With a history dating back to the 1870s, German tyre brand Continental is now just one subsidiary of the Continental Rubber Group. It produces tyres for everything from small hatchbacks to top-flight supercars, and also owns a variety of other, less well-known tyre brands, including Semperit and Uniroyal, as well as economy brands Barum from the Czech Republic and the Portuguese make, Mabor.

Continental tyres are among the highest performing currently available, and offer excellent grip and handling in both wet and dry conditions. This has made them popular standard-fit equipment on a variety of sports cars, and they are widely available both online and on the high street.

Semperit, an Austrian tyre maker now wholly owned by Continental, is pitched as a mid-range offering, but also offers high performance in the wet and dry.

Mid-range brand Uniroyal made a name for itself manufacturing tyres that excelled in wet conditions, and may prove a good choice for drivers who have to replace all four tyres in one go and can't quite stretch to a top-end product. 

Budget brand Barum is a relative unknown in the UK tyre market, and is a budget choice. Despite this, it offers reasonably balanced performance, though some models have shown slight weakness when it comes to braking in the wet.