245/45R18

Auto Bild 2020: Summer Tire Test (Elimination Round)

Germany’s Auto Bild magazine seems to have secured the ultimate right to announce the results of its comparative tests ahead of the other publications: although the calendar winter is not over yet, its readers are already getting an opportunity to ponder on which tires would be the best choice for the upcoming summer season.

The latest big summer tire test 2020 involved 50 tires models for premium-class sedans. The test tire size was 245/45 R18 100Y, and the test group bought for the test virtually every tire brand available on the aftermarket, from A (Avon) to Z (Zeetex).

In addition to premium-class tires, the test also involved numerous representatives of secondary and third-order series, medium-price, and budget tires. The lineup of the Auto Bild test 2020 even included a set of retreaded King Meiler tires, which eventually scored the last place.

The results of the elimination round of Auto Bild summer tire test 2020

During the elimination stage, the publication’s test group determined the top 20 models worthy of getting shortlisted for the final. For this, the wet (from 80 km/h) and the dry (from 100 km/h) braking distances are measured, and then the results are added up. Only the 20 luckiest tires that demonstrate the best braking performance are shortlisted for the final.

Auto Bild 2020: Summer Tire Test (Elimination Round) - 245/45 R18

Predictably, all of the premium brands got shortlisted: safety comes at a price. The only exception was a set of Pirelli tires that was left overboard: when they were buying a set of Pirelli tires, the testers for some reason opted for the P Zero model 2007, in spite of the fact that currently the same size 245/45 R18 is available for a newer tire model, P Zero PZ4, which, by the way, demonstrated relatively decent results in last year’s Auto Bild test.

Tires shortlisted for the final of the big Auto Bild 245/45 R18 summer tire test 2020, places 1–20
Place Brand and Model Wet Braking (from 80 km/h),m Dry Braking (from 100 km/h),m Braking
(total),m
1 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 29,8 32,1 61,9
2 Nokian Powerproof 29,1 32,9 62,0
3 Bridgestone Potenza S001 28,7 33,5 62,2
4 Continental PremiumContact 6 30,2 33,2 63,4
5 Kumho Ecsta PS71 29,0 34,9 63,9
6 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 30,8 33,2 64,0
7 Nexen N'Fera Sport 30,9 33,2 64,1
8 Vredestein Ultrac Vorti 31,3 33,4 64,7
9 Apollo Aspire XP 30,3 34,7 65,0
9 Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 K127 30,3 34,7 65,0
11 Firestone Roadhawk 30,8 34,3 65,1
12 Fulda SportControl 2 31,7 34,2 65,9
13 Kleber DynaxerUHP 32,3 34,1 66,4
14 Laufenn S FIT EQ+ 32,6 34,0 66,6
15 Falken Azensis FK510 30,7 36,0 66,7
16 Toyo Proxes Sport 31,5 35,4 66,9
17 Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 33,0 34,3 67,3
18 Zeetex HP 2000 vfm 31,8 36,0 67,8
19 Uniroyal RainSport 3 32,4 35,7 68,1
20 Maxxis Victra Sport 5 33,4 34,8 68,2

What comes quite as a surprise is the fact that the top-twenty shortlist included the debutant of the tests, Nexen N’Fera Sport, a new model of the season, Laufenn S Fit EQ+, and the budget model, Zeetex HP2000 vfm, which suddenly outperformed the «rain» tire Uniroyal RainSport 3 in terms of wet braking. However, we think that once Uniroyal RainSport 5 appears in the tests, this omission by the Continental subsidiary will be repaired.

Quick Take
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  • This tire replaced Nexen / N Fera SU1
  • Available Sizes in Line: 57
  • Original Equipment (OE) tires for:
    • • Audi A3 8Y [2020 .. 2023]
    • • Porsche Panamera II (971) Facelift [2020 .. 2023]
    • • Volkswagen Golf Mk8 (CD1) [2019 .. 2023]
    • • Seat Leon KL [2020 .. 2023]
    • • BMW 2 Series Active Tourer U06 [2022 .. 2023]
    • • BMW X1 II (F48) Facelift [2019 .. 2023]
    • • BMW iX [2021 .. 2023]
  • Recommended Tire by Tests
  • Year Released: 2018
  • Regions for sale: Europe, Russia+
Nexen N Fera Sport

However unexpected, the fact remains:

Nexen N Fera Sport is among the top twenty.

Tires screened at the elimination stage

The elimination round of the Auto Bild test turned out to be a disaster for the UHP tire Yokohama ADVAN Sport V105 and the budget model Barum Bravuris 5HM. The General Altimax One S model also messed up its first test performance.

The tires that were not shortlisted for the final of the large Auto Bild test (places 21 to 40)
Place Brand and Model Wet Braking (from 80 km/h),m Dry Braking (from 100 km/h),m Braking
(total),m
21 Infinity Ecomax 32,6 35,7 68,3
22 Giti GitiSport S1 32,9 35,5 68,4
22 Semperit Speed-Life 2 32,2 36,2 68,4
24 Debica Presto UHP 2 32,8 36,1 68,9
25 Pirelli P Zero 2007 34,6 34,8 69,4
26 Yokohama ADVAN Sport V105 34,7 35,3 70,0
27 Mabor Sport-Jet 3 34,3 35,9 70,2
27 Sava Intensa UHP 2 35,5 34,7 70,2
29 Cooper Zeon Sport 34,5 36,0 70,5
30 Avon ZZ5 35,2 36,2 71,4
30 Gislaved Ultra*Speed 33,9 37,5 71,4
32 Saetta Touring 2 34,9 36,8 71,7
32 Matador MP47 Hectorra 3 35,7 36,0 71,7
34 General Altimax One S 35,4 36,4 71,8
34 Radar Dimax R8 36,7 35,1 71,8
36 Viking ProTech HP 34,8 37,3 72,1
37 Tracmax X-Privilo TX3 35,4 37,0 72,4
38 Minerva Radial F 205 36,0 36,9 72,9
38 Rotalla Setula S-Race RU01 35,7 37,2 72,9
40 Tristar Sportpower 2 37 36,5 73,5

The elimination round screened out the tires from subsidiary brands of the world’s most famous tire makers: Semperit Speed-Life 2, Debica Presto UHP 2, Mabor Sport-Jet 3, Sava Intensa UHP 2, Gislaved Ultra*Speed, Matador MP47 Hectorra 3, Viking ProTech HP, and Marshal MU12.

Quick Take
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Dry Performance Comfort Handling Wet Performance Treadwear
  • Year Released: 2017
  • Regions for sale: Europe, Russia+
Sava Intensa UHP 2

Curiously, the copy-paste technology, mastered by the developers of the «third tier» of Bridgestone product, suddenly failed them in this particular instance: in spite of their seemingly identical visual appearance, the tires Saetta Touring 2, Dayton Touring 2, and Seiberling Touring 2, showed a surprisingly wide scatter of results — from the 35th place scored by the former to the 43rd place scored by the latter.

Models that could not even dream of reaching the final, places 41–50
Place Brand and Model Wet Braking (from 80 km/h),m Dry Braking (from 100 km/h),m Braking
(total),m
41 Dayton Touring 2 37,2 36,4 73,6
42 Barum Bravuris 5 НМ 36,1 37,7 73,8
43 Marshal MU12 37,4 36,6 74,0
43 Seiberling Touring 2 37,0 37,0 74,0
45 Federal Evoluzion ST-1 39,4 35,3 74,7
45 Nankang Ultra Sport NS-2 38,2 36,5 74,7
47 GT Radial SportActive 39,1 36,8 75,9
48 Imperial Ecosport 2 38,7 37,3 76,0
49 Accelera PHI-R 40,5 37,4 77,9
50 King Meiler Sport 3 43,2 41,0 84,2

Leaders of the braking tests: Bridgestone and Michelin

The first tires to bring the car to a standstill in case of emergency braking are Bridgestone and Michelin. The shortest braking distance on wet pavement was demonstrated by the summer tire Bridgestone Potenza S001 (28.7 m); the longest — by the retreaded King Meiler Sport 3 (43.2 m).

On dry pavement, the garland of victory was snatched by the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 (32.1 m), the ultimate loser remaining the same. The braking distance demonstrated by King Meiler Sport 3 was 41.0 m.

Quick Take
70 46

Bridgestone Potenza S001

Dry Performance Handling Price/Quality Comfort Wet Performance Treadwear
  • Many sizes of this line have been discontinued.
  • This tire has been replaced by Bridgestone / Potenza Sport
  • This tire replaced 🏁 Bridgestone / Potenza RE050
  • This tire has run-flat model:
  • Available Sizes in Line: 90
  • Original Equipment (OE) tires for:
    • • Renault Megane IV (9A) [2016 .. 2022]
    • • Ferrari 458 Italia
    • • Aston Martin Rapide
    • • Audi RS5
    • • Alfa Romeo Giulia 952 [2015 .. 2023]
    • • BMW i8 [2013 .. 2018]
    • • BMW i8 Facelift [2018 .. 2020]
    • • Lexus LFA A10 [2010 .. 2012]
    • • Skoda Superb
    • • Opel Astra
    • • Opel Insignia
    • • Mazda MX-5
    • • Ford Galaxy
    • • BMW 7 Series
    • • Audi A6
    • • Audi RS6
    • • Audi RS7
    • • Audi TT
    • • Audi A4
    • • Audi Q2 GA [2016 .. 2020]
    • • Audi A7
    • • Audi A1
    • • Audi S1 8X [2014 .. 2018]
    • • Audi A5
    • • Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
    • • Mercedes-Benz S-Class
    • • Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
    • • Mercedes-Benz C-Class
    • • Porsche Boxster
    • • Porsche Cayman
    • • Ferrari FF [2011 .. 2017]
    • • Volkswagen Golf
    • • Volvo S60
    • • Volvo V60
    • • BMW 1 Series
    • • BMW 3 Series
    • • Mitsubishi Mirage
    • • Ford S-MAX
    • • Volkswagen Polo
    • • Opel Meriva
    • • BMW 4 Series
    • • Mercedes-Benz E-Class
    • • Fiat 124 Spider 348 [2015 .. 2020]
    • • Infiniti Q60
    • • Kia Stinger
    • • Lexus LC Z100 [2017 .. 2023]
    • • Nissan Sentra
    • • Nissan Tiida
    • • Opel Zafira Tourer C [2011 .. 2016]
    • • Seat Ateca
    • • Volkswagen T-Roc I (A11/AC7) [2017 .. 2023]
  • Recommended Tire by Tests
  • Year Released: 2010
  • Regions for sale: North America, Central & South America, Europe, Russia+, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Oceania
Bridgestone Potenza S001

Only the 20 best summer tires reached the final

As was already mentioned earlier, the braking test was just the preliminary round of the big Auto Bild summer tire test 2020. The results of the all-rounded of the safety levels ensured by the winning tires will be announced after the final.

Another noteworthy fact is that the top twenty 2020 includes the product of Apollo Tire, which year after year is winning the trust of the testers, who note the high level of safety ensured by this ambitious India’s tire maker.

Quick Take
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Vredestein Ultrac Vorti

Dry Performance Handling Comfort Treadwear Wet Performance
  • Year Released: 2012
  • Regions for sale: USA+, Canada, Europe, Russia+, Southeast Asia
Vredestein Ultrac Vorti

In this case, the odds of Apollo getting prize places are rather high — two models at once, Apollo Aspire XP and Vredestein Ultrac Vorti, got shortlisted for the final round.

The results of the final, in which the top 20 will be subjected to a few more tests, will be announced shortly. Be sure to keep up with the updates.