Auto Bild culls 34 tyres from winter test – just 20 remain

The Auto Bild tyre test team has been busy. In addition to evaluating 35 all-season tyres they have put 54 winter tyres through their paces. After subjecting all to a preliminary test round – on this occasion braking from 80km/h in the wet and from 50km/h on snow – 20 tyres remain as finalists.

The first hurdle for the size 225/45 R18 tyres was wet braking, with Auto Bild using 38 metres as its cutoff point. Only tyres that brought the test team’s BMW to a complete stop from 80km/h before travelling this distance would be in with a chance. From 54 tyres, 31 survived the wet braking test. Auto Bild then tested the tyres on a snowy surface and added the stopping distance here to the wet stopping distance. The 20 tyres with the shortest combined stopping distances will progress to the second, expanded round of testing.