Continental VikingContact 7 Comes to N. America

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https://www.tirebusiness.com/articl...-to-north-american-winter-tire-portfolio

https://www.continental-tires.com/c...ss-releases/20180223-new-vikingcontact-7

https://www.moderntiredealer.com/news/732917/vikingcontact-7-is-continental-s-next-gen-winter-tire

Quote
Continental Tire the Americas LLC is replacing the Continental WinterContact SI with the Continental VikingContact 7.
The new directional tire features a Nordic tread compound comprised of active silica for "superb" grip in the wet and a rapeseed oil additive that keeps the tread compound flexible in extreme cold conditions, says the company. Its intelligent pattern design was engineered with an efficient groove network that reduces hydroplaning on wet slushy roads. The interlocking block bridges provide "perfect" tracking and stability on snow.


I am surprised to see this. Continental traditionally has not sold their best studless winter tire in the USA and Canada, reserving them mostly for the Scandinavian and Russian market. The VikingContact 7 is a world class performer on ice and snow. It scored 1st overall in this years testing at TestWorld/NAF.

Maybe Continental will surprise us and also sell their best performance winter (TS860 and 860S) in the USA.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by SubLGT
https://www.tirebusiness.com/articl...-to-north-american-winter-tire-portfolio

https://www.continental-tires.com/c...ss-releases/20180223-new-vikingcontact-7

https://www.moderntiredealer.com/news/732917/vikingcontact-7-is-continental-s-next-gen-winter-tire

Quote
Continental Tire the Americas LLC is replacing the Continental WinterContact SI with the Continental VikingContact 7.
The new directional tire features a Nordic tread compound comprised of active silica for "superb" grip in the wet and a rapeseed oil additive that keeps the tread compound flexible in extreme cold conditions, says the company. Its intelligent pattern design was engineered with an efficient groove network that reduces hydroplaning on wet slushy roads. The interlocking block bridges provide "perfect" tracking and stability on snow.


I am surprised to see this. Continental traditionally has not sold their best studless winter tire in the USA and Canada, reserving them mostly for the Scandinavian and Russian market. The VikingContact 7 is a world class performer on ice and snow. It scored 1st overall in this years testing at TestWorld/NAF.

Maybe Continental will surprise us and also sell their best performance winter (TS860 and 860S) in the USA.

I would say TS is much better overall tire than Viking. I had TS780, 810, 830, 850 and they are probably top winter tires in Europe in last 15 years.
If they would bring TS series here, I would never consider anything else for my cars.
However, if not, I think Viking 7 will be next tire on Tiguan once I get off these Nokian's.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by SubLGT
https://www.tirebusiness.com/articl...-to-north-american-winter-tire-portfolio

https://www.continental-tires.com/c...ss-releases/20180223-new-vikingcontact-7

https://www.moderntiredealer.com/news/732917/vikingcontact-7-is-continental-s-next-gen-winter-tire

Quote
Continental Tire the Americas LLC is replacing the Continental WinterContact SI with the Continental VikingContact 7.
The new directional tire features a Nordic tread compound comprised of active silica for "superb" grip in the wet and a rapeseed oil additive that keeps the tread compound flexible in extreme cold conditions, says the company. Its intelligent pattern design was engineered with an efficient groove network that reduces hydroplaning on wet slushy roads. The interlocking block bridges provide "perfect" tracking and stability on snow.


I am surprised to see this. Continental traditionally has not sold their best studless winter tire in the USA and Canada, reserving them mostly for the Scandinavian and Russian market. The VikingContact 7 is a world class performer on ice and snow. It scored 1st overall in this years testing at TestWorld/NAF.

Maybe Continental will surprise us and also sell their best performance winter (TS860 and 860S) in the USA.

I would say TS is much better overall tire than Viking. I had TS780, 810, 830, 850 and they are probably top winter tires in Europe in last 15 years.
If they would bring TS series here, I would never consider anything else for my cars.
However, if not, I think Viking 7 will be next tire on Tiguan once I get off these Nokian's.


They're different tires. "Better overall" may be the case based on your own usage, but people have different needs. For me, the main priority for a winter tire is how it handles ice, so a studless snowtire (like the Viking or many other options) is a "much better overall tire".

It's a global world though. If you want the 860's, no reason not to get them: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-winter...0635574?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10
 
Originally Posted by JOD
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by SubLGT
https://www.tirebusiness.com/articl...-to-north-american-winter-tire-portfolio

https://www.continental-tires.com/c...ss-releases/20180223-new-vikingcontact-7

https://www.moderntiredealer.com/news/732917/vikingcontact-7-is-continental-s-next-gen-winter-tire

Quote
Continental Tire the Americas LLC is replacing the Continental WinterContact SI with the Continental VikingContact 7.
The new directional tire features a Nordic tread compound comprised of active silica for "superb" grip in the wet and a rapeseed oil additive that keeps the tread compound flexible in extreme cold conditions, says the company. Its intelligent pattern design was engineered with an efficient groove network that reduces hydroplaning on wet slushy roads. The interlocking block bridges provide "perfect" tracking and stability on snow.


I am surprised to see this. Continental traditionally has not sold their best studless winter tire in the USA and Canada, reserving them mostly for the Scandinavian and Russian market. The VikingContact 7 is a world class performer on ice and snow. It scored 1st overall in this years testing at TestWorld/NAF.

Maybe Continental will surprise us and also sell their best performance winter (TS860 and 860S) in the USA.

I would say TS is much better overall tire than Viking. I had TS780, 810, 830, 850 and they are probably top winter tires in Europe in last 15 years.
If they would bring TS series here, I would never consider anything else for my cars.
However, if not, I think Viking 7 will be next tire on Tiguan once I get off these Nokian's.


They're different tires. "Better overall" may be the case based on your own usage, but people have different needs. For me, the main priority for a winter tire is how it handles ice, so a studless snowtire (like the Viking or many other options) is a "much better overall tire".

It's a global world though. If you want the 860's, no reason not to get them: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-winter...0635574?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10

Anyone who uses winter tires is using them with priority how they handle snow, ice, slush etc. But overall good tires are the ones that do that, and still keep composure in dry and wet.
Just because tire has for example really good performance in ice, but abysmal in wet, does not make it good performer if you trade one safety aspect for another.
 
Originally Posted by edyvw

Anyone who uses winter tires is using them with priority how they handle snow, ice, slush etc. But overall good tires are the ones that do that, and still keep composure in dry and wet.
Just because tire has for example really good performance in ice, but abysmal in wet, does not make it good performer if you trade one safety aspect for another.


but if that tire is even better on ice than the one that is decent in wet and dry.. does that matter?

I buy winter tires for their winter performance. I can always drive slower in the rain... dont need to go 75mph on a twisty road in a downpour.
but sometimes you might hit that suddenly snow covered road that refroze from blowing wind.. and those tires that are the best in those conditions might save you from an accident.



I realize this wont change your very strong opinions on what are the best tires.. but beating your head on the wall trying to convince 100% of the world that the tires you like best are the best... is somewhat futile. Other people have other priorities.

If they had 2 tires: one is great at everything and one is only great at winter condtions.. yes we know which to buy..
but since 90% or better dont even use winter tires..
I am happy that people dont have baldies on .. its a real issue.

I am not 100% satisfied with my blizzaks(too mushy, bad handling, somewhat poor lateral traction in severe conditons) and will be moving on to something else.. it likely won't be a performance winter tire.. but it could be a studless that is more bias'ed for decent wet and dry handling.

I have sufficient deep/fresh snow traction with the Cherokee trailhawk. Can always use more ice traction, and if the car was better in wet and dry that would be great.. but must have great traction(best available) on ice and that refrozen snot/snow/slush type conditions

So I understand your point, I just dont agree with it 100%. You are allowed to have your own opinion on what tires are best for you.. And everyone else can have their opinion too.
I LOVE the fact that we are getting more and more options. Keep em coming..


P.S. Thank you subLGT for posting up all the new tire availability threads and info.
 
happy2.gif


Maybe Conti is looking to simplify their lineup and consolidate a little.

Originally Posted by Vern_in_IL
Quote
Nordic tread compound


[censored]?


"Nordic compound" typically refers to what we call standard studless winter tiers here. Michelin X-Ice, Nokian R-series, Blizzak WS-series, Cooper True North, Dunlop Winter Maxx, etc.

Then there is the "Alpine compound" or "Central European compound" which means what we call "performance winter tires" here. Examples include Michelin Pilot Alpin, Blizzak LM-series, Pirelli Sottozero, etc
 
These tires sound very interesting, I will probably get another season after this one in on my Nokian R2 SUVs and then be back on the market for winter tires.
The Nokians are generally OK for me, but they are pretty scary when we got the odd warm day when it is not expected (have had stretches of over 70F in mid February the last two years followed by big snowstorms)...the braking just becomes horrendous in the dry.
At least they behave themselves on the highway in more normal winter conditions, I had Blizzaks (DM-V2??) some time ago that were just awful in dry/wet conditions over 55mph no matter what the temp...I ended up having a long commute for about a year while I owned those tires and I remember long stretches where it felt like the car was just floating and I dealt with it because my drive was taking plenty long as it was without me putzing along in the right lane like I was 99 years old.
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
happy2.gif


Maybe Conti is looking to simplify their lineup and consolidate a little.

Originally Posted by Vern_in_IL
Quote
Nordic tread compound


[censored]?


"Nordic compound" typically refers to what we call standard studless winter tiers here. Michelin X-Ice, Nokian R-series, Blizzak WS-series, Cooper True North, Dunlop Winter Maxx, etc.

Then there is the "Alpine compound" or "Central European compound" which means what we call "performance winter tires" here. Examples include Michelin Pilot Alpin, Blizzak LM-series, Pirelli Sottozero, etc

Michelin Pilot Alpin is designated as performance winter tire, period. Michelin Alpin is regular winter tire. Same with LM, Sottozero, Continenta P and new S series.
 
Originally Posted by Rand
Originally Posted by edyvw

Anyone who uses winter tires is using them with priority how they handle snow, ice, slush etc. But overall good tires are the ones that do that, and still keep composure in dry and wet.
Just because tire has for example really good performance in ice, but abysmal in wet, does not make it good performer if you trade one safety aspect for another.


but if that tire is even better on ice than the one that is decent in wet and dry.. does that matter?

I buy winter tires for their winter performance. I can always drive slower in the rain... dont need to go 75mph on a twisty road in a downpour.
but sometimes you might hit that suddenly snow covered road that refroze from blowing wind.. and those tires that are the best in those conditions might save you from an accident.



I realize this wont change your very strong opinions on what are the best tires.. but beating your head on the wall trying to convince 100% of the world that the tires you like best are the best... is somewhat futile. Other people have other priorities.

If they had 2 tires: one is great at everything and one is only great at winter condtions.. yes we know which to buy..
but since 90% or better dont even use winter tires..
I am happy that people dont have baldies on .. its a real issue.

I am not 100% satisfied with my blizzaks(too mushy, bad handling, somewhat poor lateral traction in severe conditons) and will be moving on to something else.. it likely won't be a performance winter tire.. but it could be a studless that is more bias'ed for decent wet and dry handling.

I have sufficient deep/fresh snow traction with the Cherokee trailhawk. Can always use more ice traction, and if the car was better in wet and dry that would be great.. but must have great traction(best available) on ice and that refrozen snot/snow/slush type conditions

So I understand your point, I just dont agree with it 100%. You are allowed to have your own opinion on what tires are best for you.. And everyone else can have their opinion too.
I LOVE the fact that we are getting more and more options. Keep em coming..


P.S. Thank you subLGT for posting up all the new tire availability threads and info.

Wait, this is discussion forum where we discuss winter tires and of course we will discuss probably minuscule differences. It is established long time ago that poor winter tire is much better than best all season tire during winter.
But your argument how you will drive slow, is ridiculous. Most accidents happen actually in home neighborhood and in dry or wet during winter, do you drive 60-80mph on local interstate? Difference in braking in those conditions, especially when it gets warm can be deciding factor. Another issue is that making very good tire in snow and ice is not that hard. However, making tire that is good in snow and ice and then really good in dry and wet is sign of know how of company. When C&D did test of Michelin X-Ice 3 and Nokian, Michelin was only 0.17sec behind on snow covered track. However, there is big disparity between those tires in dry and wet.
 
Every year the Russian website "shinaguide" publishes an overview/summary of the years winter tire testing done by various Scandinavian and Russian magazines. (These tests of cold weather performance are much more comprehensive than what we see in the US from Consumer Reports and Tirerack).

https://shina.guide/press/17310/

In the 2018/2019 season the new VikingContact 7 received the "gold medal", scoring 1st overall in 7 of 9 magazine tests. One Russian magazine (Behind the Wheel) ranked it #2 overall, and one Scandinavian magazine (Teknikens Varld) ranked it #4 overall. Getting the 2018/2019 "silver medal" was the Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2 tire. Getting the 2018/2019 "bronze medal" was the Pirelli Ice Zero FR.
 
Goodyear does not sell the impressive UltraGrip Ice 2 studless tire in the USA, but they are making noises about updating their winter tire line for North America:

Quote
"This is the start of a concentrated focus on enhancing Goodyear's winter portfolio," said Mike Dwyer, Goodyear's North America consumer chief customer officer. "As we look to revitalize our winter line, we are confident that the WinterCommand gives us a strong winter offering that will drive growth in a segment with enormous potential."

Goodyear's latest winter tire, the WinterCommand, is a studdable mid-tier winter tire available available in 54 sizes covering fitments on passenger cars, CUVs, SUVs and light trucks in Q, S or T speed ratings.

The WinterCommand features a proven winter tread compound, specialized winter tread patterns and full depth zig-zag sipes, features that allow it carry the three-peak mountain snowflake designation.

It will have three tread pattern variations, each designed for specific vehicle types for optimal performance.


https://www.rubbernews.com/article/...ll-season-winter-tires-at-dealer-meeting
 
Originally Posted by SubLGT
Goodyear does not sell the impressive UltraGrip Ice 2 studless tire in the USA, but they are making noises about updating their winter tire line for North America:

Quote
"This is the start of a concentrated focus on enhancing Goodyear's winter portfolio," said Mike Dwyer, Goodyear's North America consumer chief customer officer. "As we look to revitalize our winter line, we are confident that the WinterCommand gives us a strong winter offering that will drive growth in a segment with enormous potential."

Goodyear's latest winter tire, the WinterCommand, is a studdable mid-tier winter tire available available in 54 sizes covering fitments on passenger cars, CUVs, SUVs and light trucks in Q, S or T speed ratings.

The WinterCommand features a proven winter tread compound, specialized winter tread patterns and full depth zig-zag sipes, features that allow it carry the three-peak mountain snowflake designation.

It will have three tread pattern variations, each designed for specific vehicle types for optimal performance.


https://www.rubbernews.com/article/...ll-season-winter-tires-at-dealer-meeting

Good Year always had very good winter tires in Europe. Do not understand why they do not bring them here. They have that Ultra Gri SUV and I think that performance Ultra Grip (my neighbor deputy Sheriff has it on patrol car).
But those Viking 7, I am getting that once I wear out Michelin's.
 
https://www.tirereview.com/conti-adds-canola-oil-for-better-winter-tire-grip/

Quote
...The new VikingContact 7, already released in 2018 in the Northern European markets to high accolades in third-party independent comparison testing, will be available to North American tire dealers in the third quarter of 2019. The new design replaces the current 44 sizes of the Continental WinterContact SI and will be available in 91 sizes within the U.S. and Canada (15- to 19-in. rim diameters, 40 to 70 aspect ratios, and speed ratings T and H)...

...In speaking with Dr. Timur Yilkiran, project leader for winter tires and responsible for the development of the company's winter tire line worldwide, he shared that the goal in the new VikingContact 7's development was to design a winter product that balances snow, ice, slush and wet performance. He said the new design offers significantly improved ice braking, noise and dry braking characteristics with similar snow traction and snow handling when compared to the WinterContact SI it is replacing. The compromise to achieve a 7% improvement in ice braking performance (in addition to improved noise and dry braking performance) was a mere 2% reduction in wet braking when compared to the WinterContact SI. And because the WinterContact SI was already a high performer in wet braking by comparison to others in the market, it was seen as a minor tradeoff to achieve such improvements in other areas, said Yilkiran...

...He went on to say that the development goal was to create a tire that can handle all winter conditions, without overemphasizing wet or snow. The result is a well-balanced tire that covers seasonal conditions beyond snowfall alone that performs well in all winter conditions - fresh snow, ice, rain, slush, packed snow and even dry...
 
Originally Posted by SubLGT
https://www.tirereview.com/conti-adds-canola-oil-for-better-winter-tire-grip/

Quote
...The new VikingContact 7, already released in 2018 in the Northern European markets to high accolades in third-party independent comparison testing, will be available to North American tire dealers in the third quarter of 2019. The new design replaces the current 44 sizes of the Continental WinterContact SI and will be available in 91 sizes within the U.S. and Canada (15- to 19-in. rim diameters, 40 to 70 aspect ratios, and speed ratings T and H)...

...In speaking with Dr. Timur Yilkiran, project leader for winter tires and responsible for the development of the company's winter tire line worldwide, he shared that the goal in the new VikingContact 7's development was to design a winter product that balances snow, ice, slush and wet performance. He said the new design offers significantly improved ice braking, noise and dry braking characteristics with similar snow traction and snow handling when compared to the WinterContact SI it is replacing. The compromise to achieve a 7% improvement in ice braking performance (in addition to improved noise and dry braking performance) was a mere 2% reduction in wet braking when compared to the WinterContact SI. And because the WinterContact SI was already a high performer in wet braking by comparison to others in the market, it was seen as a minor tradeoff to achieve such improvements in other areas, said Yilkiran...

...He went on to say that the development goal was to create a tire that can handle all winter conditions, without overemphasizing wet or snow. The result is a well-balanced tire that covers seasonal conditions beyond snowfall alone that performs well in all winter conditions - fresh snow, ice, rain, slush, packed snow and even dry...

I will let you know how they do once I wear out Xi2 on SIenna. I always liked Continental.
 
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https://www.moderntiredealer.com/news/732963/vikingcontact-7-continental-s-new-flagship-winter-tire

Quote
...Why is the Continental VikingContact 7 replacing two tires? Because its performance is superior to the two Continental tires it is replacing -- the WinterContact SI in North America, and the VikingContact 6 in Europe and Russia...

...At the recent launch of the tire in the U.S. and Canada, Dr. Timur Yilkiran compared the VikingContact 7 to the WinterContact SI. He said Continental was targeting three areas for improvement -- ice braking, snow traction and overall handling -- with little or no tradeoffs in other areas....

...The result? The performance of the next generation studless tire was signifcantly better in ice braking. It also was better in dry braking and a little better in snow traction. As a bonus, the tire is less noisy during highway driving.

Snow handling was a wash between the two tires. Only in wet braking was the WinterContact SI superior, and Yilkiran said there was only a 2% difference....

...The company's flagship winter tires are being produced in Korbach, Germany, and Puchov, Slovakia....
 
I might have to get a set for my son to try these out this year. We picked up a 2010 Kia Forte for him from a friend to replace the CRV, 6 years newer and 120k less miles. Hopefully last through rest of college.

About $15 difference per tire currently between the following choices. VikingContact 7, Wintercontact SI, Blizzak WS90, or Altimax Arctic 12.

AA12 was awesome on the CRV, also very impressed with the WC SI on both Sonata and Pilot. I liked the WS80's I had but wore out too fast. WS90 supposed top better from all on here and test results.

Maybe I'll wait until black friday DTD sales and see what deal options are.
 
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