Continental’s ExtremeContact Sport landed in 2017 and rapidly grew to become a go-to UHP tire for drivers who wished each day livability with some observe headroom. Its 2022 successor, the ExtremeContact Sport 02, pushes that transient additional.
We re-tested the tire at BMW Efficiency Heart West in Thermal, California, through the Indian Wells match. A full day of sizzling laps, autocross, and wet-surface work in a number of BMWs (M240i, M2, M3, M4, Z4) confirmed a tire with robust grip, clear suggestions, and regular habits throughout altering situations—with out beating you up on the road.
Listed here are 5 causes we just like the ExtremeContact Sport 02.
1. Balanced grip for road and observe
Continental got down to construct a tire that performs on each moist and dry pavement — and so they’ve nailed it. Due to the model’s SportPlus™ Know-how and Tuned Efficiency Indicators, the Sport 02 manages to strike that delicate steadiness between nice grip and a cushty each day tire.
On dry pavement, the Sport 02 instantly feels planted and straightforward to belief. Steering inputs translate cleanly into the entrance tires, and there’s loads of grip by way of quick corners with none twitchiness. After we drove some M automobiles not too long ago on some mountain roads, what shocked us most was how civil it felt — clean, quiet, and composed.
2. Dry dealing with and suggestions
On the autocross course it stayed steady underneath laborious braking and gave linear, easy-to-read suggestions by way of transitions. Nook exits had sufficient traction to go to energy early with out chasing rear slide. Versus the first-gen Sport we examined about 5 years in the past, the good points present up most in dry—particularly lateral—grip. Moist traction and noise are higher too, and treadwear appears to be like improved. The hole to Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4S is basically closed; the Sport 02 now seems like a peer fairly than a half-step behind.
The place I really feel the Continentals truly edge the Michelins is steering response. On an M3, preliminary turn-in was so fast it shocked me—I needed to make a small correction simply turning into one other road. It’s that sharp on-center.
3. Moist confidence
The day’s second spherical of testing befell on Continental’s moist skid pad with the BMW M3/M4 and M8 Coupe. Regardless of pushing the steering angle fairly a bit, the Sport 02 proved itself exceptionally composed within the moist, combining robust lateral grip with spectacular hydroplaning resistance.
The tire’s contact patch felt constant, permitting for clean weight switch even when pushing by way of puddles. It additionally delivered wonderful braking efficiency — stopping distances have been brief and controllable, and the tires provided a predictable slip transition fairly than a sudden lack of traction.
4. Worth and fitment
It’s provided in 77 sizes from 15 to 21 inches, protecting most trendy BMWs, together with M automobiles. Pricing undercuts top-tier rivals whereas delivering related real-world efficiency, and the improved put on means you’re not torching a set after a pair laborious days. I additionally desire the Sport 02’s fitment to the Michelin in the identical sizes—the sidewall appears to be like squarer and fewer “stretched.” Grip is robust, highway noise stays low, and as a bonus these Continentals are among the many lightest from the main manufacturers—a few pound (or extra) lighter per nook than comparable choices.
5. Consistency over a session
Warmth administration is stable. Over repeated laps, grip and steering really feel stayed regular as an alternative of fading after a number of sizzling runs. That consistency makes the tire simpler to belief—whether or not you’re at a observe day or simply pushing on a again highway. By day’s finish, the M3 drift automobiles at BMW Efficiency Heart West have been making an attempt to complete off a set of rears, but it surely took a number of laborious classes to wash them down.
