The ContiPremiumContact 5 summer tyre took first place in the latest issue of the specialist publication “auto motor und sport” (ams, issue 7/2014). The testers were particularly pleased with its “top deceleration and cornering stability on wet and dry roads” and “high safety margins.” The experts tested a total of 11 tyre models in size 205/55 R 16 V, and the test vehicle was a Golf VII. The summer tyres came from European, American, and Asian tyre manufacturers. Second place was awarded to the new Uniroyal RainSport 3, which “did not allow any slip-ups” on wet roads and demonstrated “respectably stable cornering and evasive maneuverability” on dry asphalt as well.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the ams tyre tests, the editorial team evaluated all tests conducted and declared one premium brand to be the “overall winner in 50 years of tyre tests.” “Looking at the test winners over the years, Continental comes out on top,” the editors concluded. The tyres developed in Hanover received 87 points in the “best of the best” list, with second place going to an Italian tyre brand with 81 points. The editors allocated three points for each test victory in the past 50 years, two points for a second-place ranking, and one point for third place. Since 1964, ams has awarded Continental tyres 15 first, 16 second, and ten third places. This means that the summer and winter tyres marked with the horse have stood on the ams “winners’ platform” 41 times in the last 50 years.
As well as looking at well-known brands in the tyre industry, the ams test team also highlighted the performance of two cheap tyres from the Far East. Both models failed due to their poor performance on wet roads, gaining a test result of “Not recommended.”