A clad wire for producing test needles or sliding contacts is provided herein, the clad wire having a wire core made of rhodium or a rhodium-based alloy, an inner cladding made of copper or silver or aluminum or a copper-based alloy or a silver-based alloy or an aluminum-based alloy, wherein the inner cladding covers or completely encloses the wire core on at least two opposite sides, an adhesion-promoting layer made of gold or a gold-based alloy, which is arranged between the wire core and the inner cladding, and an outer cladding made of a metal or a metal alloy having a greater hardness than the inner cladding, wherein the outer cladding encloses the inner cladding. A method for producing a clad wire and to a test needle having at least one clad wire or produced from a clad wire and a test needle array is also provided herein.