the report highlighting its outstanding performance in the wet, and very neutral driving behaviour at the grip limit. Similarly, in the dry handing test, it was praised for its high steering precision, earning a “Very Good” rating in all disciplines.
In another independent test, conducted by Germany’s ‘AutoBild Sportscars’ (issue 4/2020), the SportContact 6 secured the top step of the podium against nine competitor tyres with an “exemplary” rating, following a test of 245/35 R19 tyres on the front axle and 265/35 R19 tyres on the rear of a Mercedes-AMG C63. “A top-class sports tyre delivering precise steering, sport-dynamic handling and short braking distances in dry conditions, stable lateral guidance in the wet and good resistance to aquaplaning,” the magazine reported.
“The SportContact 6 continues to set the benchmark in the UHP segment thanks to its innovative Black Chili compound that produces exceptional acceleration, cornering and braking performance on wet and dry roads,” Visagie says. “Its unique Force Vectoring tread pattern delivers maximum control and outstanding cornering stability at the limit, while the use of the Aralon 350 reinforcing material with an adaptive hybrid cap ply provides exceptional stability at very high speeds.”
The SportContact 6 is available for rims with diameters of 19 to 23 inches, and is developed to suit sports cars and top-end performance cars.
