225/50 R17, a BMW 3 Series and 8 sets of the latest winter tyres summarise the 2013 Auto Motor Und Sport winter tyre test.
The results in the snow tests were extremely close, with the best snow braking tyre (Fulda) stopping from 50 km/h in 27.3 metres and the worst (Goodyear) just over a metre further, at 28.6 metres. The gap was equally as close during snow handling, with the quickest tyre (Dunlop) posting a 73.5 second lap, and the slowest (Toyo) 2.4 seconds behind at 75.9.
In the wet the gap opened a little more, with Continental winning both wet braking and wet handling. This time, the worst tyre (Toyo) stopped 6 metres behind the Continental, and the slowest tyre around the wet handling circuit (Fulda) was 5.3 seconds slower.
In the dry the Nokian reigned supreme, convincingly winning dry braking and handling. The Fulda again showed a comparative weakness, losing both the dry tests, stopping 3.9 metres further than the Nokian and taking 1.9 long to do the dry handling lap.
The Results
While the Continental only won three of the eleven tests, it rarely finished out of the top three places to take another convincing win. Pirelli placed a strong second thanks to an excellent wet showing (other than aquaplaning), and Dunlop rounded out the top three with a comfortable quiet tyre which worked well in all conditions.
Particularly recommended
All discipline results (6)
Particularly recommended
All discipline results (6)
Particularly recommended
All discipline results (6)
Particularly recommended
All discipline results (6)
Recommended
All discipline results (6)
Recommended
All discipline results (6)
Recommended
All discipline results (6)
Conditionally recommended
All discipline results (6)
There's only 3 sport winter tires in this "sport" winter tires test (WinterSport 4D; UltraGrip 8 Performance & Sottozero 3)! The other (TS850; Alpin 4; WRD3...) are standard winter tires!
I totally agree. Performance winter tires can not compete with daily tires. There is no TS850 for 18" wheels for example. But there is 17" Ultragrip 8 (not Performance) and it's the competitor for TS850. Ultragrip 8 Performance competitor from Continental is TS830P. "P" indicates performance here.
This test is not objective!