For over 150 years Continental Tyres has been a leader in creating world-class tyre innovations using advanced technologies. Today they have unveiled the all-new MaxContact MC7, the sporty, high-performance tyre designed for enjoyment in both daily use and on weekend adventures, fulfilling the needs of Australian performance-oriented drivers.
The German-engineered MaxContact MC7 tyre has been developed specifically for the Asia Pacific region with a focus on wet braking performance and reduced tyre noise. The MC7 is a one for one replacement for Continental’s MC6 product and is the culmination of around three years of development.
The result is a sporty tyre that takes everyday driving to the next level with maximum control and dynamic steering precision, even shorter braking distances in wet and dry conditions, and low noise. This has been achieved through development of both the physical design characteristics of the tyre and tyre compound.
“Developed and tested by a team of industry-leading engineers and material experts through more than 8,000 hours in R&D, we engineered a stand-out, high-performance tyre that meets the unique needs of Australian drivers,” said Mitchell Golledge, Managing Director, Continental Tyres Australia at the launch event this week.
For the MC7 this improved performance has been delivered through what Continental calls ‘Sporty C.T.R.L.’ Where C stands for Cornering Macro-blocks, which maximise the tyre’s contact area with the road to create a wider footprint, thus redistributing force for a more controlled and stable drive experience.
T stands for Two-in-One Noise Breaker 3.0, which breaks up sound waves, preventing noise from building up and traveling into the cabin, resulting in a quieter drive, and at the same time improves wet braking performance. A reduction in tyre noise is particularly important for EV drivers, and the MC7 is suitable for EVs, as are all Generation 7 Continental Tyre products.
R is for the ReFlex Compound that enhances the transfer of kinetic energy to heat when braking, leading to shorter braking distances on both dry and wet roads thanks to the silica technology within compound. The ReFlex Compound also creates a higher resistance to tyre deformation and leads to improved steering response and accuracy.
L is for Laser Cut 3D sipes, which are the grooves that are cut into the tyre and on the MC7 there are three different types, Star and Lightning Sipes and Aquasipes. The 3D Laser-cut Sipes improve grip and braking in wet and rainy conditions, reducing the risk of aquaplaning by quickly expelling water that flows through the tyre grooves.
“The MaxContact MC7 is the most recent addition to the Continental Tyres line-up of products which represent the latest generation of our tyre technologies. These products reflect our continued investment into new, best-in-class offerings resulting in remarkable driving experiences,” added Golledge.
Driven Women Magazine had a sneak peak into the technology behind the new MC7 tyres and got to experience their impressive braking performance and wet handling capabilities first hand at a pre-launch event held earlier this week. Under controlled conditions we drove two vehicles, one fitted with the new Continental MaxContact MC7 tyre and another fitted with a competitor’s tyre, to test out how all of that technology in the MC7 tyre translated to actual on road performance.
In wet cornering the MC7 offered more control when the car began to understeer or push out of the corner, which is something you really want should you find yourself in this situation. In fact, a national survey undertaken by Continental Tyres found that 36% of women surveyed were most scared about driving on wet roads and this was their second biggest fear behind encountering dangerous drivers on the road. So having a tyre that allows you better control the situation is an obvious safety advantage.
For the wet braking test we accelerated to 80km/h and braked as hard as possible simulating an emergency situation. The average difference in braking distances of our group was 1.73 metres in favour of the MC7, with the MC7 taking an average of 21.79 metres to compete the stop. This clearly demonstrated the benefits of the MC7 tyre in this dangerous emergency situation.
Tyre safety is not something we should set and forget about though and choosing a performance tyre for your vehicle like the MC7 is just first step. Tyre pressures and regularly checking the tread wear on your tyres is also important. The national survey conducted by Continental Tyres also found that 72% of Aussie women have not personally checked their tyre pressures in the last month and only 21% have examined their tyre tread in the past month. Galmatic has simple videos to show you how to check your tyre pressures and to check your tyre tread depth.
The new Continental MaxContact MC7 tyre will be available Australia-wide from 1 June 2024 in sizes ranging from 17” to 20” with tread widths between 205 – 275mm. Pricing will be similarly to its predecessor, the MaxContact MC6, despite being a significant leap forward in performance. Visit the Continental Tyre website for more information or contact your preferred tyre retailer.
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.