I've been a fan of the Conti RA3 tires for several years now. The feel seemed just right going into a turn, holding the line, and later going straight they held that as well without requiring corrections. I suppose the best thing you can say about a set of tires is when you don't think of them at all when going into high-speed turns. Another advantage to Continental tires is the road hazard warranty that comes with the tire purchase.
I did find it interesting to note the difference between the RA3 and the new RA4.
As they said in the article, you'll never find out who competitor 1 and 2 are. Probably some artistic license used there.

What I do get out of the graph, is the difference between the RA3 and the RA4 is minimal. So if the tire price ends up going much higher for the RA4, it would probably be wise to pick up some RA3 tires and keep them in the garage.
I have to put in a plug through for the Bridgestone T32 tires. As much as I've liked the Conti RA3 in the past...I like the T32 tires even more. Wet and dry grip are great. The feel is perfect. And the smoothness on the road brings a smile to my face. At at least $40 less for the rear tire alone, I'm going to the Bridgestones in the future. I don't feel like I'm giving up anything by using the T32s.
Chris