Winter novelty from Continental successfully debuted in independent tests

New Scandinavian-style friction tires Continental VikingContact 8, which will enter the market this fall, have won two of their first independent tests, conducted by UTAC and Teknikens Värld.

"Expectations for the new non-studded Nordic tire were sky-high, and now it's clear that it won't disappoint anyone, as it was able to take high places in prestigious tests like Teknikens Värld and Aftonbladet [publishes the results of UTAC tests]," — said in Continental, adding that the bar was already set very high, since the previous generation tire — Continental VikingContact 7 — since its premiere in 2018, has won 15 out of 18 tests it participated in.

In the TV test, the novelty received 123 out of 160 points and took first place among 16 tires of three classes, and experts noted that they combine high traction in various conditions with a good level of comfort, while in UTAC they add that the VC8 has an excellent balance of characteristics and no serious drawbacks.

"It's always very exciting to release a new tire to replace such a successful model as the VikingContact 7, but the tests have confirmed that the VikingContact 8 is indeed better than its predecessor," — said Antti Ahomäki, product manager of Continental's Finnish division.

According to him, the new rubber compound was very successful, which increased the level of traction and reduced rolling resistance, while the tires also differ in reduced noise. "All these characteristics were confirmed by the test results, that is, we really achieved success, — Ahomäki noted. — VikingContact 8 is a fantastic tire, and we are looking forward to it participating in new tests."

The Continental VikingContact 8 tires are designed for passenger cars of all sizes and with all types of power units, and the lineup includes sizes with a rim diameter of up to 22 inches.