Ultra high performance tyre tests always make us happy, and Auto Bild do some of the best. For 2020, AutoBild have tested nine sports tyres in the staggered 245/35 R19 and 265/35 R19 sizes using a Mercedes Benz C63 AMG.

Like our UHP tyre test in 2019, Auto Bild have tested the very three best UHP tyres on the market, the Continental SportContact 6, Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport, and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, along with some of the other well know UHP tyres from Hankook, Vredestein, Falken and other brands.

The end results are very close, so instead of spoiling the surprise, read on below for all the geeky data! It's particularly important to read the testers notes at the bottom of the page, as these give a small insight into the subjective feel of the tyres along side the numbers, but if you'd like to learn more about how these tyres differ subjectively, go and watch our video of a very similar test!

One addition Auto Bild have made is the inclusion of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 semi slick track day tyre. Unsurprisingly this tyre dominated the dry testing, with a significant advantage over even the best UHP tyres, but couldn't match the best in the wet, especially during the aquaplaning testing where the lack of tread grooves really impacted the tyres performance.

Dry

Continental proved to be the best in the dry, offering the shortest braking distance and the fastest lap time. Michelin was close behind, and while the Falken Azenis FK510 placed third in the braking tests, it struggled more during handling.

Goodyear, Vredestein and Hankook were also all very close in the dry, but when looking at the testing notes it was the Goodyear that offered the best steering feel and feedback.

Wet

As we've seen before in the wet, a tyre which works well in braking doesn't always work as well in handling.

In this test, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S offered the best wet braking performance, but could only manage seventh fastest lap time, while the Goodyear was the fastest in the wet, but took 4.4 meters longer to stop the car than the Michelin!

The only tyre with a balanced performance between braking and handling was the Falken, which finished second in both tests meaning it was the best tyre overall.

Nankang had a significant advantage during aquaplaning testing, however this doesn't make up for the long wet braking and poor wet handling in the other wet tests.

The rest of the tyres were extremely close.

Environment

Hankook had the lowest rolling resistance on test, with Yokohama having the highest fuel use.

Only the Goodyear and Yokohama tyres were significantly louder than the others on test.

As usual, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S was the most expensive tyre on test. Sadly no wear testing was done, however in previous testing Michelin, Goodyear and Continental all seem to have similar, best in class tread life.

Results

1st: Continental Sport Contact 6
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 2nd 34.8 M 34.2 M +0.6 M 98.28% Dry Handling 2nd 123 Km/H 124.5 Km/H -1.5 Km/H 98.8% Wet Braking 4th 60.4 M 56 M +4.4 M 92.72% Wet Handling 5th 81.8 Km/H 83.1 Km/H -1.3 Km/H 98.44% Straight Aqua 5th 88.5 Km/H 94 Km/H -5.5 Km/H 94.15% Noise 2nd 73 dB 72.9 dB +0.1 dB 99.86% Price 7th 855 420 +435 49.12% Rolling Resistance 6th 9.39 kg / t 8.31 kg / t +1.08 kg / t 88.5% Top class sports tyres with precise steering, sporty handling and short braking distances in the dry. Stable cornering in the wet with good aquaplaning resistance. Kuru zeminde hassas direksiyon hakimiyeti, sportif yol tutuşu ve kısa fren mesafesine sahip birinci sınıf spor lastikler. Islak zeminde iyi suda kızaklama direnciyle istikrarlı viraj alma. Sportreifen der Spitzenklasse mit präziser Lenkung, sportlichem Handling und kurzen Bremswegen im Trockenen. Stabiles Kurvenverhalten bei Nässe mit guter Aquaplaning-Sicherheit. Pneus sport haut de gamme avec direction précise, tenue de route sportive et distances de freinage courtes sur sol sec. Stabilité dans les virages sur sol mouillé avec une bonne résistance à l'aquaplaning. Average driving comfort, high price. Sürüş konforu ortalama, fiyatı yüksek. Durchschnittlicher Fahrkomfort, hoher Preis. Confort de conduite moyen, prix élevé. Highly Recommended. Şiddetle tavsiye edilir. Sehr empfehlenswert. Hautement recommandé. Read Reviews    Buy from £240.99
1st: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 3rd 34.9 M 34.2 M +0.7 M 97.99% Dry Handling 3rd 122.9 Km/H 124.5 Km/H -1.6 Km/H 98.71% Wet Braking 1st 56 M 100% Wet Handling 7th 81 Km/H 83.1 Km/H -2.1 Km/H 97.47% Straight Aqua 6th 88.4 Km/H 94 Km/H -5.6 Km/H 94.04% Noise 2nd 73 dB 72.9 dB +0.1 dB 99.86% Price 9th 930 420 +510 45.16% Rolling Resistance 3rd 8.97 kg / t 8.31 kg / t +0.66 kg / t 92.64% All round ability with best driving characteristics on wet and dry roads. Shortest braking distances, precise steering with excellent feedback, good aquaplaning properties, low noise. Islak ve kuru yollarda en iyi sürüş özelliklerine sahip çok yönlü yetenek. En kısa fren mesafeleri, mükemmel geri bildirimli hassas direksiyon, iyi suda kızaklama özellikleri, düşük gürültü. Allround-Fähigkeiten mit besten Fahreigenschaften auf nasser und trockener Straße. Kürzeste Bremswege, präzise Lenkung mit hervorragender Rückmeldung, gute Aquaplaning-Eigenschaften, geringe Geräuschentwicklung. Polyvalence et excellentes caractéristiques de conduite sur route sèche et mouillée. Distances de freinage très courtes, direction précise avec un excellent retour d'information, bonnes propriétés anti-aquaplaning, faible bruit. Most expensive tyres on test. Testteki en pahalı lastikler. Die teuersten Reifen im Test. Les pneus les plus chers testés. Highly Recommended. Şiddetle tavsiye edilir. Sehr empfehlenswert. Hautement recommandé. Read Reviews    Buy from £299.70
2nd: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 1st 34.2 M 100% Dry Handling 1st 124.5 Km/H 100% Wet Braking 9th 68.5 M 56 M +12.5 M 81.75% Wet Handling 9th 77.5 Km/H 83.1 Km/H -5.6 Km/H 93.26% Straight Aqua 10th 82.8 Km/H 94 Km/H -11.2 Km/H 88.09% Noise 2nd 73 dB 72.9 dB +0.1 dB 99.86% Price 10th 1085 420 +665 38.71% Rolling Resistance 7th 9.41 kg / t 8.31 kg / t +1.1 kg / t 88.31% The dry specialists, precise steering, exemplary feedback and excellent grip. Kuru zemin uzmanları, hassas direksiyon hakimiyeti, örnek geri bildirim ve mükemmel yol tutuşu. Die Trockenspezialisten, präzise Lenkung, vorbildliches Feedback und hervorragender Grip. Les spécialistes du sec, une direction précise, un retour d'information exemplaire et une excellente adhérence. Average wet performance, low aquaplaning reserves. Islak zemin performansı ortalama, suda kızaklama rezervi düşük. Durchschnittliches Nassverhalten, geringe Aquaplaningreserven. Performances moyennes sur sol mouillé, faibles réserves d'aquaplaning. Conditionally Recommended. Şartlı olarak tavsiye edilir. Bedingt empfehlenswert. Recommandé sous conditions. Read Reviews    Buy from £320.50
3rd: Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 6th 36.2 M 34.2 M +2 M 94.48% Dry Handling 4th 122.3 Km/H 124.5 Km/H -2.2 Km/H 98.23% Wet Braking 4th 60.4 M 56 M +4.4 M 92.72% Wet Handling 1st 83.1 Km/H 100% Straight Aqua 9th 87.8 Km/H 94 Km/H -6.2 Km/H 93.4% Noise 10th 75 dB 72.9 dB +2.1 dB 97.2% Price 8th 890 420 +470 47.19% Rolling Resistance 4th 8.98 kg / t 8.31 kg / t +0.67 kg / t 92.54% Sporty summer tyre with best cornering and handling in the wet, good steering precision, short wet and dry braking distances, balanced comfort. Islak zeminde en iyi viraj alma ve yol tutuşu, iyi direksiyon hassasiyeti, kısa ıslak ve kuru fren mesafesi, dengeli konfor sağlayan sportif yaz lastiği. Sportlicher Sommerreifen mit bestem Seitenführungs- und Nasshandling, guter Lenkpräzision, kurzen Nass- und Trockenbremswegen, ausgewogenem Komfort. Pneu d'été sportif avec une meilleure tenue de route et une meilleure maniabilité sur sol mouillé, une bonne précision de direction, des distances de freinage courtes sur sol mouillé et sec, un confort équilibré. Noise, increased rolling resistance. Gürültü, artan yuvarlanma direnci. Lärm, erhöhter Rollwiderstand. Bruit, résistance au roulement accrue. Recommended. Tavsiye edilen. Empfohlen. Recommandé. Read Reviews    Buy from £247.75
4th: Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 6th 36.2 M 34.2 M +2 M 94.48% Dry Handling 7th 120.4 Km/H 124.5 Km/H -4.1 Km/H 96.71% Wet Braking 3rd 60.3 M 56 M +4.3 M 92.87% Wet Handling 6th 81.2 Km/H 83.1 Km/H -1.9 Km/H 97.71% Straight Aqua 2nd 89.3 Km/H 94 Km/H -4.7 Km/H 95% Noise 1st 72.9 dB 100% Price 4th 650 420 +230 64.62% Rolling Resistance 1st 8.31 kg / t 100% Excellent tyre with a balanced performance in all tests, stable in the dry and wet, low noise, low fuel use, good price to performance ratio. Tüm testlerde dengeli performans gösteren, kuru ve ıslak zeminde stabil, düşük gürültü, düşük yakıt tüketimi, iyi fiyat-performans oranına sahip mükemmel lastik. Hervorragender Reifen mit ausgewogener Leistung in allen Tests, stabil bei Trockenheit und Nässe, geringe Geräuschentwicklung, geringer Kraftstoffverbrauch, gutes Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis. Excellent pneu avec des performances équilibrées dans tous les tests, stable sur sol sec et humide, faible bruit, faible consommation de carburant, bon rapport prix/performance. Slightly slow steering response. Direksiyon tepkisi biraz yavaş. Etwas langsame Lenkreaktion. Réponse de la direction légèrement lente. Recommended. Tavsiye edilen. Empfohlen. Recommandé. Read Reviews    Buy from £219.99
4th: Vredestein Ultrac Vorti
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 5th 36.1 M 34.2 M +1.9 M 94.74% Dry Handling 6th 121.8 Km/H 124.5 Km/H -2.7 Km/H 97.83% Wet Braking 6th 62.2 M 56 M +6.2 M 90.03% Wet Handling 3rd 82.4 Km/H 83.1 Km/H -0.7 Km/H 99.16% Straight Aqua 8th 88.1 Km/H 94 Km/H -5.9 Km/H 93.72% Noise 7th 73.9 dB 72.9 dB +1 dB 98.65% Price 5th 710 420 +290 59.15% Rolling Resistance 7th 9.41 kg / t 8.31 kg / t +1.1 kg / t 88.31% Dynamic wet handling with stable cornering and precise steering, balanced and safe dry handling, short dry braking distances, good aquaplaning properties, good price to performance ratio. Dinamik ıslak zemin yol tutuşu, stabil viraj alma ve hassas direksiyon hakimiyeti, dengeli ve güvenli kuru yol tutuşu, kısa kuru fren mesafesi, iyi suda kızaklama özellikleri, iyi fiyat-performans oranı. Dynamisches Nasshandling mit stabiler Seitenführung und präziser Lenkung, ausgewogenes und sicheres Trockenhandling, kurze Trockenbremswege, gute Aquaplaning-Eigenschaften, gutes Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis. Tenue de route dynamique sur sol mouillé avec virages stables et direction précise, tenue de route sur sol sec équilibrée et sûre, courtes distances de freinage sur sol sec, bonnes propriétés d'aquaplaning, bon rapport qualité/prix. High rolling resistance. Yüksek yuvarlanma direnci. Hoher Rollwiderstand. Haute résistance au roulement. Read Reviews
6th: Falken Azenis FK510
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 4th 36 M 34.2 M +1.8 M 95% Dry Handling 8th 119.6 Km/H 124.5 Km/H -4.9 Km/H 96.06% Wet Braking 2nd 56.3 M 56 M +0.3 M 99.47% Wet Handling 2nd 82.9 Km/H 83.1 Km/H -0.2 Km/H 99.76% Straight Aqua 7th 88.3 Km/H 94 Km/H -5.7 Km/H 93.94% Noise 8th 74 dB 72.9 dB +1.1 dB 98.51% Price 2nd 565 420 +145 74.34% Rolling Resistance 5th 9.24 kg / t 8.31 kg / t +0.93 kg / t 89.94% Wet specialist with sporty handling and precise steering behavior, short wet and dry braking distances, good comfort, low price. Sportif yol tutuşu ve hassas direksiyon davranışına sahip ıslak zemin uzmanı, kısa ıslak ve kuru fren mesafeleri, iyi konfor, düşük fiyat. Nassspezialist mit sportlichem Handling und präzisem Lenkverhalten, kurze Nass- und Trockenbremswege, guter Komfort, günstiger Preis. Spécialiste du mouillé avec une tenue de route sportive et un comportement de direction précis, de courtes distances de freinage sur sol mouillé et sec, un bon confort, un prix bas. Understeering in the dry, slow steering response, high rolling resistance. Kuru zeminde yetersiz direksiyon tepkisi, yavaş direksiyon tepkisi, yüksek yuvarlanma direnci. Untersteuern im Trockenen, langsame Lenkreaktion, hoher Rollwiderstand. Sous-virage sur sol sec, réponse lente de la direction, résistance au roulement élevée. Good. İyi. Gut. Bien. Read Reviews    Buy from £176.10
7th: Yokohama Advan Sport V105
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 8th 37.2 M 34.2 M +3 M 91.94% Dry Handling 5th 122.2 Km/H 124.5 Km/H -2.3 Km/H 98.15% Wet Braking 8th 63.5 M 56 M +7.5 M 88.19% Wet Handling 4th 81.9 Km/H 83.1 Km/H -1.2 Km/H 98.56% Straight Aqua 3rd 88.7 Km/H 94 Km/H -5.3 Km/H 94.36% Noise 9th 74.9 dB 72.9 dB +2 dB 97.33% Price 6th 740 420 +320 56.76% Rolling Resistance 10th 9.82 kg / t 8.31 kg / t +1.51 kg / t 84.62% Sporty handling and balance behaviour in the dry, safe wet handling, short dry braking. Kuru zeminde sportif yol tutuşu ve denge davranışı, ıslak zeminde güvenli yol tutuşu, kuru zeminde kısa frenleme. Sportliches Handling und ausgewogenes Verhalten im Trockenen, sicheres Nasshandling, kurze Trockenbremszeiten. Tenue de route sportive et comportement équilibré sur sol sec, tenue de route sûre sur sol mouillé, freinage court sur sol sec. Long wet braking, high rolling resistance, average driving comfort, high price. Uzun ıslak frenleme, yüksek yuvarlanma direnci, ortalama sürüş konforu, yüksek fiyat. Lange Nassbremszeiten, hoher Rollwiderstand, durchschnittlicher Fahrkomfort, hoher Preis. Freinage long sur sol mouillé, résistance au roulement élevée, confort de conduite moyen, prix élevé. Good. İyi. Gut. Bien. Read Reviews    Buy from £192.49
8th: Toyo Proxes T1 Sport
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 9th 37.4 M 34.2 M +3.2 M 91.44% Dry Handling 9th 119 Km/H 124.5 Km/H -5.5 Km/H 95.58% Wet Braking 7th 62.8 M 56 M +6.8 M 89.17% Wet Handling 8th 79.6 Km/H 83.1 Km/H -3.5 Km/H 95.79% Straight Aqua 3rd 88.7 Km/H 94 Km/H -5.3 Km/H 94.36% Noise 5th 73.5 dB 72.9 dB +0.6 dB 99.18% Price 3rd 595 420 +175 70.59% Rolling Resistance 2nd 8.81 kg / t 8.31 kg / t +0.5 kg / t 94.32% High aquaplaning resistance, short dry braking, well priced. Yüksek suda kızaklama direnci, kısa kuru frenleme, uygun fiyat. Hohe Aquaplaning-Sicherheit, kurze Trockenbremszeiten, guter Preis. Haute résistance à l'aquaplaning, freinage court sur sol sec, prix avantageux. Understeer and average grip in the dry and wet, slow steering, average comfort. Kuru ve ıslak zeminde yetersiz dönüş ve ortalama yol tutuşu, yavaş direksiyon hakimiyeti, ortalama konfor. Untersteuern und durchschnittlicher Grip bei Trockenheit und Nässe, langsame Lenkung, durchschnittlicher Komfort. Sous-virage et adhérence moyenne sur sol sec et mouillé, direction lente, confort moyen. Good. İyi. Gut. Bien. Read Reviews
9th: Nankang Noble Sport NS20
265/35 R19 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 10th 39.7 M 34.2 M +5.5 M 86.15% Dry Handling 10th 116.4 Km/H 124.5 Km/H -8.1 Km/H 93.49% Wet Braking 10th 72.2 M 56 M +16.2 M 77.56% Wet Handling 10th 75.8 Km/H 83.1 Km/H -7.3 Km/H 91.22% Straight Aqua 1st 94 Km/H 100% Noise 5th 73.5 dB 72.9 dB +0.6 dB 99.18% Price 1st 420 100% Rolling Resistance 9th 9.65 kg / t 8.31 kg / t +1.34 kg / t 86.11% High aquaplaning resistance, low price. Yüksek suda kızaklama direnci, düşük fiyat. Hohe Aquaplaning-Sicherheit, niedriger Preis. Haute résistance à l'aquaplaning, prix bas. Dangerously long wet and dry braking, poor handling and spongy steering feel on both dry and wet surfaces, high rolling resistance. Tehlikeli derecede uzun ıslak ve kuru frenleme, hem kuru hem ıslak zeminlerde zayıf yol tutuşu ve süngerimsi direksiyon hissi, yüksek yuvarlanma direnci. Gefährlich lange Nass- und Trockenbremszeiten, schlechtes Handling und schwammiges Lenkgefühl auf trockener und nasser Fahrbahn, hoher Rollwiderstand. Freinage dangereusement long sur sol sec et humide, mauvaise tenue de route et sensation de direction spongieuse sur les surfaces sèches et humides, résistance au roulement élevée. Not Recommended. Önerilmez. Nicht empfohlen. Non recommandé. Read Reviews