Autobild Sports have tested seven premium and budget offerings in a staggered fitment of 245/35 R20 front and 295/30 R20 rear. Using a Lotus Emira as their test vehicle, Auto Bild Sportscars put these high-performance tyres through their paces across dry and wet conditions to determine which delivers the best balance for demanding sports car applications.
The results should be no surprise, with the Continental Sportcontact 7 winning overall, ahead of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. The interesting part of the test is the fact the new Falken Azenis RS820 was included, and while the testers enjoyed the handling, it couldn't place overly well, finishing behind the older Nexen. This is the second full test of the new RS820, and the second time it has slightly under performed.
The full data and notes on each tyre can be found below.
Dry
Dry Braking
Dry Braking
Spread: 5.30 M (17%)|Avg: 33.93 M
Dry braking in meters (100 - 0 km/h) (Lower is better)
Dry Braking: Safety Impact: Best vs Worst Tyre
Dry Handling
Dry Handling
Spread: 4.30 Km/H (4.1%)|Avg: 102.33 Km/H
Dry Handling Average Speed (Higher is better)
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
104.30 Km/H
Continental SportContact 7
104.00 Km/H
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
103.70 Km/H
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
101.90 Km/H
Falken Azenis RS820
101.60 Km/H
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
100.80 Km/H
Gripmax SuperGrip Pro Sport
100.00 Km/H
Wet
Wet Braking
Wet Braking
Spread: 11.20 M (25.6%)|Avg: 48.89 M
Wet braking in meters (100 - 0 km/h) (Lower is better)
Wet Braking: Safety Impact: Best vs Worst Tyre
Wet Handling
Wet Handling
Spread: 3.40 Km/H (4.4%)|Avg: 76.24 Km/H
Wet Handling Average Speed (Higher is better)
Continental SportContact 7
78.10 Km/H
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
77.20 Km/H
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
77.10 Km/H
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
76.40 Km/H
Falken Azenis RS820
75.40 Km/H
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
74.80 Km/H
Gripmax SuperGrip Pro Sport
74.70 Km/H
Wet Circle
Wet Circle
Spread: 0.86 s (7.9%)|Avg: 11.15 s
Wet Circle Lap Time in seconds (Lower is better)
Continental SportContact 7
10.83 s
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
10.99 s
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
11.02 s
Falken Azenis RS820
11.03 s
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
11.18 s
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
11.33 s
Gripmax SuperGrip Pro Sport
11.69 s
Straight Aqua
Straight Aqua
Spread: 4.70 Km/H (4.5%)|Avg: 103.44 Km/H
Float Speed in Km/H (Higher is better)
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
105.20 Km/H
Continental SportContact 7
104.80 Km/H
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
104.50 Km/H
Gripmax SuperGrip Pro Sport
103.70 Km/H
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
103.40 Km/H
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
102.00 Km/H
Falken Azenis RS820
100.50 Km/H
Curved Aquaplaning
Curved Aquaplaning
Spread: 0.26 m/sec2 (12.3%)|Avg: 2.03 m/sec2
Remaining lateral acceleration (Higher is better)
Continental SportContact 7
2.12 m/sec2
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
2.11 m/sec2
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
2.09 m/sec2
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
2.04 m/sec2
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
1.99 m/sec2
Gripmax SuperGrip Pro Sport
1.98 m/sec2
Falken Azenis RS820
1.86 m/sec2
Comfort
External Noise
Noise
Spread: 2.60 dB (3.6%)|Avg: 73.17 dB
External noise in dB (Lower is better)
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
72.00 dB
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
72.60 dB
Gripmax SuperGrip Pro Sport
72.60 dB
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
73.10 dB
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
73.60 dB
Falken Azenis RS820
73.70 dB
Continental SportContact 7
74.60 dB
Value
Rolling Resistance
Rolling Resistance
Spread: 1.30 kg / t (16.3%)|Avg: 8.51 kg / t
Rolling resistance in kg t (Lower is better)
Gripmax SuperGrip Pro Sport
8.00 kg / t
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
8.00 kg / t
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S
8.40 kg / t
Continental SportContact 7
8.50 kg / t
Falken Azenis RS820
8.50 kg / t
Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
8.90 kg / t
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport
9.30 kg / t
19,000 km
£1.45/L
8.0 L/100km
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Annual Difference
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Lifetime Savings
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Extra Fuel/Energy
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Extra CO2
Estimates based on typical driving conditions. Rolling resistance accounts for approximately 20% of IC vehicle fuel consumption and 25% of EV energy consumption. Actual savings vary based on driving style, vehicle weight, road conditions, and tyre age. For comparative purposes only. Lifetime savings based on a 40,000km / 25,000 mile tread life.
The Continental SportContact 7 emerges as the test winner with exemplary performance. Continental's sporty tyre sets the benchmark for braking on both dry and wet surfaces, providing substantial safety benefits. Testers praised its stable, balanced handling characteristics on dry roads. On wet surfaces, it was described as "harmonious" with the best wet grip despite showing slight oversteer tendencies. The SportContact 7 delivers remarkable wet braking performance with the best stopping distances in the test, though it registered slightly louder rolling noise compared to some competitors.
The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S was described as the "winner of hearts" due to its perfectly balanced steering and handling characteristics. With its perfectly tuned steering feel and handling behavior, the Michelin excels on dry surfaces, achieving the best time in dry handling tests and impressive short braking distances. Testers specifically highlighted its well-balanced behavior that made it a standout performer. On wet roads, it maintained harmonious dynamic qualities, though it showed some weakness in longitudinal aquaplaning conditions. Overall, the Pilot Sport 4S impressed with its exceptional precision and balanced performance.
The Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport had excellent grip and perfect handling characteristics on dry roads. Testers were impressed by its confident performance on dry surfaces, where it showed excellent traction and cornering stability. In wet conditions, Goodyear's sporty tyre still delivered harmonious dynamic qualities and good stability. While it offers short braking distances for good safety reserves, the Goodyear suffers slightly in one area - it ranked last in rolling resistance tests, suggesting it might impact fuel consumption more than its competitors.
The Nexen N'Fera Sport SU2 surprised testers as a well-rounded all-rounder with impressive capabilities. Described as having good steering precision and secure handling on dry surfaces, this Korean tyre proved to be a pleasant surprise, especially with its outstanding wet performance. The Nexen particularly impressed in aquaplaning tests, where it most effectively displaced water under the tread. Testers noted its balanced character with good braking performance on both wet and dry surfaces, though it became slightly unstable during wet braking. Overall, it delivers strong performance at a competitive price point.
The Falken Azenis RS820 delivers convincing curve stability and secure driving characteristics with short braking distances on dry roads. Testers appreciated its harmonious handling with smooth transitions when pushing the limits. On wet surfaces, Falken reacted somewhat more aggressively to load changes compared to the top performers. The tyre showed particularly strong performance on dry surfaces with impressive cornering stability, though it struggled slightly with aquaplaning issues, where it ranked last in the curved aquaplaning test. Slightly louder rolling noise was also noted as a minor drawback.
The Vredestein Ultrac Pro features a harmoniously balanced driving behavior with short braking distances on dry roads. The tyre impressed with pleasant rolling comfort and low rolling resistance, making it the quietest tyre in the test. However, it showed a tendency to oversteer on wet surfaces, which affected its overall rating. While it performed well in aquaplaning tests, the Vredestein lacked stable lateral guidance on dry surfaces compared to the top performers. Its excellent rating for low noise and rolling resistance make it a good choice for those prioritizing comfort and efficiency.
The Gripmax SureGrip Pro Sport from China struggles to keep up with established brands, particularly in wet conditions. While offering good aquaplaning reserves in wet conditions and functioning as a quiet tyre with low rolling resistance, the Gripmax showed serious weaknesses. It produced dangerously long braking distances and insufficient grip on wet surfaces, with testers noting pronounced oversteer and lack of directional stability during quick lane changes. The chief tyre tester explicitly warned against using this tyre due to its dangerous wet performance, despite its attractive price point and decent dry weather characteristics.
