Six years after the introduction of the ExtremeContact Sport tire, and after three years in development, Continental is now introducing its successor: the ExtremeContact Sport 02. The summer ultra-high performance (UHP) tire aims to bring a balanced rubber formula catering to drivers both on and off the track. Of course, the new summer tire joins a competitive segment with the likes of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, Pirelli P Zero and Bridgestone Potenza Sport. Most of these tires can be currently found on high-performance BMW cars as well. The new Continental ExtremeContact Sport02 is also now the preferred tire of the BMW Performance Driving School and the AMG Driving Academy.
Photo by Continental
Featuring the SportPlus™ Technology and Tuned Performance Indicators, the new Sport02 tire aims to deliver better grip on wet roads, more direct handling and better tread life. Like with all performance tires, achieving a great balance between dry and wet capabilities is easier said than done. Tire engineers are constantly aiming to optimize the tire’s wet braking for normal daily driving while also improving the dry handling performance. In order to test the new tire’s properties, we headed west to the BMW Performance Driving School in Palm Springs where Continental setup a day filled with track and wet skid pad activities.
Photo by Continental
Of course, BMW M and M-lite cars were on-site, all fitted with different fitments of the new ExtremeContact Sport02. Among them, the usual suspects: BMW M3 and M4, M240i and even MINI Cooper models. The end goal? Testing the new tire’s traction and handling in different driving scenarios: from fast laps on a full track, to a timed autocross and drifting on the skidpad.
Photo by Continental
Ahead of the event, Bjoern Glaeser, Continental product manager, gave an overview of the new ExtremeContact Sport02 UHP tire. According to Glaeser, the new tire sits between the ExtremeContact Fore and the DWS06 Plus tires, a competition tire and an all-season one. Furthermore, Glaeser sees the new Sport02 as the perfect tire for enthusiast drivers who often track their own cars.
Speaking of track days, Glaeser also says…
