Ninety Years of Winter Tyre Development at Continental
Published:
January 2, 2025

The Importance of Winter Tyres

Winter tyres play a vital role in road safety during the colder months, offering superior grip and dramatically reducing braking distances. A vehicle equipped with winter tyres travelling at 40 km/h can stop approximately six car lengths shorter than one fitted with summer tyres.

Martin Welzhofer, Head of Global Tyre Testing at Continental, explains: “Softer rubber compounds improve adhesion, while sipes enhance grip on snow and ice. Wider grooves are particularly effective at displacing water.”

A Legacy of Innovation: 90 Years of Winter Tyres

Hanover, Germany – December 12, 2024. Continental has been at the forefront of winter tyre innovation for 90 years. The journey began in 1934 with the launch of the "Gelände," a tyre designed specifically for cold weather. Over the decades, this expertise has culminated in today’s winter tyres, which excel in grip and braking on snow, ice, and wet roads.

The superior performance of Continental tyres is consistently proven in independent tests. For instance, the WinterContact TS 870 recently earned the top spot in the German automobile association ADAC’s winter tyre test, praised for its safety and precision on dry, wet, and snowy roads.

Ninety Years of Winter Tyre Development at Continental

Precision Engineering for Winter Conditions

Continental’s test facility in Arvidsjaur, Sweden, provides the perfect environment to evaluate winter tyres under extreme conditions. The combination of advanced tread designs and specially formulated rubber compounds ensures superior traction, grip, and braking performance.

Winter tyres are constructed with softer and more flexible rubber than summer tyres, maintaining better adhesion in low temperatures. Key features such as sipes – small incisions in the tread – improve grip on snowy and icy surfaces, while wider grooves efficiently channel water away, preventing slippage.

Performance Testing: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice

Extensive testing is a cornerstone of Continental’s approach to tyre development. In controlled environments, such as the indoor ice track at the Contidrom near Hanover, and on outdoor tracks in Sweden, tyres undergo rigorous evaluation.

A recent comparison by the UK’s Tyre Review highlighted the remarkable differences between summer and winter tyres. On snow, the WinterContact TS 870 P stopped in 18.25 metres when braking from 40 km/h, compared to 44.18 metres for a summer tyre – a difference of nearly six car lengths. Similar results were observed on ice, where winter tyres stopped nearly three times faster than their summer counterparts.

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Ninety Years of Winter Tyre Development at Continental

Ensuring Excellence Through Comprehensive Testing

Before reaching the market, a new winter tyre model undergoes testing over a cumulative 500,000 kilometres and is evaluated against more than 20 criteria. These include traction, directional control, and braking performance on dry, wet, and snowy surfaces. Other factors, such as tyre wear, fuel efficiency, noise, and driving comfort, are also assessed.

Continental’s state-of-the-art facilities allow for precise measurements. For example, on its Arctic Circle test tracks, the company records over 60,000 data points each winter. Drivers test tyres on approximately 18,000 bends to assess directional stability on ice and snow. The Contidrom’s indoor ice track further ensures testing is unaffected by external weather conditions.

A History of Safety: From the "Gelände" to Modern Marvels

Continental’s first winter tyre, the "Gelände," debuted in 1934 with an innovative tread for snow, ice, and slush. By 1953, the company’s M+S tyres had proven their reliability by successfully navigating the snow-covered Gotthard Pass in the Alps.

Today, Continental continues to push the boundaries of tyre technology. The WinterContact TS 870 represents the culmination of decades of research, designed to provide maximum safety in winter driving conditions. The company is committed to further advancements in profiles, materials, and technologies to meet the evolving demands of winter roads.

Conclusion: Setting the Standard for Winter Tyres

For 90 years, Continental has been synonymous with safety and innovation in winter tyre technology. Through rigorous testing and continuous improvement, the company ensures that drivers can navigate winter roads with confidence. Whether on snow, ice, or wet surfaces, Continental’s winter tyres remain a trusted choice for maximum safety.

Ninety Years of Winter Tyre Development at Continental
Ninety Years of Winter Tyre Development at Continental