The Continental ContiVikingContact 6 SUV winter tire is one of the latest developments of the German tire giant. This time, the novelty is designed for passenger cars with increased cross-country ability, which most of us know as crossovers. At the same time, this model will be sold exclusively in the countries of Scandinavia, Russia, Japan, and China, which speaks of some exclusivity of our country, as well as taking into account the difficult operating conditions on its roads.
New Rubber Compound
In the development of the ContiVikingContact 6 SUV, special attention was paid to ensuring maximum traction properties, regardless of external conditions. A significant part of this task was solved due to the rubber compound, which received the name Nordic Soft. Its key feature is elasticity, the level of which is maintained at an optimal level in a very wide temperature range, primarily with a minus sign. This is evidenced by the hardness of the rubber compound, which is only 52 units on the Shore scale.
Divided Tread Technology
Another innovation of the novelty was the Divided Tread technology. The literal translation of this phrase ("divided tread") only partially reflects its essence, describing the proprietary feature of Continental's tire products, namely the tread pattern with an asymmetric arrangement of elements.
It is divided into two parts - internal and external, each of which performs a strictly defined range of tasks, providing the tire with excellent universality, i.e., excellent traction properties in any weather and road conditions.
The outer part provides excellent directional stability when driving straight and maneuvering. These properties are achieved due to the arrangement and shape of the tread blocks located on the outside. When in contact with the road surface, they fit tightly together, which significantly increases the stiffness in this part of the tread.
As for the internal part of the tread pattern, its main functional significance lies in providing maximum traction properties in the longitudinal direction, i.e., when accelerating and braking.
Even Distribution of External Pressure on the Contact Patch
Also, it is impossible not to mention another characteristic feature of the ContiVikingContact 6 SUV, namely, the exceptional stability of traction properties, regardless of road and weather conditions. The German tire-makers managed to achieve this due to the even distribution of external pressure on the contact patch. This feature is due to a number of factors, the main ones being the shape and arrangement of the tread blocks, as well as the multi-radius tread profile.
Improved Traction on Snow
The above-mentioned Divided Tread technology provides this model with improved traction properties on snowy and icy surfaces. This task is performed primarily by the internal part of the tread, which contains a large number of massive blocks of a peculiar curved shape. They are separated from each other by numerous narrow longitudinal grooves and connected by small bridges. During movement, these tread elements turn into so-called "anti-slip chains", providing increased resistance to loss of traction on slippery snow and ice-covered surfaces.
Another design feature of the ContiVikingContact 6 SUV, which provides improved traction on snow, is the stepped lamellas that literally cover the entire tread. They are located at different angles relative to the direction of movement, and special bridges allow avoiding their closure when loaded. In combination, these features make it possible to hold significant amounts of snow on the tread, thereby improving traction properties on snowy roads. When driving on ice, these same tread elements easily penetrate the water film with their sharp edges, providing the tire with excellent traction.
Main Features of the Continental ContiVikingContact 6 SUV Winter Tire
- The "divided tread" technology provides the tire with excellent universality in any weather and road conditions;
- The new Nordic Soft rubber compound has excellent elasticity, which is maintained at an optimal level in a very wide temperature range, which, in turn, provides excellent traction on winter roads;
- Exceptional stability of traction properties, clear and transparent reactions to steering wheel turns, due to a very even distribution of external pressure on the contact patch, which is ensured by the shape and arrangement of the tread blocks, as well as the multi-radius tread profile;
- Excellent traction on ice and snow, thanks to massive curved blocks that form continuous "anti-slip chains" due to numerous bridges, as well as numerous lamellas located in different directions relative to the direction of movement.
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