Back To The Future is one of my favourite movies. I watched it for the first time a long time ago and I make it a point to revisit it occasionally. It also gave the world one of the most iconic cars ever- the DMC DeLorean. Why am I talking about it when you see a MINI on your phone, PC, or the pages of an xBhp Print Magazine? There is an interesting connection here, not between the MINI and the DeLorean but between Vredestein and the DeLorean.
“Vredestein Tyres are not the OEM tyres for the MINI Cooper S. We have replaced the tyres of our MINI Cooper S with the Vredestein Ultrac Vorti I Tyres.”
We have been working with Vredestein Tyres for some time now and finally, our MINI Cooper S has been graced with a set of tyres from Vredestein, the Ultrac Vorti I. The connection here is that both, the DMC DeLorean and the Ultrac Vorti I, have been designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Car Designer of the Century! To have a piece of heritage like that as an essential part of xBhp’s first sports car is an honour.
How an engine breathes is an essential aspect of an internal combustion engine. Straight-up air is not clean and foreign particles in an engine never produce a pretty outcome. That is why engines have air filters. But filtration in an ICE is complex, a complexity that BMC Air Filters have simplified.
We have had the MINI Cooper S in the xBhp Garage for a while. When it came time to hunt for a new set of tyres for it, we went in deep. After researching a little, we settled on Ultrac Vorti I tyres from Vredestein. We tested them some time ago. Vredestein had arranged for some pretty quick cars for the test and the tyres passed with flying colours. With tyres available in the 15”-22” range, the Ultrac Vorti I tyres are a great fit for most performance cars.
We got the W-rated 215 R 17 Ultrac Vorti I for our MINI Cooper S. The W-rating means that these tyres are good for 270 kays an hour proving that they can handle nearly everything except the choices of supercars and hypercars which take bespoke tyres anyway. With that sort of faith shown by the brand, we’d love to take our MINI Cooper S to the racetrack to put them to the test. Let us stick to the road for now though.
If a filter is too permeable, dirt goes through. If it is too restrictive, it chokes the engine. BMC Air filters strike the perfect balance between permeability and filtration. Made of high-quality cotton and a wide filtering surface, BMC Air Filters capture more particles and impurities resulting in cleaner combustion, smooth power production, and longevity.
The first thing I’d like to talk about is comfort. I have felt a palpable difference between the previous tyres and the new Vredestein Ultrac Vorti I. These tyres have been designed and tuned for better compression during impact. This ensures a supremely comfortable ride even on rougher surfaces.
Our MINI Cooper S does not have bricks for suspension but being on the sporty side, it has slightly stiffer suspension. Despite that, the tyres mitigate that impact to a fair extent. Another thing that adds to the comfort is the tyre noise, especially during long rides. Vredestein has put in a lot of effort using advanced simulation tools to keep cabin noise as low as possible and I can tell the difference.
Despite the meticulous filtration, BMC Air Filters also ensure maximum permeation so that the engine is never short on air supply, a crucial component for combustion. This ensures that our MINI Cooper S can deliver all of the 190 horses every time we floor it.
In addition to comfort, the Ultrac Vorti I tyres score highly in the performance department as well. Our MINI Cooper S may not be a supercar, but it is pretty darn quick when you want it to be. So tyre performance is crucial to make the most of the engine. First of all, under braking and acceleration, the stiffness of the tread blocks provides additional stability. So whether you are accelerating hard or braking hard, the tyres keep up with the actuation of both the pedals.
While public roads do not offer many opportunities to corner hard, I know a few places where you can push at least relatively hard. The Ultrac Vorti I tyres do very well in the corners as well. A solid outer shoulder construction means that during cornering, there is minimal deformation. This also results in precise and responsive steering at high speeds.
As always, we spent a lot of time designing this particular livery for our MINI Cooper S. Without the tyres though, it looked a bit incomplete. So we got in touch with our trusted friends at Tyre Decor and as you can see, they did a terrific job matching the sidewalls of the tyres to the overall theme.
Another impressive aspect of these tyres is the compound, or shall I say compounds, in use. This ensures that not only these tyres offer very good grip on both wet and dry roads. Not only grippy, Vredestein has also promised that the Ultrac Vorti I tyres are designed to reduce rolling resistance. This means lower fuel consumption and enhanced tyre life. Spending more time with these tyres, will make us better equipped to comment on that but I am sure the tyres will live up to the claims from Vredestein.
Finally, I would like to mention that I noticed that there was a lot of performance still to be utilized; the reason why I would like to take our Vredestein-shod MINI to the racetrack. But even without that, I am very happy with the performance of these tyres. Vredestein is 115 years old and they have a lot of experience. Moreover, their tyres are manufactured right here in India which means they are better tuned for the Indian conditions.
Did you know?
Vredestein started in 1909 with a bicycle tyre as its first product. It has been pushing the limits of innovation for over 115 years. Vredestein tyres are made with extreme care to their design with names like Giorgetto Giugiaro and Frascoli Design affiliated with it. Vredestein had its humble beginnings in the Netherlands in 1909 and has since spread to over 100 countries.
This is just the start of Vredestein’s journey in India but taking note of the signs, their future looks bright. As we look forward to that, enjoy some more fantastic photos from our day out with our Ultrac Vorti I-shod MINI Cooper S.
