Continental ExtremeContact Force vs Falken Azenis RT660: We have covered the semi-slick track day tires segment quite a bit with the introduction of Bridgestone Potenza Race & also the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS. We made a comparison between the newly launched Potenza RE-71RS and its predecessor to show the improvement gains of the new product. Now we would like to pair another premium competitor, Continental ExtremeContact against one of its segment rivals, Falken’s Azenis RT660. We will go through both wet & dry surfaces with various objective & subjective tests and also a comfort test. Azenis RT660 was launched in 2019 and has been known for its strong dry performances. In the meantime ExtremeContact Force was launched in North America in 2021 with the main focus on track day performances.
Table of Contents
Results
Results below were taken from the tire rack’s “Testing Extreme Performance Summer Tires 2021” test. A total of 4 tires were tested this time around in Tire Rack’s own proving ground. The graph below shows the comparison between Continental ExtremeContact Force vs Falken Azenis RT660 based on the relevant performance category. The ExtremeContact Force was set as a reference hence at the 100% mark. Note that for subjective comfort evaluation, we equate 1 point as 5%. Hence for example if tire A is graded 7 while tire B is graded 6, A is better than B by 5%.
The tire size of interest is a 245/40R18 which is a common tire size for Audi A4 & Mercedes-Benz C 200 Amg Line. You can check out our latest tire size table for more information. The testing vehicle for this tire test is a 2020 BMW F36 430i Gran Coupe.
Dry
When it comes down to track day performance tires, you immediately connect to a picture of a “racing car” driving at the limit on a race track. This is exactly what these tires are all about, they are trying to optimize their dry track performances while balancing the wet legal trade off. Azenis RT660 has an advantage in dry baking as it managed to out brake ExtremeContact Force by 2.5 feet (0.76m). This distance is huge as every braking point in the lap accumulates over a race not to mention it will also enable better overtaking opportunities.
While in the dry handling area, both tires were equally matched as Azenis RT660 only slightly edged ExtremeContact Force by 0.05 seconds. Both tires scored almost the same in subjective terms with a rating 8.97/10 for Azenis RT660 and 8.93/10 for ExtremeContact Force but the devil is in the details. Below is some of the feedback from the test driver.
Azenis RT660:
Not only did the Azenis RT660 set the fastest lap time, it also tied for the top score from our drivers. The quick, precise steering made the front end feel alive and eager, lending an athleticism to the vehicle that the other tires couldn’t quite match. Some slight rear-end rotation was easily usable to help the vehicle turn, and the solid lateral grip and confident braking behavior completed the on-track package
Test driver feedback on Azenis RT660
ExtremeContact Force:
The ExtremeContact Force provided exceptional steering characteristics, even among this incredibly talented group. The combination of weight, precision, responsiveness, and feel were as close to ideal as our team could ask for. Every motion felt smooth, fluid, and intuitive, like the vehicle was an extension of the driver. When driving the ExtremeContact Force, our testers could make the car rotate at will; it was nimble through the slalom; and it was poised and balanced around the long, steady-state left hand turn of our skid pad. Our team’s only minor concern was that if the driver tried to lean on the outside front tire too hard, it felt as if it was “rolling over” on itself and pushing a bit more than the other tires here. Avoid overdriving the front end, though, and the experience was sublime.
Test driver feedback on ExtremeContact Force
Overall Azenis RT660 had a better dry braking performances while having the best subjective feeling tire in the test.
Azenis RT660 :
- +3.4% in dry braking
- +0.2% in dry handling (subj)
- +0.2% in dry handling (lap time)
Wet
The friction of coefficient of the tire/road dramatically decreases in wet roads compared to dry roads. Hence it is more likely to get into a road accident during wet conditions rather than on a sunny day. It was so important that the EU label has wet braking as one of its three criteria. With regards to our comparison, Azenis RT660 had the lead in wet braking by stopping 6.5 feet (2m) earlier than ExtremeContact Force.
While in wet handling, Azenis RT660 maintained its advantage by being 0.5 second faster compared to ExtremeContact Force. For the subjective rating, Azenis RT660 was rated slightly higher with 7.53/10 points compared to a lower 7.25/10 of ExtremeContact Force. Overall in the wet category, Azenis RT660 has a clear advantage in wet performances.
Azenis RT660 :
- +5.2% in wet braking
- +1.4% in wet handling (subj)
- +1.5% in wet handling (lap time)
Noise/Comfort/Ride Quality
Ride comfort, noise & comfort was tested and both the tires were quite close to each other. ExtremeContact Force came out slightly ahead at 6.83/10 rating compared to the 6.42/10 rating of Azenis RT660.
Azenis RT660 :
- -2.1% in average of Noise, Comfort & Ride Quality.
UTQG rating
We have previously shown that UTQG tread wear rating can be a good indication of your expected mileage. Below are the UTQG values of both of the tirelines.
| Brand | Tireline | Size | Tread Wear | Traction | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental | ExtremeContact Force | All | 200 | A | A |
| Falken | Azenis RT660 | All | 200 | A | A |
Both tires form the now standard 200 UTQG tread wear rating track day tire segment. As the tires are used for people who frequently visit the track, it makes absolute sense to not provide any mileage warranty. With the same UTQG tread wear rating, we expect both tires to have a similar expected mileage. For more in depth information about UTQG, please check out this article here. We even have a free download on the latest UTQG values from the leading tire manufacturers.
Price
Continental ExtremeContact Force being the premium brand cost 38 dollars more compared to Azenis RT660
Tire size: 245/40R18
ExtremeContact Force: $277
Azenis RT660: $239
Difference: -16% more cheaper for Azenis RT660.
Summary
Looking into the overall package, Azenis RT660 excels clearly in dry & wet performances while having a relatively low price point. ExtremeContact Force on the other hand was only better in noise/comfort. If you are looking for an all out track day tire with absolute dry performance, Azenis RT660 is clearly your best choice !