Vredestein Sportrac 2 Tops Auto Express Test

Auto Express magazine has named the Vredestein Sportac 2 as tyre test winner in its 2005 Product Honours report. Goodyear’s Hydragrip and the Barum Bravaris were also commended.

“Think tyres and Vredestein is unlikely to be the first name that springs to mind, but the Dutch firm’s rubber certainly is impressive,” the consumer magazine wrote, adding: “Vredestein has always made products that perform well in the wet, and the Sportrac 2 was no exception, recording a series of top-three results.”

But Vredestein was not the only manufacturer to be singled out for praise. Auto Express commended the Goodyear Hydragrip saying: “It’s a safe choice, although as with our champ [Vredestein’s Sportrac 2] it struggled when it came to fuel economy.”

Auto Express also commended Continental’s second brand Barum Bravaris. “Look at the price and you’d think Continental’s budget brand got a commendation on that alone. But it proved a real surprise at the test track, with a string of top-four results putting many famous names to shame,” the magazine reported.

The tyres were tested at Continental’s Uvalde, Texas, test track with particular attention paid to the tyres’ wet performance. Braking, handling, cornering and aquaplaning characteristics were all assessed. In addition the tyres were examined for braking, handling and in-car noise on dry sections of the track. Meanwhile the product’s rolling resistance was examined at Conti’s Hanover research centre. Finally, average prices compiled from 12 outlets were taken into consideration.