The Auto Channel Tests Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

Hot Laps, Wet ABS, Wet Braking — Continental’s 2015 ExtremeContact DWS06

By Thom Cannell
Senior Editor
Michigan Bureau
The Auto Channel

Auto Central March 31, 2015; What’s in a tire’s name, what does it tell a customer looking for replacement tires? Continental’s ExtremeContact DWS ultra high performance tire launched in 2009, the DWS means Dry, Wet, and Snow capability. Now, in 2015, a tire that was already well regarded in the high performance arena gets improvements, and improvements without significant compromises. It’s now the ExtremeContact DWS06.

The Auto Channel visited Continental’s test facility in Uvalde, Texas, to put this tire through almost every test you’d want to know about, wet and dry braking, wet and dry handling, and how the tires feel. However, there was no snow in Texas, which wasn’t much of a surprise.

We first talked tire basics with Robert Liu, performance tire product manager, so if you’re only interested in test results—both objective and subjective, skip ahead.

The new tires are highly modified versions of the predecessor. Improvements include traction-aiding microblocks which aid in cornering. The blocks themselves are chamfered and this angled edge is surprisingly effective in adding cornering grip. Silica, added for tread flexibility, is better bonded with plio-silane (silane is an inorganic gas, SiH4 that acts as a coupling agent). Blocks themselves are X-siped to increase biting edges as the contact patch rolls forward. Continental uses molded-in indicators to alert customers to wear and alignment. At the outer tread, alignment indicators will rapidly show if tire alignment is off by wearing unevenly, Also molded into the tire are letters D, W, and S. Once the S disappears, the tire is no longer rated for light snow. W missing? Don’t expect as good wet weather handling. When the D disappears it is time for new tires, or dedicating them to the track, drifting, or auto-crossing. Sizes vary from 16 up to 22” and are available in 51 sizes initially, with more sizes available in September.

The ExtremeContact DWS06 is, depending on attribute (wet, dry, braking, etc.), 1-10% better than its predecessor. We assure you, the changes can be felt. Areas of emphasis for the new tire include insuring the tire fits well into the wheel’s bead seat, fitting the toe to the rim; new tread compounding; new tread designs. Also, all DWS06 use two plys to create better impact resistance, especially resistance to potholes.

Tread compounds are composed, according to Dr. Peter Zmolek, director of R&D for Continental Americas, of many substances, each offering scientists and engineers “many knobs to tweak”. We learned that silica is added to tire compounds mainly to accommodate ABS brakes! When ABS was introduced and using pure carbon black, tires had a tendency to stick and slide. Silica allows tires to brake effectively without sticking. Braking is a combination of the tire and vehicle and thus ABS braking can be optimized.

Carbon black itself has changed radically in the last decade. The companies who make and supply “soot” are able to select and affect particle size and surfaces adjusting to manage how the carbon black bonds to other chemicals. “The more you investigate, the more you can modify how it interacts,” Peter told The Auto Channel. Along with carbon black and silica, tires contain natural rubber, artificial rubber and other polymers (long chain molecules that knit together), accelerators to aid in vulcanization of the tires (tires have to be heated and cured to join all the components), fillers, and even canola oil to aid in mixing. The whole package is termed “SPORT PLUS+ TECHNOLOGY.”

What many buyers will consider before performance is answered by Continental’s “Total Confidence Plan” of a 50,000 limited mileage warranty, 60 day or first 2/32 of treadwear satisfaction trial, 3 year flat tire roadside assistance, 12 month road hazard (or 2/32 treadwear), and 72 month limited warranty.

After learning about how the ExtremeContact DWS06 differs from the older ExtremeContact DWS tire introduced in 2009 we bussed an hour south of San Antonio, TX, to Uvalde,TX, home of Continental’s test track. For our group, the first tire testing was on a wet road coarse driving 2015 Audi A4s and 2015 Ford Escapes. Therein lies a difference, four wheel drive versus front wheel drive and a light sedan versus a heavier CUV. We drove the Audi twice, first with the Continental tire, second with a very good Bridgestone Potenza RE970 A/S Pole Position (we know it’s good, it’s what’s on the author’s Audi allroad). The DWS06 delivered substantially more lateral traction, less understeer, and more ABS brake grip. Overall it felt more confident and we were speedier, with better steering and turn-in on both large and tight sweeping corners.

Next up, an Escape with ExtremeContact DWS06 versus Pirelli Scorpion Verde AS. Our notes day “the Scorpion Verde slides like on ice compared to the DW06, on open corners we slid through these “on ramps” which does not inspire confidence (though it’s fun). Less stopping power, no where near the grip on this wet track. With the DWS06 we had grip everywhere, though the nose-heavy CUV wanted to massively understeer. The Continental tire responded to steering input up to the limit, we had more steering feel and response, and braking was shorter and more controlled.

As much fun as that was, we shifted to an enormous 15 acre skid pad covered with water. How much water? There were ripples on the surface! There we tested old versus new DWS tires mounted on 2015 BMW M235is, and compared the new DWS06 to Yokohama ADVAN Sport AS, another tire we’ve tested recently, when mounted on Ford Mustangs. With the BMWs we could easily feel the improvements delivered by the chamfered tread blocks they provided superior grip overall. That said, the old tire was darn good, particularly in intense maneuvering (though the 06 was better).

After the BMWs, it was Mustang time.Compared to the BMW, the hood was a pilot’s view of a runway; it was endless. With Mustang’s RWD bias we expected far more drama in acceleration and turns than we got. Sure, we could have twisted the throttle and gotten slide-ways on the wet asphalt, but our mandate was to keep things as close to the threshold as possible to deliver accurate comparisons. Against the DWS06, the Yokohama tire had less lateral grip and offered less steering feel. Though we had less confidence, it is in no way a huge step down; the ADAVA remains a good tire.

Our next event, full ABS stops with a G-meter to read deceleration and stopping distance. We transited to the Uvalde wet grip course, a 5,100’ wet asphalt “pan”. Normally vehicles are coupled to a guide rail to insure repeatable tests. We did not, so you’ll see some variance in our tests—just as in the real world. Our first test was another 2015 Mustang, equipped with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetrical AS tires. Stopping distance recorded as 100.8’ pulling 0.8G average, 0.9G peak. With another Mustang, equipped with the ExtremeContact DWS06, stopping distance shrank to 94’, 09G average and 1.0G peak.

Our second test, using 2015 Audi A4s, showed how important consistency in pavement can be. If a tire contact patch deviates even a few millimeters from repeatability, tests can show “interesting” results. So, using the Continental tire we got a stopping distance of 97.3’, 0.9G average deceleration, and a peak of 0.9Gs. The competitor Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 stopped shorter at 90.7’, pulled similar 0.9 G average decel, and a peak of 1.0 Gs. What happened? First, the Michelin tire is very good. Second, we’d changed the seat height between vehicles and our foot placement on the brake pedal changed (this proves how important it is to get your mid-foot onto the brake for emergencies, not your toes). A second test on the DWS06 improved, at 95.3’ and similar 0.9/0.9 Gs. Colleagues had opposite results, the DW06 better than the Michelin.

Our final, and most fun testing occurred on a 1.07 mile Dry Handling Course, AKA race track. We used 2015 MINI Cooper S’ and BMW M235i’s for our giggles professionally enthusiastic testing. MINIs are FWD cars and they understeered with either the old ExtremeContact DWS or newer DWS06. However, the new DWS06 provided more grip everywhere and had much improved turn-in. We attribute that, again, to the chamfered blocks, better compound and tread design. With the BMWs, again fitted with a familiar Bridgestone RE970 Pole Position AS versus the DWS06, notes say “far more lateral grip with DWS06, more accurate and a telegraphed turn in, more precision from the steering, far less sliding at the front and rear.” We felt, overall, less block squirm.

Having recently tested many new tires, both all season and winter, the grip, handling, ride comfort, and longevity of tires amazes us. These are not the super-premium, good-for-one-hot-lap tires, but affordable tires for families on a budget and those who can’t afford track, street, wet, and winter tire sets. Keep your family and self safe, keep good tires under your car.