In the September 2008 issue of eurotuner magazine you’ll be able to read about our exploits at Continental’s secret test facility in Uvalde, TX. Unbeknown to them, we snuck a video camera on to the Robinson R44 helicopter the company uses to provide an overview of their different test tracks.

Click on the Videos menu at the top of this page and you can see our shaky footage – shaky because a) we’re not very good videographers, b) it’s a small, vibrating chopper and c) the pilot was a madman who would swoop down without warning. His best trick was to follow the cars around the test track, hovering a few feet over the cars. He even caused several drivers to spin out as they tried to find the source of the noise overhead.
The helicopter ride was enormous fun but we were there for serious business. Continental Tire had opened its facilities to allow us to sample a range of its tires, as well as some from its subsidiary, General Tires.
With tires for any occasion (look out for the Continental ice racing video on Videos page as well), we were treated to an array of different track conditions, including wet handling and braking, dry handling and offroad. The latter took part on Conti’s Baja track using Baja race trucks. Apart from the surprising grip from the tires, we were most impressed with the incredibly absorbing suspension of these trucks as we crashed over the dusty course.
Driving a selection of cars including the BMW 328i, Mustang, F-150 and Ford Edge, we were able to discover the different handling characteristics between the tread patterns they offer. As you’d expect, all the tires gripped as well as we’d hope but the flagship ContiSportContact3 ultra high-performance tire was the star of the show. We were most surprised at its ability in the wet. But also terrified at the increased stopping distance by comparing them to part-worn tires in braking tests.
Keep your tires properly inflated, rotated and regularly inspected. And don’t wait until there’s no tread left to replace them. It could be a very expensive way to save a few dollars.

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