These look very promising.
Very good review here, saying pretty much it's most of the
way from a Conti DW to a Michelin PSS in performance.
http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticl...act-Sport.aspx

My backstory on this is as follows:

I have 16 inch wheels and have used 205/50/16 tires for 14 years on my MINI.
I loved the Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Positions that I got
when the Cooper was new, even though they were on the heavy
and stiff side of the spectrum.
My next tires were Dunlop Sport Maxx, which were a step down
in performance, but still quite adequate.
My current tires are Continental ExtremeContact DW, which are
a little soft in response and have very good but not great dry
performance, and outstanding wet performance, and are light
and have a very nice ride.
One of them has a pretty big plug repair, they're halfway worn down,
and have gotten a bit noisy with wear, and they're no longer
made in 205/50/16, in fact, there are currently NO max performance
summer tires in 205/50/16 on Tire Rack, so I'm drawn toward:

Firestone Indy 500 - available in 205/50/16, but a step down
in category from my previous max performance summer tires,
and they're Firestones (not an inspiring brand for performance),
but they seem to test incredibly well for an ultra high performance
tire, at the head of the pack, above the BFG G-Force Sport Comp-2.

Or the new Conti ExtremeContact Sport in 205/55/16.
I've always said if they made the Michelin SPP in a 16 size
for the MINI, I'd jump for it. I'm pretty happy with the DW,
and I think I'd be significantly happier with the Sport.

Also in the running would be the Yokohama Advan Sport V105,
but I'm thinking I'd favor the new Conti EC Sports over these.

Anyone have any experience or thoughts on this.

The eminent arrival of Spring has given me a little bit of the
old summer tire fever.

By the way, they also make the Conti ExtremeContact Sport in
205/45/17 and 215/45/17.

 

I'm pretty much set on this model in a 215/45R17. I'd have bought them already, but I'm waiting for the wheels they'll be wrapping to arrive first. Whoever gets a set first, please share your experience!

--Matt

 

I have Conti Extreme Contact DWs, and I absolutely love them. Quiet, light, incredibly grippy, and smooth ride. Wet driving incredible but Snow is an absolutely No Go.

 

I've been in the same boat as you in regards to my 16 rims on my R53. You can go with another size to give you better options, (215 45 Z16) those will give you the same height but will go from 7.7in to 8.5 in, which will give you just a tab bit more meat on the road. I wanted more choice, so I've decided to go with 205 45 16, picking these up on Friday:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...045WR6GFC2ASXL

I've had the ExtremeContact on my Jaguar, great ride, quiet but a little bit soft in the cornering.

 

Update:
Ordered 4 of the Conti E.C. Sports in 205/55/16.
Will put them on in a few weeks when the
14 day weather forecast says it's ok to do so.

 

Those are like 1.2 inches taller than the OEM

I actually changed my size to 205/50/16. Check out the tire size comparison tool:

https://tiresize.com/comparison/

Tirerack let me change my original order size, (205/45/16), it was a little smaller in diameter than stock. The size you posted, (205/50/16) seems like a better fit.

 

FYI: If you are just looking for extreme performance tires on TR, there are tons:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireS...earDiameter=17

I know at the end of the link, it says "17", but they are actually 16's once you go to the link...

 

205/55/16 has diameter of 24.9" compared to 195/55/16 stock at 24.4" and 205/50/16 is
shorter than stock at 24".
So 205/55/16 is 1/2" taller, which means 1/4" less clearance at the top, and an extra 1/4" at the bottom as well.


There are 3 extreme performance tires in 205/50/16, 9 UHP, and 0 max performance.
I'm changing to 205/55/16 because there is a much better choice of tires there.
I had considered 215/45/16 or 215/50/16, but the choices there are even fewer.
205/45/16 is shorter than I'd want to go at 23.2".

 

The May 2017 issue of Grassroots Motorsports has an article (Taking Street Tires to the Max)
testing the Conti ExtremeContact Sport vs the Michelin PSS on a Miata (pp 134-138)
and the Conti did extremely well, especially in wet testing.
Don't have a link to the article, but if you subscribe, you can see it online with their app
or pick up a copy on the stands.

 

From Tire Rack's website:

Note:: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.

Is this compound cracking unique to the EC Sport or is this just CYA language? I already know it's bad practice to take max performance summer tires in near-freezing temperatures.

 

Several extreme performance summer tires have the same warning.
This is the first max performance summer tire I've seen having this warning.
Some rubber compounds get brittle and are prone to cracking at low temperatures.

The Michelin PSS did a little better on the skidpad and in autocross, but the
Conti did a little better on the dry track, and way, way better on the wet track, and
was more forgiving and easier to drive near the limit.

 

fyi, continental is doing 70 mail in rebate on a set of 4 tires until mid may
Ive used them for a few changes now, first set i used were the DWS 205 45 17 - either i didnt realize DW were available at the time or they werent, not sure which
I am running a set of DW now 205 45 17, and they are about ready to need replacing.
I was looking for something wider-looks like all offered for this tire that may work is a 215 45 17 or 225 45 17 ( this looks to be close to stock 205 55 16 size) but lowered im thinking its no good
225 40 17/235 40 17 is what im looking for just not much selection

 

I might be ordering these!

 

Thanks for the review.

 

Thanks! I wasn't aware of the rebate and I just bought 4 of the DWS06's.

 

Too bad the rebate dates start after I bought mine.

 

Well, last day of the rebate time frame. My wheels haven't come yet, but I pulled the trigger on a set of these in 215/45R17. We'll see how they do

--Matt

 

I've had mine on for a week and I'm very impressed.
I previously had the Conti EC DW in 205/50/16, and got the Conti EC Sport in 205/55/16.
Despite the higher sidewall and running them at 34-36 (I had the DW at 36-38 to overcome
the soft steering response), they have much better steering response, although not super
sharp like an extreme performance tire or a runflat. Dry handling is great, and they
are very quiet and about as comfortable as the DW. I haven't had any rain to test
them in yet, but they're supposed to be even better than the DW in light rain, and almost
as good in heavy rain. They stick out from the rim more at the bead area than their
predecessor, so less risk of curb rash to the wheels.

 

I am now running the ContiProContact SSR on all three of mine, I really like them and after a day of HPDE at lime Rock Park I know just how much they can take and when they break loose, what a great tire.


Very good ride, very low noise, and takes a beating and keeps on rolling.


I should also mention I'm running 205/45 17s

Motor On!