Vredestein Ultrac Vorti Plus vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S: Both of these tires come in the category of high-performance tires, best suitable for summer use. These tires with 225/40 R18 size are compared thoroughly below in terms of their road grip, rolling resistance, wet handling, and comfortability levels.
Made for powerful cars, we should expect the best traction values and steering responses. And both Vorti Plus and Hankook Ventus seem to be doing their job great.
Examine the treads on these tires closely. They hold the key to knowing which to choose. In fact if you visit my "tread design" page, picking the right tire would never bother you.
Both tires offer great asymmetrical tread contact patch and rigid sidewalls which translate into amazing steering stability especially around tight corners. A perfect match for your Ultra high performance car. Both models boost superior braking performance with the tread’s optimal siping details. WIth the siping pattern and tire compounds create amazing braking distance values ensuring safety.
Michelin being a multinational company since 1889 needs no introduction.
For those who don’t know about the other one…Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus, developed by Apollo Vredestein primarily is one of their top tires. It replaced Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta. They are larger. Almost 13% and provide more stiffness on the sidewalls which give better traction. Its popular size is the 225/40 R18, both tires would be compared with this size. With the speed index Y (300 km/h is where the maximum speed rating for the tire). But the tires also come in 61 more variants with rim sizes from 18 to 22 inches.
As for the Michelin Pilot 4 S, it is difficult to find any real weaknesses in them and only in-depth comparisons of each feature yields small and negligible differences in factors such as wet handling and noise when compared.
All in all, it perfectly embodies a summer tire. With its top notch dry and wet handling, hydroplaning, and guaranteed long tread life, these tires as exemplary. For these reasons, these tires are accredited by Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche, and other car manufacturers.
On the other hand Vredestein Ultrac Votri tires are perfect for enthusiasts who like to put themselves in tough driving situations and have a sleek elegant looking design inspired by the Italian auto design studio Giugiaro. The best thing about this tire is that it sells itself; after being declared the star of the dry handling circuit, Vredestein ultrac Vorti plus has become the go-to summer tire for all enthusiasts.
Table of Contents
Dry Traction Comparison
Michelin Pilot Sport 4s
A crucial performance variable when it comes to overall traction on dry asphalt is measured by braking distances. Dry traction reflects the grip and control of the tires on dry asphalt (roads).
Both of these tires, in fact, all of the UHP tires have the traction rating of A. The difference in braking distance between A and E-rated tires could be as much as 30%.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S has the best dry traction when compared.
When it comes to dry handling Ultrac Vorti Plus is really great, but when compared, Michelin was still slightly better.
The Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus has a sporty feel to it but just leaves you wondering at times whether the tire is going to grip or slide, but the steering response and the speed makes it a very enjoyable tire. It is a tad stiffer on the shoulders and sidewalls, whereas the central strip is much wider which helps in dry braking and handling. It uses new high-traction tread compounds which include silica and raisin mixed with multi-purpose polymers to ensure maximum grip and braking performance on dry surfaces.
The Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus has a general traction rating of A
Statistically speaking, on dry surfaces, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S covered just 33 meters to break from 100kph to 0kph. Where the braking distance was 36.8 meters for the Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus. So Michelin takes the lead here.
As being an ultra-ultra-high performance (UUHP) tire, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S ranks above in dry handling as well. It is specially designed for summer roads and can also work extremely well for an occasional drive on a track road with the help of Multi-Compound Construction.
The handling time for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S was 94.4 seconds compared to Vorti Plus 95.5 seconds, making Michelin again better in handling on dry surfaces.
The thing about being engineered specifically for durable and optimum performance on summer roads is that the best feature of this tire is its dry traction. This means that it can also resist the heat that builds up because of high speed. This gives your vehicle great stability, precision, and steering even at high speeds. Even when you apply brakes while already traveling at high speeds, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S will cooperate. It is not, however, as direct when it comes to handling as compared to other UUHP tires.
Wet Traction Comparison
As impressive as Vredestein Ultrac’s performance in the dry is, it comes with a catch. It is nowhere close to its competition with regard to wet traction. As far as the wet handling on wet surfaces is concerned, the tire moved 52.8 meters to go from 100kph to 0 kph. However, the tire just doesn’t meet the standards that we have come to expect from Apollo Vredestein. Some enthusiasts would argue that this tire has been over-engineered to provide the best dry braking which has left it lacking in the wet braking department.
As far as wet handling is concerned, the Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus is able to maintain an average speed of 85 kph on wet asphalt without any problems.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S took 35.5 in meters where Vorti + took 38 meters to go from 80 kph to 1 kph. Michelin is better here.
Competing in a league of UUHP tires, it is not easy to stand out. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, however, stands out by giving an ultimate grip on the road even in wetter climates. Even though the wet handling is not as quick and efficient, it is nonetheless a good option if what you aim for in your vehicle during the rainy season is grip and stability.
When compare with Michelin 4, Michelin 4 S has lesser dry handling performance. The main reason behind this increase in wet handling time is the focus of the Sport 4S on aquaplaning.
Rolling Resistance Comparison
The Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus is designed for extremely high speeds and fast cornering.
It is built with a mix of polymer and resin and has a significantly large apex base. The carcass, the apex area, and the area around the rim use next-generation compounds that help reduce rolling resistance, which consequently helps not only the fuel efficiency but also the tire’s lifespan. The Apex base stabilizes the tire when turning corners and stiffens up the sidewalls, thereby minimizing the twisting of the tire by the high load that it feels while making sharp turns. The stiffer build of the tire ensures that the tire ends up getting less deformed while going down the road, resulting in a minimal amount of energy loss.
The Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus experiences a rolling resistance of 9.54 kg/t which came out to be better than the Michelin Pilot. (But by a very slight margin)
The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S has a rolling resistance of 9.67 kg/t. This is a lot but it is understandable since the Sport 4 S is a UUHP tire. UUHP tires focus mainly on ensuring excellent dry and wet traction. No UUHP tire can match the low rolling resistance figures of a UHP (ultra high performance tire). Not only that, the Sport 4 S also offers track road handling which justifies its rolling resistance.
This high rolling resistance comes with a cost in the form of fuel expenses. However, these tires are usually common in high-maintenance vehicles as these tires are accredited by such car manufacturers. Cost-friendly production is not something that is kept in mind in the design and manufacture of these tires. Users are assumed to manage investment in fuel for these tires.
Hydroplaning/Aquaplaning Comparison
For Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus. the Aquaplaning test didn’t do this tire any favors. It did a decent job in the straight test and came in at number 2 with a float speed of 91.2; however, it came in at number 9 in the curved aquaplaning test and was the furthest from the leaders. The same design that makes it amazing at dry handling, makes it below par when it comes to aquaplaning.
The inner construction of the tire consists of a layer of rayon which helps make the tire durable, but slippery and shifty at the same time which makes this tire prone to Hydroplaning when the conditions get really wet. Even though the tire has deep grooves to get rid of the water, they really don’t make any difference when the tire moves laterally through corners.
Whereas the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S has an excellent aquaplaning technique with the use of functional elastomers and silica. This gives the vehicle a great grip on the road even when there is water present between the tires and the surface of the road.
While other UUHP tires tend to feel sporty while driving on wet roads and do not have the best grip on them, the Sport 4 S stands out by providing an understeer primary balance by providing exceptional grip on the road and giving you a safe and enjoyable drive.
These tires have a float speed of 7.8 kilometers per hour when it comes to straight aqua i.e. driving on a straight road layered with water. Its curved aquaplaning is supported by a remaining lateral acceleration of 2.18 meters per square second.
Noise and Comfort Comparison
Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus isn’t the noisiest tire, but it is one of the noisier ones if compared with some of its competitors. Its stiff treadwear combined with the deep grooves can make it a bit noisy especially on the highway. Air gets compressed inside the grooves of the tread and the deeper the grooves, the more air volume, the noisier the tire. If we talk about the noise the Vredestein Ultrac Vorti made an external noise of 72.4 dB on asphalt
Comfort-wise this tire is second to none, it scored almost the same as the Michelin pilot sport 4.
The external noise caused by these tires is 72.2 in decibels. This can be a lot especially for people who are accustomed to quiet, peaceful drives. It is generally a passable level of noise but is nonetheless a factor that must be taken into account when making a purchase.
The reason behind this high noise level is that being a UUHP tire, its performance is optimized for wet and dry traction. It has a high rolling resistance which causes road friction, resulting in noises. Moreover, it is a tire focused on grip and stability. These contribute to the loud noises.
The comfort level, however, of these tires is admirable. They guarantee a safe drive and that you can drive confidently without worrying about the grip of your vehicle on the road.
Treadwear Comparison
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is an excellent treadwear warranty. With a tread of 7.5 mm, these tires are high durable.
These tires have a limited mileage warranty of 30,000 miles. Aside from that, they also carry standard materials and workmanship warranty for the life of the original tread. This is a remarkably good tread life, especially for a summer tire.
Generally, tires with excellent grip are not as efficient when it comes to tread life. This is because the better the grip, the more contact, and friction with the road. These are factors that can easily wear away tires. The Sport 4 S, however, overcomes this trade-off.
Another feature ensuring its safety is the premium touch finish, adding a dark velvet effect on the external sidewall.
On the other hand, the Ultrac Vorti plus has a high-traction tread compound with an asymmetric pattern that delivers great results in dry conditions. The central rib that goes all along the tire has diagonal slits that improve steering response and precision. The outer shoulder, which is much more rigid, wider, and low-void than the inner shoulder, is responsible for providing enhanced handling whereas the inner shoulder has much more void and is designed to aid wet traction and handling. Moreover, the tire has deep grooves that allow the water to flow through the contact patch and build up resistance against aquaplaning in wet conditions.
The tire itself is made with two different compounds: rayon and nylon. The rayon layer helps build up tire strength and durability, whereas the two layers of nylon are there to provide high-speed capability. However this makes the treadwear quite sensitive to temperatures under 20 degrees F, so make sure that whenever you take these tires in the snow give it around 24 hours to return to at least 40 degrees F, otherwise the treadwear will wear out very quickly.
The Vredestein Ultrac Vorti plus has a treadwear rating of 320
Conclusion
It fair to say that upholding the brand name, these tires are everything Michelin guarantees with its summer UUHP tires.
And all and all Vredestein Ultrac Vorti is a standard summer tire that will work perfectly fine for your daily use, however, if you’re an enthusiast and like to push your tires to the limit, this might not be the best option for you. Even though this tire will give you top-notch handling, speed, and precision in the dry, it won’t be able to cope with the pressure when the conditions are wet. The top-notch dry handling and speed do make this a fun tire, but you have to ask yourself whether it’s worth the risk or not.
