According to TireRack.com, the ExtremeContact DW has one of the best Hydroplaning Resistance ratings out of all of its competitors. In addition, a lot of tires with similar or slightly better dry traction, steering response, or cornering stability have far worse ride quality and tread wear ratings ran the DW. These tires tend to have larger tread blocks and look and behave more like racing slicks in nature. Because of this design, they often have far worse hydroplaning resistance and wet traction. The DW has better hydroplaning resistance, wet traction, ride quality, noise, tread wear, dry traction, and similar cornering stability and steering response as the OEM-equipped ContiSport Contact 3.
There is almost always a tradeoff when looking at a performance tire, but the DW is at or near the top of every category and is one of the best all-around tires on the market. For our daily driven E90 M3, this perfectly fits the bill for performance, comfort, and quiet operation.
The ExtremeContact DW (DW for Dry & Wet) is Continental Tire’s Max Performance Summer tire developed for the drivers of sports cars, sports coupes and performance sedans. The specially engineered tread design maximizes traction and road contact in dry and wet conditions, along with excellent cornering stability and responsiveness without sacrificing tread life and a comfortable ride. Like all summer tires, the ExtremeContact DW is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.
The front 245/35-19 DW features three main water channels with a smaller fourth in the outer tread block for increased dry performance due to more volume on the outer shoulder of the tire.
The wider 265/35-19 rear DW features an additional fourth main water channel and an additional third center rib for both increased wet and dry performance while maintaining the narrower fifth water channel in the outer tread block for increased dry cornering performance while the transverse grooves improves water evacuation for better wet performance.ExtremeContact DW tires feature an asymmetric design with chamfered tread blocks and a continuous, outboard notched intermediate rib to enhance responsiveness and cornering stability. Continuous center ribs reduce noise and provide constant rubber-to-road contact to control the longitudinal forces experienced when braking. A high void-to-tread ratio with open outboard lateral grooves, wide circumferential tread grooves and notched shoulder blocks on the inboard intermediate rib and shoulder help disperse water to enhance hydroplaning resistance and wet weather traction.
The ExtremeContact DW features Tuned Performance Indicators – visible letters molded into the second rib from the outboard shoulder to alert drivers of the tire’s performance levels. A visible “DW” indicates the tire has sufficient tread depth for dry and most wet road conditions and after the “W” has worn away, the remaining “D” indicates the tire has appropriate tread depth for dry conditions only.Dynamic temperature distribution technology also reduces tread distortion and improves treadwear and rolling resistance, extending tread life. The tire’s internal structure includes twin steel belts that are reinforced with spirally wound joint less nylon cap plies to provide long-term integrity under high speed conditions while reducing weight and helping to provide more uniform ride quality.
