Continental Tyre Malaysia recently announced the introduction of the MaxContact MC7 tyre range in Malaysia, which was tailored to fulfill the needs of Asia Pacific (APAC) drivers.
Sitting above the UltraContact 7 (UC7) but below the SportContact 7 (SC7) in the product portfolio, the new MC7 is offered in sizes ranging between 16-inches all the way to 22-inches, with prices starting from slightly above RM300 for the 16-inch version.
According to the folks at Continental, the MaxContact MC7 is a rival to tires like the Michelin Pilot Sport 5, Goodyear Eagle F1 Sport, Bridgestone Potenza RE003, as well as the Pirelli P Zero, all of which are considered premium tires for road-going cars with a touch of performance.
During the launch, Continental claimed that the new MC7 provides a more refined handling and improved stability for drivers when making sharper turns even at a higher speed and around corners, due to the optimisation of pressure distribution within the tyre. We were told that the wet grip has also improved compared to the outgoing MC6.
So, in an effort to put all the aforementioned claims to the test, we were invited to the Sepang International Circuit last week to sample the MC7 first-hand, through a series of exercises which demonstrated the MC7’s abilities on dry surface, wet surface, at higher speeds, as well as a myriad of corners.
The first exercise of the day was the “wet handling” test in which we negotiated a wet and slippery corner at about 60 km/h in a compact SUV fitted with the MC7, and another identical SUV with tires from an Italian competitor. As expected, the MC7 negotiated the corner effortlessly with minimum drama and maximum grip. There was no screeching, no skidding, or any signs the vehicle losing grip whatsoever.
What surprised us was the fact that the tire from the Italian competitor (which is more expensive) was nowhere near as composed as the MC7 while tackling the same corner, losing grip half way through.
As impressive as it was in the wet, the MC7 was good on dry surfaces too. Regardless of whether we were in performance oriented models from AMG, comfort oriented executive sedans, or even SUVs, the MC7s held on to the road at high speed so well that it instilled confidence to push the car a tad faster after every turn.
What made it even better was the lack of noise. The MC7s also passed the heavy braking test with flying colours once again, digging into the slipperiest of surfaces.
Overall, if we are to describe the MC7 in one word, it would be “consistent”, as it performed very well in the various challenges that were thrown its way – in the wet, on dry surfaces, at high speeds, during braking, cornering, and everything in between.
Although it is hard to say if it is better than rivals like the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 for instance, it is safe to say that it is certainly on par with the latter, judging at how composed and quiet it was.
Also, looking at the variety of vehicles that were fitted the MC7s on that day, and the fact that it is the tire of choice for numerous manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Honda, it shows that it has proven itself as a good all-rounder that is fit for all occasions, especially the never-ending cycle of rain and sunlight in our country.
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