Continental’s ExtremeContact Sport landed in 2017 and quickly became a go-to UHP tire for drivers who wanted daily livability with some track headroom. Its 2022 successor, the ExtremeContact Sport 02, pushes that brief further.
We re-tested the tire at BMW Performance Center West in Thermal, California, during the Indian Wells tournament. A full day of hot laps, autocross, and wet-surface work in several BMWs (M240i, M2, M3, M4, Z4) showed a tire with strong grip, clear feedback, and steady behavior across changing conditions—without beating you up on the street.
Here are five reasons we like the ExtremeContact Sport 02.
1. Balanced grip for street and track
Continental set out to build a tire that performs on both wet and dry pavement — and they’ve nailed it. Thanks to the brand’s SportPlus™ Technology and Tuned Performance Indicators, the Sport 02 manages to strike that delicate balance between great grip and a comfortable daily tire.
On dry pavement, the Sport 02 immediately feels planted and easy to trust. Steering inputs translate cleanly into the front tires, and there’s plenty of grip through fast corners without any twitchiness. When we drove some M cars recently on some mountain roads, what surprised us most was how civil it felt — smooth, quiet, and composed.
2. Dry handling and feedback
On the autocross course it stayed stable under hard braking and gave linear, easy-to-read feedback through transitions. Corner exits had enough traction to go to power early without chasing rear slide. Versus the first-gen Sport we tested about five years ago, the gains show up most in dry—especially lateral—grip. Wet traction and noise are better too, and treadwear looks improved. The gap to Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4S is largely closed; the Sport 02 now feels like a peer rather than a half-step behind.
Where I feel the Continentals actually edge the Michelins is steering response. On an M3, initial turn-in was so immediate it surprised me—I had to make a small correction just turning into another street. It’s that sharp on-center.
3. Wet confidence
The day’s second round of testing took place on Continental’s wet skid pad with the BMW M3/M4 and M8 Coupe. Despite pushing the steering angle quite a bit, the Sport 02 proved itself exceptionally composed in the wet, combining strong lateral grip with impressive hydroplaning resistance.
The tire’s contact patch felt consistent, allowing for smooth weight transfer even when pushing through puddles. It also delivered excellent braking performance — stopping distances were short and controllable, and the tires offered a predictable slip transition rather than a sudden loss of traction.
4. Value and fitment
It’s offered in 77 sizes from 15 to 21 inches, covering most modern BMWs, including M cars. Pricing undercuts top-tier rivals while delivering similar real-world performance, and the improved wear means you’re not torching a set after a couple hard days. I also prefer the Sport 02’s fitment to the Michelin in the same sizes—the sidewall looks squarer and less “stretched.” Grip is strong, road noise stays low, and as a bonus these Continentals are among the lightest from the major brands—about a pound (or more) lighter per corner than comparable options.
5. Consistency over a session
Heat management is solid. Over repeated laps, grip and steering feel stayed steady instead of fading after a few hot runs. That consistency makes the tire easier to trust—whether you’re at a track day or just pushing on a back road. By day’s end, the M3 drift cars at BMW Performance Center West were trying to finish off a set of rears, but it took multiple hard sessions to scrub them down.
