18/08/2021 — Sailun is now one of the top 20 tyre manufacturers in the world. AUTO BILD put the Chinese manufacturer to the test to see howgood they really are.

Can cheap be dangerous? This is a question that car drivers often ask themselves when buying tyres. The fact is: all tyres are black and round. However, they often differ significantly in price. Worldwide, around 400 tyre manufacturers offer their products from over 800 tyre brands, sometimes at rather fanciful prices. With such a large selection, it’s easy to lose one’s bearings and fall for the trap of the special offer without first thinking about safety.

The basis of a good tyre

Tyres are often purchased from a DIY store or online, usually without any expert advice. Little information is sought about the products, some of which are from dubious backgrounds, based on questionable technology and peddled at bargain basement prices. A risky way to save money. The quality of a tyre can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation. Braking distance, performance on wet roads, cornering stability – in contrast to most low-cost suppliers, well-known manufacturers invest millions in continuously improving all of these vital factors. There are also optimisations in terms of noise, rolling resistance and mileage. Given the move towards the electrification of cars, these are increasingly important factors when it comes to a good tyre.

Sailun wants to make an impact on the German market

Sailun is a ambitious new player on the German tyre market and is looking to go up against the large premium manufacturers. The tyre manufacturer from Qingdao in China is not yet a household name here, but it is the 17th largest tyre manufacturer in the world. Sailun already exports its tyres to more than 180 countries. Up to now, Sailun tyres have come in around low to midtable in test results. Including with AUTO BILD. Using new technology, the Chinese manufacturer has now set itself some ambitious goals and wants to be seen as a serious supplier of highquality tyres, moving away from the grimy image of ‘cheap tyres’.

Newcomer assessment

To meet increased demands, Sailun needs to deliver results. AUTO BILD put the Chinese manufacturer to the test to see how good they really are. Assessment of a newcomer. In direct comparison with premium tyres from competitors, the AUTO BILD tyre experts put the new Sailun summer tyres Atrezzo ZSR through their paces on the Bilster Berg race track (dimension: 235/35 ZR 19). Installed on two Hyundai i30 N and Seat Leon cars, the latest mix had to demonstrate their qualities. Braking (dry and wet), avoidance manoeuvres and dynamic high-speed driving on the 4.2-kilometre track featuring 19 bends. The agenda was ambitious, and the results surprising. In terms of performance, Sailun’s top product impressed the testers. In terms of grip, lateral guidance and feedback at the wheel, the pros noticed significant improvement compared to the previous Atrezzo tyre. This piqued the testers’ attention. Had an optimised ‘one-day mix’ been put together here specially for AUTO BILD, or would the tyre maintain its quality even under continuous stress in everyday use?

To find out, the experts took the Hyundai i30 N to the Nordschleife (‘Green Hell’) at the Nürburgring. 50 laps at full throttle on the 20.8-kilometre track, a continuous speed test, which, calculated based on the established wear factor of 10 on the Nordschleife, corresponds to a total distance of 10,000 kilometres. There is hardly any tougher test of durability under road conditions.

Impressive all-round performance

Once again, the results were impressive. Although the testers were disappointed by the slightly delayed steering response on dry roads and the tendency of the Hyundai to understeer, and the meticulous experts also hoped for better directional stability, the Atrezzo ZSR is extremely impressive in terms of durability. No malfunctioning, the tread was only slightly worn, the wear pattern on the tread and around the shoulder showed hardly any sign of wear. To put these impressions to the test, AUTO BILD finally sent the Atrezzo ZSR to TÜV SÜD for a high-speed test.Here, again, the result from the testers were impressive: no defects were found. The tyre completed the sixty-minute high-speed test at the test station, including 50 minutes at speeds of 270 to 300 km/h, with no difficulty.

Conclusion

There are a few bad apples in the tyre business. And there are also manufacturers who are doing their homework and who continue to improve. Sailun appears to be one of these. Investment in research and development is starting to produce results. Further tests will show whether this is enough to keep pace with the big names.