Continental claims new tyres are quieter on Australian highways

Continental Tyres has unveiled a new version of its MaxContact performance tyre, the MaxContact MC7, ahead of sales commencing in Australia in June.

The MaxContact MC7 replaces the MaxContact MC6 in Continental’s range, positioned as a performance tyre for everyday road driving.

On the performance scale, the MaxContact MC7 sits above the ComfortContact CC7 and UltraContact UC7 in the Continental range, but below the SportContact 7 – the latter of which is roughly equivalent to a Michelin Pilot Sport.

The company claims the new tyre surpasses its predecessor in dry handling, dry braking, wet braking, noise and fuel efficiency. Wet handling and durability remain unchanged for the new edition.

Aimed directly at Asia Pacific (APAC) markets, Continental claims it focused on wet braking and steering precision during development of the MaxContact MC7 with a design it says is better at directing and disposing of water under brakes.

“The Continental MaxContact MC7 is perfect for drivers in APAC markets who need performance and safety on wet and challenging roads,” Continental Tyres Australia managing director, Mitchell Golledge told CarExpert.

Often, sporty tyres developed for European conditions transmit excessive amounts of road roar to the cabin on less-than-perfect Australian country highways. Continental says it has reduced tyre noise by building channels into the grooves of the tyre to prevent excess sound from travelling into the cabin.

The Continental MaxContact MC7 tyre is already on sale in other APAC markets such as New Zealand and Malaysia, but will be available Down Under from June 1 this year in sizes ranging from 17 inches to 20 inches.

Pricing is at the discretion of retailers, but is expected to be on par with the outgoing MaxContact MC6 which starts at around $200 per tyre, depending on the seller.

“The MaxContact MC7 will have a similar recommended price to the MC6, but you get a better tyre,” Mr Golledge added.

In Australia, the MaxContact MC7 will go head-to-head with street performance tyres from the likes of Michelin, Pirelli, Bridgestone, Goodyear, and Kumho. 

Stay tuned for our impressions of the new tyres, coming soon to the site.