The team at Auto Bild has been at it again – another tyre test has hit the real and virtual magazine stands, with the German publication’s Auto Bild Sportscars title evaluating seven tyre brands in the mixed 245/35 R20 (front) and 295/30 R20 (rear) sizes. Tyre expert Dierk Möller fitted these to a Lotus Emira for testing, which took place at the Contidrom proving ground in Germany.
A fifth generation of the Pirelli P Zero has arrived, taking on the baton for the Italian brand’s 1985-introduced flagship range. Pirelli tells us that this latest P Zero “has two key strengths” – excellence in performance and safety – thanks to improved handling on wet and dry surfaces as well as reduced braking distances.
This year, Goodyear celebrates 45 years of its most recognisable ultra-high-performance tyre line, Goodyear Eagle. The tyre maker credits the latest model to bear the name – Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 – with being one of its best-sellers in Europe and Asia; Goodyear recently introduced this tyre in the Americas as well.
Kumho Tyre is well pleased with the ‘exemplary’ rating its Kumho Ecsta PS71 gained in the Auto Bild 2025 summer tyre test. It earned the motoring publication’s top rating when tested in size 225/40R18, finishing joint fourth from a total of 52 candidates. Auto Bild particularly praised the Ecsta PS71 for its outstanding performance in dry and the best result in wet conditions.
In its 2025 summer tyre test, Sportauto not only highlights the advantages of mixed diameter fitments, it also compares original equipment and aftermarket tyres, emphasising why the former may not be the best choice – despite being tailor made for a specific vehicle model. In this case the vehicle is a BMW M4; the motoring publication evaluates four brands of tyre in the combination of 275/35 R19 at the front and 285/30 R20 at the rear, a setup increasingly common in high-performance sports cars.
Cars with 19-inch rims were still something special even ten years ago, but not these days. This size is standard for many manufacturers, particularly on their sportier models. Auto Bild Sportscars has selected 245/35 R19 for its summer 2025 test, a dimension that is a popular optional fitment for the now-retired Audi TT.
Two new ultra-high-performance products have joined the Kumho Ecsta line-up in European markets. Ecsta Sport and Ecsta Sport S build on the strengths of predecessor models the Ecsta PS91 and PS71, with the Sport S sitting a rung higher on the performance ladder. Kumho bills this as a “super sport tyre.”
In the February 2025 issue, available now for Tyrepress subscribers to read online or download, Tyres & Accessories brings you the latest news from the car and motorcycle tyre segments . This issue also features the breaking stories and analysis of the UK and international tyre business, including Goodyear’s sale of Dunlop to Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Michelin CEO Florent Menegaux on an “invasion” of low-cost car tyres in Europe (as well as an analysis of this to lead the car tyres feature), and the extension of EU tariffs on China-produced truck tyres. Non-subscribers can gain access to Tyrepress with a print or online subscription. Tyre professionals can take advantage of the current Tyrepress Professional Membership offer, helping to drive business online and stay informed with the industry’s leading magazine and websites.
The secret to combating climate change is to develop a new tyre, or at least it is when change manifests itself in cooler, wet conditions. Porsche has shared details of joint development work it conducted with Michelin on a tailored version of the Pilot Sport S 5 for the 911 GT3 RS. The result is a tyre the Stuttgart-based marque considers “a perfect option for prolonging the track-day season.”
A further 42 SKUs will join the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 line-up during the course this year, bringing the range to 233 SKUs. According to the manufacturer, these new arrivals will complete “the largest UHP summer tyre offering in Goodyear’s history.”
Yokohama’s latest premium tyres are proving popular among original equipment manufacturers in a wide variety of applications. The manufacturer’s Advan Sport EV offers a new tread compound designed to reduce rolling resistance, tackling range anxiety in the growing electric vehicle segment. The Adan Sport EV also features Silentfoam, a specially designed foam inside the tyre which contributes to a quieter ride.
Following on from its launch in Europe last November, the fourth generation of Hankook’s ultra-high-performance range and successor to the Ventus S1 evo3 has debuted in key markets around the world, including North America and the Middle East. With the global rollout of the Hankook Ventus evo, Hankook Tire & Technology aims to showcase its technology in the ultra-high-performance tyre sector while further strengthening the Hankook brand’s premium positioning.
Hankook will launch a new sub-brand in Europe during the second quarter of 2025. Optimo will join the Korean manufacturer’s existing Laufenn brand, offering another full second-line product range beneath its premium flagship range. Hankook said this strategic move targets an increase in Hankook’s market share in Europe. It will also help to improve the manufacturer’s offer to customers, diversifying its brand portfolio.
The fourth generation in the Hankook Ventus evo range of ultra-high performance tyres harnesses an Artificial Intelligence-enabled mixing process to “overcome traditional trade-offs”. Announcing the new product, simply known as the Hankook Ventus evo but carrying the new product number K137, Hankook said the tyre “combines outstanding wet grip with impressively low rolling resistance and high mileage.” Longevity, Hankook says, has been boosted by a whopping 32 per cent. The manufacturer also called the new Ventus evo’s development “a perfect example of AI-assisted development,” increasing its flexibility to all summer road conditions with a six per cent boost in dry braking in addition to better performance in the wet. By the end of 2025, Hankook says the new Ventus evo range – including the Ventus evo SUV – will be available in 94 sizes for a particularly wide range of vehicles.
Optional sport tyres always deliver better performance, right? Not necessarily, says auto motor und sport (ams). When the German motoring publication tested the latest Porsche Macan Turbo Electric, the model they received didn’t arrive on standard 20-inch rims, rather with 22-inch wheels fitted with “performance tyres” – an option that costs £464 in the UK.
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