Ultra High Performance vs. Max Performance Summer Tires – 2024 Test 3

Using our new BMW M2 high-performance test vehicle, we ran two Ultra High
Performance and four Max Performance summer tires through our litany of tests to
find the true kings of summer.

Learn more:


00:00 Introduction
3:39 On the Road
11:05 Wet Track
15:23 Dry Track
19:17 Conclusion

[lukeboustred]

Tirerack comparison tests have been super high quality this last year, awesome job

[CubanRider]

Great job Continental, I'm thinking my next set will be Sport 02s over my usual PS4S. They're also making some great tires for the motorcycle segment.

[jackwicker]

I switched from the oem michelin primacies to yokohama v601s on my BRZ 7k miles ago and have been loving them so far. A huge step up in road grip and also a negligible difference in NVH from the primacies. They almost made me think that complaints about max performance summer tire NVH were ridiculous. Very happy to have a comparison with the reigning champs of the segment. I think that for the money, its hard to argue against the v601s.

[taelee]

Just needed this as I was split between ExtremeContact Sport 02 vs PS4S! Thanks!

[leoma]

No information on tire sizes tested (were they OEM sizes) or if the MPS4S was the BMW Star Spec or regular - they are very different tires.

[JacesOwnWorld]

I run the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500’s on my modified MK7 GTI. Bought them at an incredible price of $80/tire a couple years back in 225/45 18 size. Absolutely love them! Will probably get over 40k miles with them. They have well enough grip for daily driving (I do not track my GTI). You honestly do not need more grip than what these tires provide, for the street. They would be just fine for track use too, but obviously, there are grippier tires for track if desired. But for the street, they are great! Zero issues with them and they do great in the rain too. Super quiet on the road as well.

[TheRyansLion]

Love my Yokohama V601’s. One of the best bang for buck street tire. I was extremely surprised on how quiet and comfortable they are considering how they look (which I absolutely love). I never drive very hard in the rain but was surprised by the hydroplaning resistance.

[ARentz]

Love this comparison. People ask about tires all the time on the forums I'm on, and I'm sure this will be useful. FWIW, I've got those Continentals on my IS 500 and have been totally happy with them. They're not any noisier or stiffer than the OE tires but have noticeably more grip and better handling.

[CarsWithJR]

Where the Michelin 4S in this test the BMW "star spec"?

[blucaller]

Your PS4S review sounds like it’s the BMW Star Spec that I’ve purchased before…there is a noticeable difference over the regular PS4S
Please clarify for all of us asking

[cdub]

Are these the BMW * Spec Pilot Sport 4S or the off the shelf Pilot Sport 4S as there is a difference between the two tires?

[superspeeder]

I’ve owned several sets of Indy 500’s on three different cars. They were fantastic on my Cruze in the stock 215/55-17 size, but less impressive in larger sizes on E90 and F10 BMWs… more of the punishment of a max-performance tire without the performance to back it up.

They’re getting long in the tooth now, time for something new.

EDIT: I forgot to mention they’ve become quite a bit more expensive over the years… they were very affordable when they first came out, which is why I think they got so much praise.

[dannyyin]

Weird. I find the Michelin PS4S to be soft riding, with steering that isn’t precise or quick enough, so the exact opposite of your opinion. Were you using the generic PS4S or the BMW star spec ones?

[GXKid]

I've had 4 sets of Indy 500s, and I currently have the Contis Extreme Sport 02 and I had a set of PS4s and I am definitely most impressed with the CSP02s. the PS4s have a lot of tread groans under low-speed cornering. the indy 500s I think were great tires for their time but I would love to see an update on them. I have been very impressed with the CESP02s I think they are the best tire you can buy and the fact they are a great price and come with a milage warranty is amazing.

[shuckyducky-lunc]

Drove by while this one was on the track. She looked epic out there. Really small but pretty as heck.

[MikeO]

Would be curious to see how the new Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 (PS4S successor) performs. I know they're hard to get in the US right now, not many sizes.

[dougrobinson]

I ran the General G-Max RS tires for quite a few miles. Treadwear was excellent for a performance tire. What really turned me off though was the way they behaved on the highway. The interstate I commute on was rain grooved, and the center block on them must have been the perfect width to follow the grooves. The front end would wander and feel like the car was floating. I could feel the tires being pulled around by the grooves in my steering wheel. Hydraulic steering rack FTW. They were a riot on on-ramps and back roads, however. Everyone I recommended them to was impressed by the grip and nobody else complained about wandering. I'd consider them to be a bargain, and if you don't encounter rain grooves often, they are worth considering.

[mpowerd]

Now this rocks. UHP and max have similar TW, I always wanted to know how big of a gap.

[ganzonomy]

Trackday tires! Cup 2 or cup 2r types!

[LearningFast]

Great video! Why did I feel like I was watching Jason Bateman’s son talk about tires?