Continental Unveils ContiEcoContact 5 Tire

Developed with Europe’s leading car manufacturers, the new ContiEcoContact 5 looks to set new standards in terms of the environment and safety. A specially developed compound and optimized tread grooves have lead to an improvement in grip in the wet. Continental’s tire designers have combined this with functionalized polymer chains forming a stronger bond with the silica which gives lower rolling resistance - exactly what is needed for improved economy. Extra thin sides reduce tread deformation minimizing energy loss.

The challenge in tire design is to reduce rolling resistance and wear while ensuring that it is still good at wet braking. Continental’s engineers had to start with a completely new approach to all four components of the tire to achieve this. The experts looked at design, contour, compound and tread pattern.

The result is a tire that delivers reduced CO2 emissions and lower fuel consumption while still delivering excellent braking performance. This means that the ContiEcoContact 5 has 20% better rolling resistance than its predecessor leading to a 3% reduction in fuel consumption. Engineers have also improved wear by 12% and braking on wet roads by 10%.

The engineers also found that the ContiEcoContact’s ground contact patch offered scope for reducing rolling resistance. They managed to lessen movement in the belt structure by using a very flat contour and adapting the distribution of tread depths to suit this.

Not happy to settle for just that, the engineers also looked at the sidewall lettering on the tire. A flatter, more smooth design now reduces the drag on the car helping to improve the aerodynamics of the overall vehicle.

The ContiEcoContact 5 is currently available in 14-16 rim sizes. For more information and stockists, visit www.continental-tyres.co.uk/passenger.