Continental Tyres top winter tests

In two tests run by AutoBild magazine, winter tyres from Continental have again turned in successful performances. In the large-scale test staged by AutoBild, the WinterContact TS 860 was best-in-test, while in the test conducted by 4×4 magazine AutoBild Allrad from the same publishers, the WinterContact TS 850 P was awarded a top “exemplary” rating.

The journalists tested 225/50 R 17 tyres suitable for mid-range models and 225/55 R 17 tyres for SUVs, using a BMW 3-Series and a BMW X3 as the test cars. The results were published in the 40/2017 and 11/2017 issues of the two magazines respectively.

In the big AutoBild winter tyre test, the experts first put 50 models of tyre from international brands through their paces. Following the wet braking test, 30 of these candidates were eliminated and the best 20 tyres went on to be tested in 16 criteria on snow, as well as on wet and dry roads.

“The winning tyre turned in an impressive performance with the best driving characteristics in all weathers, direct steering response and dynamic handling on snow and in the dry,” the experts concluded after the event.

In the AutoBild Allrad test an expert jury put ten winter tyres from European, U.S. and Asian manufacturers to the test. The tyres were scrutinized on snow-covered, wet and dry roads in a total of 14 test criteria. Summing up, the journalists wrote that the WinterContact TS 850 P was “very good on snow, particularly in terms of lateral guidance; a very balanced, quiet winter tyres.”

These outcomes meant that both winter tyre models from Continental were able to repeat their fine performances of the previous year – in 2016 the WinterContact TS 860 won the AutoBild test outright, while the WinterContact TS 850 P scored an “exemplary” rating from AutoBild Allrad.