Promoted | The 2019 Black Chili Driving Experience

16:00 Wednesday 3rd July

As we near our final destination, it’s time for our final Continental fact of the trip. Since its inception in 1871, Continental has grown to become one of the world’s top five automotive suppliers – taking its German precision engineering to a global scale. 

And it’s not all about tyres. In fact, tyres form only 28% of Continental’s business today, with the company now making a wealth of automotive products – ranging from the washer jets on the Porsche Boxster’s headlights, through the screens and displays in Audi cars to the air suspension in the Tesla Model S. In fact, you can find Continental products on 273 models from 50 different car brands.

Continental’s engineers are now pioneering work in autonomous mobility and vehicle networking, with the bold aim of Vision Zero (a future without road fatalities) and Clear Power battery and motor technology for hybrid cars.

Will the car of the future even have conventional tyres? You can bet Continental is probably answering that question right now…

15:30 Wednesday 3rd July

James Frecknall and Stuart Brooks – who bonded at work through a shared love of cars – particularly loved the Porsche when they drove it on Tuesday morning. “I just loved the fact that the Porsche loves to be driven,” said James. “It’s a purpose-built sportscar – not too complicated; just simplicity itself.”

James’ opinion was shared by Stuart. “The open roads through the Canjeurs Plateau were the perfect place on which to unleash the Porsche’s brilliance,” he said. “Some cars feel very ‘drive-by-wire’, but you’re not second-guessing the Porsche. It just feels intuitive.”

15:00 Wednesday 3rd July

We’ve got one final car to take a closer look at on our Black Chili Driving Experience – the Porsche Boxster. With 300 horsepower from its 2.0-litre turbo flat four, it’s a true lightweight sportscar that is focused on handling as much as power.

It’s in the corners where the Porsche really delivers. And that’s why it’s fitted with Continental’s ultra-high-performance SportContact™ 6 – a Black Chili tyre which has been designed for the most demanding sportscars and hot hatches. 

The SportContact’s™ Force Vectoring tread pattern features carefully crafted inner and out tread patterns with stiff central ribs and asymmetric grooves that help the tyre to transfer – and therefore resist – lateral forces on the tyre during heavy cornering.

The SportContact™ 6 also contains an advanced Aralon350™ Adaptive Hybrid Cap Ply, which helps the tyre resits the natural ‘growth’ that occurs when it rotates at high speed. High-tech fibres within the tyre’s structure twist together, essentially acting like an extra steel belt to provide extra reinforcement to resist this change of shape.

14:00 Wednesday 3rd July

We’ve now left the Castellane Prealps for the final time, and we’re heading into the Esterel Massif – the coastal mountain range that overlooks the Mediterranean. The red colour of the jagged forest-covered hills in this region comes as a result of the volcanic origin of the rocks.

12:30 Wednesday 3rd July

This is the spectacular Pont de l’Artuby, which spans the 700-metre-deep Gorges du Verdon – right at the point where the Verdon and Artuby rivers blend into one. That’s why they call this the ‘Balcons de la Mescla’ – with ‘mescla’ meaning ‘mix’. 

11:30 Wednesday 3rd July

Fellow hot-hatch-loving friends Philip Sharpe and Brett Morgan certainly fell for the Audi RS3. They got to drive it as their first car of the Continental Black Chili Driving Experience on Monday morning, and the memory still lingers. “The Audi RS3 is an absolute beast,” said Philip. “I normally drive a Volkswagen Golf R, and the Audi is a go-kart that makes my car look like a pedal car. It just goes, and it growls at you.”

Brett also found the Audi RS3 had real animal appeal. “I have a SEAT Leon Cupra 290 Black, so we’re both hot hatch fans,” he said. “The Audi RS3 is absolutely A complete and utter thug. I loved driving it on the early part of the Gorges du Verdon, with the sweeping, curving and dipping corners.”

“That’s where you really notice the benefit of the four-wheel-drive and the Continental tyres under braking” added Philip. “Even as a passenger on those tight and twisty roads, it was amazing how confident you felt in the car.”

11:00 Wednesday 3rd July

The twisty, narrow Col de Vaumale is the perfect road on which to take a look at the Audi RS3. With a 2.5-litre turbo engine that delivers almost 400hp, the Audi RS3 is a hot hatch with genuine attitude. As you’d imagine, it sounds amazing blasting its way along the clifftop roads and tunnels of this thrilling mountain pass.

These are roads on which you need real confidence, and the Audi RS3’s ContiSport Contact™ 5P RO2 tyres were designed to deliver improved braking performance. The Black Chili compound’s short-chain polymers react to the high-frequency vibrations of braking, absorbing the energy and significantly reducing the braking distance in both wet and dry conditions.

And, remember, the RO2 at the end of the ContiSport Contact™ 5P’s name denotes that it has been specially developed in conjunction with Audi – making it a perfect match for car, tyre and road.

10:30 Wednesday 3rd July

This is the Col de Vaumale. Hanging off the southern edge of the Gorges du Verdon, it’s part of the Corniche Sublime – a series of cliff road routes that arc their way across southern France.

07:30 Wednesday 3rd July

The Jaguar I-PACE was a surprise star of the trip for many of our drivers – including Victoria Lamonby and Joshua Rice. “It was totally different to what I expected,” said Victoria. “I thought an electric car would be really boring, but it was amazing to drive and I enjoyed the fact it was so quiet and peaceful. You can play your music at a nice level, or put the windows down and enjoy the sounds of nature from outside.”

“I really enjoyed the Audi RS3,” said Joshua. “It has for the right engine note, and you can really feel the acceleration. The I-PACE is lovely and quiet, but it’s also a nice car in its own right. You put your foot down and you get a real boot in the back.”

07:00 Wednesday 3rd July

This morning’s roads are taking us round the beautiful Lac de Sainte Croix – a man-made lake formed by the construction of a 94-metre-high dam in the 1970s. Holding an astonishing 761 million cubic metres of water, it generates 142 million kWh of energy every year – enough to power a small city of around 240,000 people.

The Continental Black Chili Driving Experience really has been a voyage of discovery for our Autocar readers. None more so than Hannah Wilding and Nathaniel Wells, who – in the last two days – have experienced three very different cars: the BMW M240i, the Jaguar I-PACE and the Mercedes C43 AMG.

“I really enjoyed the I-PACE,” said Hannah. “It was really difficult to know what to expect, but it sounded like a spaceship.”

Nathaniel – who admits that winning his space on the Black Chili Driving Experience was the chance to fulfil his dream road trip holiday – had a soft-spot for the Mercedes C43 AMG. “I absolutely loved the Mercedes,” he said. “The tyres were absolutely brilliant – you could push and feel secure. But it was very hard to keep it to our fuel usage limit for the day!”

06:30 Wednesday 3rd July

It’s the final day of the 2019 Continental Black Chili Driving Experience. We’re following 24 Autocar readers in 12 amazing cars on the best roads in southern France – learning about Continental’s ultra-high-performance Black Chili tyres on the way.

After yesterday’s tour round the scenic foothills of the Castellane Prealps, today’s route takes us back into the heart of the mountain roads. We’re heading east along the southern edge of the of the Gorges du Verdon on the amazing Col de Vaumale. We then arc back down to the Corniche d’Or coastal road to our final halt. 

So, with the drivers ready to head off, this is the ideal chance to catch up on the highlights from Day 2 of our journey.

Live blog: Day 2

16:30 Tuesday 2nd July

We’ve reached the Bastide de Tourtour – today’s overnight halt. Movie fans may recognise this stunning hotel from ‘The Day Of The Jackal’. It’s the hotel in which Edward Fox’s eponymous assassin meets – and seduces – French aristocrat Colette de Montpellier.

16:00 Tuesday 2nd July

As we’re heading back to our evening halt, it’s time for a quick Continental fast fact.  Did you know that one in three vehicles manufactured in Europe leaves the production line on Continental tyres?

14:00 Tuesday 2nd July

Over lunch, we caught up with Jamie Piper and Martin Brown. The pair – who have been climbing buddies and Formula 1 fans for a number of years – spent yesterday with the Audi RS3 in the morning and the BMW M240i in the afternoon. "We actually split the driving half-and-half," said Martin, before adding jealously. "Jamie got the fun stuff around the Gorges du Verdon!"

"The Audi hugged the road so well, it's almost like it was perfectly made for those tyres," said Jamie. "The gravel up the Gorges du Verdon was really scary, but we had real confidence in the tyres. And, when we got to the lavender fields on the other side of the Lac du Saint Croix we really got the chance to open the car up."

"The Audi really is a case of unassuming power," said Martin. "It looks like a runabout car, but it has absolutely incredible performance."

13:00 Tuesday 2nd July

Our lunch halt for today is the stunning Chateau de Trigance – a former medieval castle, now a luxury hotel. As it’s lunchtime, it’s time for another Continental fact. Did you know that Continental can spend up to three years developing a new tyre in partnership with a manufacturer? But that’s time well spent.

Continental has over 1,000 scientists and engineers working at its Engineering Centre in Hanover, while test facilities range from the main Contidrom site outside Hanover to Uvalde in Texas for hot-weather testing and Sweden for cold-weather testing. In a typical year Continental puts 140,000 tyres through 67,000 tests – totalling 100 million miles or 4,000 trips around the world.

That isn’t the end of the proving processes, though. Continental’s tyres are regularly tested by independent organisations, such as Germany industry body ADAC and specialist car magazines. In fact, in 653 independent tests since 2007, Continental’s tyres have received the highest accolade 511 times – a success rate of 78%. Impressive stuff.

12:00 Tuesday 2nd July

The Canjeurs plateau is the perfect backdrop for the Ford Mustang GT. With a five-litre V8 driving all of the Mustang’s 450hp through its rear wheels, it’s a true American muscle car that hasn’t lost any of character on its journey across the pond.

Its Continental ContiSport Contact™ 5P tyres provide all the grip and cornering stability the Mustang needs, thanks to the Black Chili compound and the macro-block tread on the tyre’s outside shoulder. But Continental’s tyres have also been designed to offer another benefit for thirsty performance cars.

When a tyre rotates at speed, low-frequency vibrations resonate through the tyre’s structure. The Black Chili compound’s long-chain polymers absorb this energy, reducing the tyre’s rolling resistance and improving fuel economy on long journeys.

11:30 Tuesday 2nd July

We’ve reached the dry arid landscape that is the Canjeurs plateau – a desert-like plain, sitting at 800m altitude between the Castellane Prealps and the Mediterranean coast. It’s named after ‘Campus Julii’ – the staging post for Julius Caesar’s invasion of Gaul – and has been home to the French military ever since, now boasting one of Europe’s largest military camps.

09:30 Tuesday 2nd July

We’re currently heading past the scenic town of Draguignan – named for the dragon slayed by Saint Hermentaire (if you believe in dragons…). Now a military town, it has been home to the French army’s artillery and infantry schools. This is also the heart of Cotes de Provence wine country – famous for its rosés and spicy full-flavoured reds.

08:30am Tuesday 2nd July

With 400hp and an astonishing 696Nm of torque from its all-electric powertrain, the Jaguar I-PACE is an intriguing look at the performance car formula of the future.  Sporty electric cars such as the I-PACE are placing new and very different demands on tyres, though. 

With a 0-60mph time of around 4.8sec – allied to the engaging handling you’d expect of a Jaguar – the I-PACE needs impressive grip from its tyres. But it also needs low-rolling-resistance for improved electric range. With no engine note, road noise also becomes a factor, and Jaguars are renowned for their silky refinement.

That’s why the I-PACE is running on Continental’s PremiumContact™ 6J tyre, with ContiSilent technology. It uses a polyurethane foam insert to absorb shockwaves. This works in combination with a smoother stiffer tread pattern to reduce road noise, while also lowering the tyre’s rolling resistance – all without compromising its outright grip, cornering stability or driving feel.

Like the classic ‘grace, space and pace’ that defines every Jaguar, Continental’s PremiumContact™6J tyre – which, as the ‘J’ denotes, has been developed in conjunction with Jaguar – really does offer the best of all worlds.

Lifelong friends Laura Bryant and Jennifer Ward spent some time in the Jaguar I-PACE yesterday. "It's an incredibly comfortable ride, but it's incredibly unusual to be driving something with that level of performance without any noise," said Jenny. "You can really tell that the ContiSilent tyres are doing their job, though."

08:00 Tuesday 2nd July

Our first stop on today’s journey is the stunning town of Aups – once called the ‘fortress of the Alps’ thanks to its position as a gateway to the southern Prealps and the Verdon river. Julius Caesar apparently said: "I’d prefer to be the first in Aups than second in Rome" – high praise indeed. This region is also famous for its black truffles, worth up to €2,000 per kilo.

07:30 Tuesday 2nd July

Over breakfast, we caught up with a few of our Autocar drivers to find out what they’ve thought of the Continental Black Chili Driving Experience so far. 

Brothers Michael and Robert Errington were behind the wheel of the Mercedes C43 AMG on Monday morning. “The Mercedes was absolutely brilliant,” said Robert. “I normally drive a Clio, so it’s a big jump for me. But the Mercedes felt really brilliant – really comfortable to drive, considering the power and performance. And, knowing all about the Continental tyres gave you really confidence when you put your foot down.

Cousins Sebastien Jarno and Adam Pawson – enjoying their family passion for road trips – spent the morning in the Ford Mustang GT. “I did the bulk of the driving in the Mustang, and it was the perfect car with the perfect sound for these roads,” said Adam. “It really baits you to make a bit of noise. I’d previously done the Route Napoleon on a motorbike, so it was really nice to be able to do it in a car. And the tyres gave you loads of confidence to put a bit of power down.” 

Sebastian – who normally drives Nissan Navara – did most of the driving on the beautiful Gorges du Verdon in the Porsche. “The Porsche was the car I was really looking forward to driving,” he said. “It was perfectly matched for the Gorges du Verdon. I loved all the switchbacks, and the tyres were really grippy – especially when you’re going round tight, narrow corners and you’ve got a car coming the other way. That’s the moment where you really need confidence in your tyres!”

06:30 Tuesday 2nd July

Welcome to day two of the 2019 Continental Black Chili Driving Experience. We’re in southern France with 12 amazing cars and 24 Autocar readers, finding out about Continental’s high-performance Black Chili tyres on the way.

After taking in the stunning Route Napoleon and Gorges du Verdon on Monday, today’s route heads west across the Castellane Prealps’ scenic foothills through some of the most beautiful towns and driving roads this region has to offer. But, before we get started, here are a few highlights from Day 1 of the Black Chili Driving Experience.

Live blog: Day 1

16:30 Monday 1st July

We’ve reached the stunning Bastide du Calalou in the hillside town of Moissac-Bellevue, and the end of our first day of the Black Chili Driving Experience. Check back tomorrow for more from our amazing road trip – including an inside look at two very different performance cars.

15:30 Monday 1st July

As we’re heading south to our final halt of the day, it’s time to remind ourselves of just how pioneering Continental has been since it was founded in 1871. 

Continental first started making pneumatic tyres in 1898, but it was also pioneering its technology in the early days of aviation – making balloon fabric for German airships and the wings for Louis Bleriot’s English Channel-crossing record in 1909. Around the same time, it pioneered the idea of tread patterns, as well as developing riveted anti-skid tyres – the pioneer for today’s modern studded winter tyres.

14:30 Monday 1st July

We spent the amazing Gorges Du Verdon following in the wheel-tracks of two of our Autocar readers in the impressive BMW M240i.

With 340 horsepower from its three-litre turbo engine, it blends performance and style in equal measure. But it’s no good having all that power, without the confidence that your tyre is there to back you up when things go wrong – especially on the twisty and windy roads we’ve driven this week.

Continental has developed two technologies to help limit the threat and hassle of punctures. ContiSeal technology plugs any small holes created when sharp objects puncture the surface in order to keep the tyre inflated. It even keeps working if the sharp object should become dislodged.

The ContiSport Contact 5P tyres on this BMW also feature Continental’s advanced Self-Supporting Run Flat technology. It uses a reinforced sidewall to prevent the tyre from fully deflating in the event of a more serious puncture. This makes driving safer, and replacing the tyre even easier. 

It’s yet another way in which Continental’s Black Chili tyres have got your back, giving you even more confidence on the road.

13:30 Monday 1st July

We're now heading into the Gorges du Verdon – one of the most spectacular driving roads in Europe. The Jurrasic limestone has been shaped over 56 million years by glaciers and water into a valley that is up to 700m deep in places. At 21km in length, this is the second biggest canyon in the world – truly earning it the title ‘the Grand Canyon of Europe’.

At the base is the Verdon river – named for its startling turquoise green colour. With narrow clifftop paths and a smooth road surface, this is a route on which confidence in your tyres really matters. Luckily Continental’s Black Chili tyres have been designed to offer the ultimate levels of grip and handling confidence. 

12:30 Monday 1st July

We've reached the town of Palad sur Verdon in the heart of the Castellane Prealps – the entry point for the iconic Gorges du Verdon – and it's time for lunch. What a view.

11:30 Monday 1st July

We’ve reached the lovely town of Castellane – which translates literally as ‘fortified rock village’. In the background is the Roc itself, soaring 930m over the town. The Pont du Roc bridge carries the Sisteron-to-Venice road across the Verdon river.

10:30 Monday 1st July

We’ve hit the Route Napoleon – one of France’s most famous driving roads. Stretching from Antibes on the French Riviera to Grenoble on the northern edge of the Alps, it marks the path taken by Monsieur Bonaparte on his return from exile in Elba in 1815. It truly fulfils its reputation for being an incredible road to drive. And, as this is one of the least populated areas in all of France, we’ve got it all to ourselves. Perfect.

09:30 Monday 1st July

With 367bhp from its 3.0-litre V6, the Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG is a real beast. Luckily, it has been fitted with ContiSport Contact™ 5P MO tyres to tame that power. The Black Chili compound grips the road, while a sophisticated macro-block pattern on the outside tread delivers a larger contact patch for better cornering stability.

In case you were wondering, the ‘MO’ after the ContiSport Contact™ 5P means that this tyre was developed directly in partnership with Mercedes-Benz – a process that can take up to three years of research, design and testing. The end result, though, is a tyre that has been optimised perfectly for Mercedes-Benz performance models.

Before we leave the Mercedes C43 AMG, a quick Mercedes-related fact. Did you know that 50% of Mercedes-Benz vehicles leave their factory on Continental tyres?

08:30 Monday 1st July

We’re in the heart of Tour de France country, so it’s time for a cycling-related Black Chili fact. Did you know that Continental’s Black Chili compound was pioneered in the world of top-level bicycle racing?

A road tyre contact patch can be as small as a smartphone, and is even smaller on a competition bicycle’s thin tyres. Pro-cyclists demand ultra-high grip for confidence on fast downhill sections, as well as low rolling resistance for long uphill slogs. Black Chili was developed to deliver the best of both, and the advanced compound was then deemed perfect for high-performance road car tyres.

07:30 Monday 1st July

Welcome to the 2019 Continental Black Chili Driving Experience. We’re in southern France with 12 amazing cars and 24 Autocar readers for the road-trip of a lifetime. Over the next three days, we’ll be live-blogging our journey across some of Europe’s most scenic and challenging roads in a quest to learn more about Continental’s tyre technology.

Just in case you need a quick reminder as to how we picked our 24 Autocar readers, here are the highlights from the qualifying day at Mercedes-Benz World.

Today’s route takes us north into the Castellane Prealps, tackling two of France’s most famous roads: the Route Napoleon and the Gorges du Verdon. Our drivers have been briefed, and given challenges to complete along the route, so, it’s time for our first Black Chili fact of the day.

Did you know that Black Chili is named for the way chili embeds itself and sticks into the pores of your tongue? Its micro-flexible compound helps the tyre flex and mould itself to tiny undulations in the road surface, while microscopic bonds act like little suction pads – just like a gecko’s feet – for maximum grip and adhesion. Cool, eh?

To find out more about Continental’s high-performance tyres and the Black Chili compound, head to continental-tyres.co.uk/car/​