Continental launches SportContact 6 ultra high performance tyre

[caption id="attachment_1614" align="alignnone" width="1024"] SportContact 6 Launch presentation[/caption]

Continental has officially launched its brand new SportContact 6 tyre. This is the company's sixth iteration of its ultra high performance tyre line-up. This is the same tyre that was also used on 306 HP Honda Civic type R when it broke the Nürburgring's Nordschleife loop's lap record for front-wheel drive cars. Honda was able to shave 4 second off the previous record held by Renault Megane 270 Trophy R.

Continental said that they have developed a unique 'Black Chili' tread compound that they believe is the magic component in the new SportContact 6 tyre. This Black Chili tread compound is said to "mesh with the roughness of the road" as "temporary atomic connections between the tyre compound and the road surface ensure high adhesion, acting like small suction pads at nanoscopic level".

The engineers also integrated force vectoring technology for optimal force transfer. Different tread elements were utilized on the inside, outside and the center of the tyre. The construction of the tyre is done in such a way that the central ribs and the inner shoulder provide maximum crosswise force transfer while the rib flanks have asymmetrical construction since the outside tyre shoulder is subjected to greater force.

The SportContact 6 tyre has speed rating of 350 km/h. Instead of steel belts, Continental constructed its own patented reinforcing material, 'Aralon 350'. It has a synthetic fibre in which two strong aramid yarns are tightly interwoven with flexible nylon yarn. This type of construction gave standard benefits of steel belt along with providing controlled and safe tyre contour at high speeds.

Initially, Continental will offer this new tyre in 41 sizes for 19 and 23-inch wheel sizes.