Record Breaker Uses Conti Tyres

Mike Newman has broken his own Land Speed World Record on Continental tyres. Driving alone in a tailor made BMW M5 fitted with ContiSportContact 2 tyres the visually impaired record breaker clock up a top speed of almost 180 mph.

On 11 October at Evington Aerodrome near York, Newman smashed his previous record of 144.7mph by averaging a speed of 167.32mph. His top speed was 178.5mph,.

According to the manufacturer, the ContiSportContact 2 is the ultimate sports tyre for high performance cars and has ultra-precise steering response, outstanding traction and greater cornering safety and braking. In addition Continental’s “revolutionary cat’s paw” technology is said to increase road contact and therefore reduce braking distances.

This record is by no means the first to be broken by Continental high performance tyres. In May 2004 at the ContiSportContact 2 Vmax launch in Nardo, Italy, Continental achieved a new world record for maximum speed on a standard production tyre. A 9ff Porsche 996 Turbo driven by Jan Fatthauer achieved a speed of 232.6 mph, breaking the previous record by 22 mph. The ContiSportContact Vmax is the only road tyre rated for speeds of up to 225mph.

Tracey Hyem, passenger tyres brand manager at Continental, said: “Our high performance tyres are designed for drivers who want to get the most out of their car. The fact that Continental’s tyres hold two world records demonstrates our technical expertise and strength in tyre innovation.”