The new SportContact 7 from Continental was launched in South Africa. It is the German manufacturer’s latest performance tyre developed for sporty vehicles.
Designed for safe handling on both wet and dry roads, Continental’s SportContact 7 features three new technical tyre details:
- Adaptive tread design that adapts to dry and wet roads
- Size-specific tread design offering maximum driving pleasure for every vehicle
- Continental’s BlackChili rubber compound which is precisely matched to the adhesion of the asymmetrical tread for maximum grip
“With the new-generation SportContact 7 we have a tyre designed to deliver safe and predictable handling in wet and dry conditions, while meeting the needs of performance car drivers, whether using their sporty vehicles on the road or at a track,” says Martin Buday, MD of Continental Tyre South Africa.
Sport Contact 7 tyres
At the launch journalists had the opportunity to test out the difference that a more expensive tyre, in this case the SportContact 7, makes in these conditions in comparison to what would be considered a more ‘budget’ tyre.
This was shown in various scenarios. The first was to take the corner at a speed on the track at Zwartkops Raceway while it was wet. The difference between the two, can only be described using a cliché, it was ‘night-and-day.’
While in the car with the budget tyres as you go around the corner, you start to spin out quite easily and regaining control is not impossible but fairly difficult. I also say this from the perspective of individuals who are accustomed to handling such maneuverers on track. Now imagine a driver who is not accustomed to this and who does not adjust their speed adequately enough in wet weather. The consequences will likely be disastrous.
Conversely, in the AMG fitted with the SportContact 7, the spin out was much less violent and regaining control was
SportContact 7 tyres
much easier. There were no dramatic squeals of tyres or (un)expected loss of control. Vastly different from the whiplash-inducing experience with the budget tyres.
Two vehicles were also fitted with the budget tyres on the one and the SportContact 7 on the other and taken on an auto-gymkhana-like course on the skidpan. While the budget tyres provided a slightly more thrill-inducing drive because you have less control, the SportContact 7s provided a more precise, responsive and ultimately effective go around the course. In fact, almost every driver bettered their time in the car with these tyres by an average of four seconds.
So, why is there such a massive difference? Some of the reasons for this have already been mentioned but Continental provides some more detail and context about how the tyres have been perfectly engineered for safety, control and enjoyment.
The SportContact 7 is the new generation of Continental’s tried-and-tested, popular sporty tyre. Since its launch six years ago, the SportContact 6 too first place in a wide range of independent magazine tests. This includes ultra-high performance (UUHP) tyre tests conducted by German publications sport auto and AutoBild sportscars – and received the highest recommendations.
The new tyre sees Continental redefine the standards of performance. The tyres generate high levels of trust in the handling characteristics of its new flagship tyre. “The focus of our development for the SportContact 7 was on having the best sporty tyre on the market for every vehicle class. This meant improving all performance criteria to combine maximum driving pleasure with maximum safety, along with sustainability in the field of ultra-high-performance tyres,” Buday says. The SportContact 7 delivers in all of these areas, with significantly improved handling on dry and wet roads or racetracks, matched to an extended service life compared to its predecessor.
“With the new SportContact 7 we have a product that meets the latest market trends, as cars have become around
10% heavier, while engine performance increased by almost 30%. At the same time, the CO2 emissions of cars were reduced by approximately 30%,” Buday says.
“Since all articles in the new SportContact 7 range have an increased load capacity in accordance with the XL standard, we can easily fit heavier and more powerful cars whilst also supporting the trend towards greater sustainability,” he explains. “With its fuel efficiency classified as class ‘C’ on the EU tyre label, the SportContact 7 offers one of the lowest values in the UUHP segment. That makes it a safe and appropriate choice for all sporty vehicles, whether conventional or electrically powered.”
Adaptive tread design
With an asymmetrical, adaptive tread design, the new SportContact 7 adapts to dry and wet roads, ensuring precise handling and cornering stability, along with exceptional control, safety and driving confidence, even at high speeds.
While driving on wet roads, the tyre’s footprint ends at the point of the highest water removal in the tread, to offer outstanding grip when braking, accelerating and cornering. When cornering on dry roads, the footprint shifts to the outer shoulder, which is designed to transmit the highest forces for stable handling. New ‘locking elements’ in the outer shoulder ensure further stability, only enabling limited movement of the tread for high ride stability.
Tailor-made for every vehicle class
Conventional sports tyres react differently to different vehicle models, determined by the weight, size and engine of
the car in question. Accordingly, the specifications of the SportContact 7 adapt to each vehicle class. “Our new SportContact 7 is the first product in the high-performance tyre segment that is tailor-made for every type of vehicle, from sporty compact cars and high-performance sedans to sports cars, supercars and highly-tuned cars,” Buday explains.
Continental developed new technologies suitable for driving on the road and on the track. These are used depending on the tyre size which ensures that the typical driving feel of the SportContact family is retained, irrespective of vehicle. This includes a design tailored to different vehicle classes. “With the SportContact 7 range we can adapt the stability of the sidewall and the grip under different loads. We can also adapt the high-speed capability, handling and design of the tyre carcass to suit every vehicle class,” Buday says.
BlackChili rubber compound
The third technological building block of the new SportContact 7 is the BlackChili rubber compound, which is precisely adapted to the very rigid, low-profiled tyre design. Tyre engineers and chemists at Continental balanced out various conflicting objectives to achieve excellent handling characteristics, while also significantly increasing mileage. An innovative mixing compound technology was developed which, together with the tread design, enables significant progress in handling characteristics.
Continental’s internal tests provided impressive values when comparing the SportContact 7 and its popular predecessor, the SportContact 6. Service life is extended by 17%, mileage on the racetrack increases by 10%, wet braking distances are reduced by 8% and the new SportContact 7 is 6% better in dry braking too. Handling and grip in both wet and dry conditions also benefitted from the latest advancements (tests conducted with tyre size 245/30 R 20).
Range
The new Continental SportContact 7 is available in 47 sizes, ranging from 18 to 23-inch diameters.
It was developed for passenger cars with sporty attributes as well as supercars, and has already been selected for original equipment (OE) fitment by Maserati on its Levante and Quattroporte models. The variety of vehicles is wide-ranging, including the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio as well as the RS series from Audi, and the sporty M series from BMW. Compact cars include the Mini Cooper S, Volkswagen Golf R and Renault Megane RS. Suitable sizes are also available for various vehicles from Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, Lamborghini and McLaren.
The Continental SportContact range is the choice of leading international tuners such as AC Schnitzer, Abt, Brabus, Klasen, Lorinser, Techart and 9ff, and suitable dimensions of the SportContact 7 are planned for the top echelon of tuned cars such as the Brabus S 65 Rocket 900 Coupé.
