If our car is slowing down after some years of use, could changing something as simple as the tires make an improvement on its performance? Well, there is not usually a good way to figure this out, as even if we compare most cars a few years apart the manufacturers will have made enough changes to the specs that the comparison will be unfair. But regardless, this test can be a fun way to really remind drivers of the importance of having the correct tires and to change them regularly.
The test we will be examining in this article was performed using a 6th-generation Volkswagen GTI (Mark 6) and an 8th-generation GTI (Mark 8). The cars have distinct mechanical differences as they are several years apart, meaning the Mark 8 has significantly more power, torque, and advanced tech, including a lightning-fast dual-clutch transmission (DSG). The Mark 6, on the other hand, relies on a manual transmission and is lighter but less powerful. The winner should be (and probably is) clear, after all the Mark 8 is newer and objectively better, but the twist is that the older car gets modern tires, while the newer one is fitted with tires designed during the Mark 6’s era (still new and never been used, just produced a with the technology of few years ago).
The tires used on the Mark 6 are the Continental’s ExtremeContact Sport 02 launched in 2022 and the Mark 8 will get Continental’s ExtremeContact DW, first released in 2009 and still sold in some markets. Both share the same size and treadwear rating (340), making this a direct comparison of technology advancements over two generations. Testing took place at Continental’s proving grounds in Germany, covering wet and dry handling, as well as wet and dry braking.
How important are new tires on a vehicle?
Wet Handling
Wet grip has seen huge advancements in tire technology in the past few years, so this is a key metric. The test involved a 1.8-kilometer track with consistent water flow, and the Mark 8 on older tires completed the course in 83.6 seconds. The Mark 6 managed to make it much faster, in just 79.6 seconds highlighting the grip advantage of modern tire technology.
Dry Handling
The dry handling test used part of a 3.8-kilometer circuit designed to push cars to their grip limits. Here, the Mark 8 on older tires clocked a segment time of 54.4 seconds, while the Mark 6 on modern tires managed 53.93 seconds. Though the gap was smaller than in the wet, the older car with better tite technology still came out ahead.
Braking
The wet braking test measured stopping distances from 80 km/h to 0. The Mark 8 on older tires averaged 32.12 meters, while the Mark 6 on modern tires stopped in just 27.16 meters. Dry braking was tested going from 100 km/h to 0. The Mark 8 on older tires stopped in 38.14 meters, while the Mark 6 on modern tire technology needed only 34.89 meters.
Whilst obviously these tests are not the end all be all of driving experiences, they do give insights into what good use of technology can do, by making the new car run on old tires the difference between the Mark 8 and the Mark 6 was made almost irrelevant. To truly demonstrate this, the Mark 8 was also fitted with modern tires and redid the tests. In wet braking, it stopped in 25.2 meters compared to 27.2 meters on the Mark 6 thanks to the car’s advanced braking system and for the dry handling test the Mark 8 completed the segment in 52.5 seconds which was 1.4 seconds faster than the Mark 6 on the same tires.
This is not to say that a newer more powerful car will not make a difference, but if you want to change one thing in your car to make it better, consider updating its tires, you might be surprised at the difference.
