Continental has released the full details of its new super-tyre that is rated at speeds up to 225mph – higher than any other road tyre. The £300 ContiSport-Contact 2 Vmax goes on sale this summer, and is designed for the new breed of mega-fast Mercs, BMWs and Porsches.
To run at such high speeds, the new rubber has extra tread grooves to dissipate the heat generated by high-speed runs, and the tread depth is reduced from 8mm to 6.3mm. As well as avoiding heat build-up, this also generates more grip.
Continental’s new tyre has even forced a rethink on the international speed symbol rating system. The ZR rating, the category previously reserved for ‘over 150mph’, has now been formally approved for up to 225mph, according to the manufacturer.
The Vmax comes in 245/35 and 275/30 ZR19 sizes for Mercedes and BMW cars, and 235/35 and 315/25 ZR19 for Porsches.
However, a new tyre will be needed to cope with next year’s Bugatti Veyron supercar, which should reach 252mph.
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