2017 AMS Summer UHP Tire Test

Test Summary
Wet Braking	Pirelli P Zero PZ4
Dry Braking	Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Wear	Michelin Pilot Sport 4
Rolling Resistance	Continental Premium Contact 6
Noise	Pirelli P Zero PZ4
Snow Handling	Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Toyo Proxes Sport Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 Falken Azenis FK510 Hankook Ventus S1 evo2

For 2017, Auto Motor und Sport have tested ten 245/45 R18 ultra high performance tires using a BMW 3 Series Estate.

This test is the first time the new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 and Continental Premium Contact 6 have appeared in the same test, which should give us some interesting data about the two big rivals.

Wet

Over the previous few years, Continental have been the masters of the wet testing, but this time the wet tests were largely dominated by Michelin. The French manufacturer won the all important wet braking and wet handling tests, scored well in the wet circle and straight aquaplaning tests, but showed weakness in the curved aquaplaning test, finishing ninth of ten.

The new Continental could only manage third overall in wet braking, and sixth overall in wet handling. Like the Michelin, the Continental struggled in aquaplaning tests, finishing last overall in curved aquaplaning.

Dry

Pirelli and Michelin traded first and third position for the two key dry tests. Michelin won the dry braking, with Pirelli in third, and Pirelli posted the fastest dry lap time, with Michelin third.

Continental comparatively struggled again, fourth in dry braking, and could only match its wet handling result, finishing sixth fastest in dry handling.

Under rolling resistance testing, the Continental proved best, a long way ahead of second place Vredestein. Michelin could only take seventh in this test, leading the testers to hypothesise Continental have traded too much rolling resistance in improved tread wear for wet grip.

The full results are below. Auto Motor und Sport weight the scores 50% wet, 40% dry and 10% rolling resistance / noise.

Results

Click here to view Results as a single table and adjust the score weighting based on your own driving needs!

1st: Michelin Pilot Sport 4
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 53.7 Dry: 9.8 Wet: 9.5 Comfort: 9 Rolling Resistance: 6 Noise: 10 Overall: 9.4 Excellent handling on dry and wet surfaces, precise steering response and predictable behavior under all conditions Poor resistance to lateral hydroplaning Highly recommended Read Reviews Buy from £182.76
2nd: Pirelli P Zero PZ4
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 51 Dry: 9.9 Wet: 8.3 Comfort: 10 Rolling Resistance: 7 Noise: 7 Overall: 8.8 Very good handling and precise steering response on dry roads, good levels of comfort Relatively long stopping distances on wet surfaces, poor resistance to lateral aquaplaning, increased noise Recommended Read Reviews Buy from £136.51
3rd: Continental Premium Contact 6
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 51.3 Dry: 8.8 Wet: 8.1 Comfort: 9 Rolling Resistance: 10 Noise: 7 Overall: 8.4 Good handling on dry roads Relatively weak lateral stability and tendency to understeer in the wet Recommended Read Reviews Buy from £132.14
4th: Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 49.1 Dry: 8.5 Wet: 8.4 Comfort: 9 Rolling Resistance: 5 Noise: 10 Overall: 8.2 Balanced performance, low noise level Doesn't feel sporty when compared to the best Recommended Read Reviews Buy from £122.84
5th: Falken Azenis FK510
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 47.4 Dry: 7.7 Wet: 8.7 Comfort: 8 Rolling Resistance: 5 Noise: 10 Overall: 8 Short braking distances and good handling on wet roads, comfortable Slow steering during emergency maneuvers on dry surfaces Recommended Read Reviews Buy from £152.15
6th: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 49 Dry: 9 Wet: 7.1 Comfort: 8 Rolling Resistance: 7 Noise: 10 Overall: 7.9 Good handling and short braking distances on dry roads, good running comfort Long braking distances and poor handling on wet roads Conditionally recommended Read Reviews Buy from £127.50
7th: Toyo Proxes Sport
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 47.6 Dry: 8.4 Wet: 7.4 Comfort: 8 Rolling Resistance: 6 Noise: 10 Overall: 7.8 Short braking distances and high overall wet traction, good handling in high-speed cornering on dry surfaces Poor grip on wet surfaces, relatively low resistance to lateral aquaplaning, long braking distance on dry roads Conditionally recommended Read Reviews
8th: Vredestein Ultrac Satin
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 44.3 Dry: 7.9 Wet: 7.7 Comfort: 7 Rolling Resistance: 7 Noise: 7 Overall: 7.7 Acceptable handling and short braking distances on dry roads Slow response to steering and a tendency to understeer on wet surfaces, poor resistance to aquaplaning Conditionally recommended Read Reviews
9th: Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 43.5 Dry: 8.4 Wet: 7.1 Comfort: 7 Rolling Resistance: 7 Noise: 7 Overall: 7 Very good handling and precise steering response on dry roads Long braking distance, poor lateral stability and a tendency to understeer on wet surfaces Conditionally recommended Read Reviews Buy from £122.10
10th: Maxxis Premitra HP5
245/45 R18 3PMSF: no	Total: 40 Dry: 7.4 Wet: 6.7 Comfort: 6 Rolling Resistance: 6 Noise: 7 Overall: 6.9 Short braking distances in the dry Imprecise steering response on dry roads, long braking distances and a strong tendency to understeer on wet roads, high level of noise Conditionally recommended Read Reviews