Cat paws and spider webs

When optimizing the distribution of tire forces on the road, our tire engineers drew inspiration from the wonders of nature.

For the tire's contour, they took the well-known model of the cat's paw and advanced that technology with the aid of extensive test procedures. When a cat stops suddenly, its paw widens as it brakes, which transmits more power to the ground than when the cat is running normally, or in our case, if the car were driving normally. We have been able to enhance this performance characteristic by applying our new Advanced Mold Concept (AMC) to the contour of the tire. The ContiSportContact 2 enlarges more than average during a braking maneuver and which causes more rubber to make contact with the surface, which in turn shortens the braking distance.

The new bionic tread compound is also responsible for optimized grip (adhesion between the tire and the road surface).

A spider's web is one of nature's most flexible constructions. Structural threads running from the edges towards the center provide great stability, while the catching threads running around the web ensure the necessary flexibility and grip.

Applying this theory to a tire, we developed a compound containing two carefully matched networks, each of which has its own job to do. We call this network the "BiNet." The flexible network provides maximum grip with the road surface, while the firm network delivers the necessary stiffness for the tire's handling characteristics and driving precision.

With the popularity of powerful performance cars in North America comes the need to transmit that engine power to the road - safely and efficiently - through each tire's postcard-sized contact patch. The ContiSportContact 2's special contour enables the contact patch to become wider during braking, which shortens the braking distance, while its compound is both flexible and firm.