Whether a car is powered by petrol, diesel or electricity, one thing that all of them have in common is that they all rely on four contact patches with the road to enable them to move, steer and come to complete stop.

Those four contact patches are provided by tyres, which are sometimes an overlooked aspect of a car. However, ask any professional driver what they find to be highly critical in their line of work – aside from hours of training – and the most consistent answer will be the rubbers fitted to their cars.

In its modern form, tyres are made of several components made of different materials layered one on top of the other so they can maintain their shape, while also bearing the load of the vehicle, provide directional stability and most importantly, maintain contact with the road below.

The most talked about part of a tyre is the tread, which is what most see and provides the all-important connection to the tarmac. Designed with different formulations that are a trade secret held closely by tyre providers, the tread on tyres features different designs for its grooves, lugs, voids and sipes depending on the application.

Tyre engineers are constantly in a battle to establish the parameters of a tyre, including grip and braking distance in wet and dry conditions, while also ensuring optimum NVH (noice, vibration and harshness) as well as mileage. The difficulty comes in finding the right mix of materials and compounds to provide a proper balance and improving these parameters with each generation of product.

With over 150 years of experience, Continental is an established name when it comes tyres, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products that are specially designed and tested for the markets they have a presence in, including Malaysia.

Available for all vehicle types, Continental tyres are perfectly tailored to deliver a safe and enjoyable driving experience. One of the German brand’s most notable products is the UltraContact UC6 SUV, which was developed to meet the needs of the increasing number of SUV owners.

The UC6 SUV provides confidence in both wet and dry conditions as well as a quiet and comfortable ride. Specifically developed with SUVs in mind, it also gets Double Tie-bar technology which connects the shoulder blocks for increased stability and stiffness during braking and cornering to counteract an SUV’s higher centre of gravity.

Meanwhile, the latest evolution of Continental’s all-around tyre, the UltraContact UC7, elevates what consumers already enjoyed with the previous generation. With its Aqua Channel Advanced technology featuring an internal water drainage inside the tread block that speeds up water evacuation into the longitudinal groove, the UC7 offers better grip, even on wet slippery roads. Meanwhile, the new Diamond Compound provides long drive life and Noise Breaker 3.0 lowers NVH in this tyre class by disrupting the sound waves through the grooves into smaller frequencies

For those looking for superior sporty handling and direct feedback from the road, look no further than the MaxContact MC6. The ultra-high performance tyre features numerous stabiliser bars and asymmetric rib geometry to handle heavy cornering manouveres and longitudinal chamfered edges to maintain maximum contact area.

The stable rib structure also prevents distortion of the tyre in extreme situations for better dry braking and efficient traction transfer, while chevron grip elements allow even pressure distribution during cornering, even on the inside tyre of the vehicle resulting in enhanced grip, better wet braking and handling.

Add to this the Adaptive Grip Compound and Noise Breaker 2.0 technology and you have tyre that is more than capable on track while also delivering good mileage and a comfortable ride for everyday driving. Of course, the Continental catalogue is vast with no less than 25 products available, so find the ideal tyre for your car by heading over to Continental Malaysia’s website.

As part of a special year-end promotion, Continental Malaysia is offering Touch ‘n Go eWallet voucher worth up to RM100 when your purchase at least two Continental tyres at participating outlets in Malaysia. With a purchase of two Continental tyres of any model, you’ll get a RM50 TnG eWallet voucher, while purchasing set of four tyres nets you two vouchers worth a total RM100.

The promotion is valid for Continental tyres in sizes from 17 inches and up and is currently ongoing from now until December 31, 2022. Find your closest official Continental participating outlets here.