From road to racetrack (and beyond): 3 hyper hatches that do it all

From the school run to Silverstone, these rabid German hatchbacks deliver space, pace, and durability. But why is Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4 S the perfect match for track-ready daily drivers?

To most, the phrase ‘track day’ conjures images of racing harnesses, roll cages, slick tyres, and ear-splittingly loud exhausts. However, today’s trio prove you really can take the kids to Tae-Kwon-Do on Friday evening, and then set lap records on Saturday morning – all in one vehicle! 

With sub-four second 0-60 mph sprints and top speeds in excess of 180 mph (in the Audi’s case), these three tuned-up hatchbacks would leave many noughties supercars in their dust on the road or circuit. Oh, and you won’t have to suffer any of the histrionics associated with Italian thoroughbred ownership. 

When it comes to tyres, there’s a model that’s equally at home thrashing through chicanes as trundling over speedbumps: Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4 S. Designed to handle the trials and tribulations of daily life, Michelin’s high-performance summer tyre can happily shrug off the occasional track day, too. With versatile performance that’s made to last, keep reading to find out why Pilot Sport 4 S is the perfect pairing for the world’s fastest hatchbacks.

VW Golf R

Credited by many as the first true hot hatch, VW’s Golf GTI is a venerable all-rounder. But if you’re looking to take to the track, it’s the flagship R model that’ll serve you best. Thanks to the inclusion of a heavily reworked 2.0-litre-four-cylinder turbocharged engine, the R boasts over 60 bhp more than the regular GTI. When paired with the firm’s legendary 4MOTION all-wheel drive system, this means 0-60 mph is ticked off in a Porsche Cayman-baiting 4.6 seconds. 

But it’s not until you reach the racetrack that you’ll be able to exploit this hot Golf’s biggest asset: sublime cornering grip. Whether it’s a tight hairpin or a fast sweeper, the R’s torque vectoring and adaptive chassis control can get the car’s nose turned in (and the tail out, if Drift mode is selected) like a dedicated sports car. Such response and agility is then further enhanced by fitting Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres. Like the Golf, the 4 S’ Bi-Compound technology offers composed traction in slippery conditions, while an ultra-reactive tread pattern provides steering precision to match the R’s sporty setup. 

All this athleticism doesn’t come at the expense of daily drivability, either. Use it like a regular Golf and it’ll respond like one – swallowing the whole family’s luggage and settling down to become a cosseting motorway cruiser. So it’s easy to see why, despite a £44,565 asking price, the R is such a strong seller for VW.

Audi RS3

What happens when you take a common-or-garden A3 and give it the full RS treatment? You get Audi’s fire-snorting, 394-bhp, 180-mph RS3. With five cylinders and 2.5-litres to its name, the engine has always been this fast Audi’s centerpiece. And it still is. The RS3 is brutally quick off the mark (think 0-60 mph in less then four seconds) while the Group-B-esque warble emitted from the exhaust is unlike any hot hatch on sale. 

There used to always be a catch, though: the Audi’s understeer-biased chassis made it a blunt instrument on track. Helping ensure those days are long gone, the latest variant sports an RS torque splitter that can send up to 50% of the engine’s grunt to either rear wheel, plus adaptive dampers and a recalibrated stability control. The net result? The latest RS3 is not only more fun to drive, but also capable of setting a blistering lap time — at 7 minutes and 33 seconds, it’s the class-leader around the Nürburgring. 

Unlike the more highly-strung supercars which set similar ‘Ring times — Lamborghini Aventador LP-700-4, Ferrari 458 Speciale, and Pagani Zonda F, included — the RS3 still behaves like a regular A3 when you need it to. Got a late-night airport run but don’t want to wake the neighbours? No problem. Simply pop the switchable sports exhaust into quiet mode and load the practical hatchback boot with the family’s suitcases. 

This duality of character is mirrored by Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4 S tyre. While it’s more than capable of handling sustained high-speed abuse on track, the 4 S is equally adept on the daily grind. For one, a deep rim guard helps protect your RS3’s 19” alloys from errant kerbs. Then, when it comes to ride comfort, a hybrid architecture means the 4 S isn’t uncompromising or harsh over pothole-riddled British tarmac.

Mercedes A45 AMG

Where the Golf GTI can be called the first hot hatch, the term ‘hyper hatch’ was coined for cars like Mercedes’ original A45. When it launched in 2013 it accelerated harder than an Aston Martin DB9, and it hasn’t stopped evolving since.  

Now, pumping out a colossal 416-bhp (more than any other production 2.0-litre-four-pot when it debuted), the A45 explodes to 60 mph in an incredible 3.9 seconds. But how does it put such prodigious power down to the tarmac without fuss? With a sophisticated four-wheel drive system of course, though standard-fit Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres also play an integral role. 

The same is true for the handling. While a veritable slew of performance systems (including electronically controlled multi-plate clutches) work busily in the background to optimise traction and improve response, without the solid foundation of quality Michelin rubber to work with, their efforts would be futile. Ultimately, it’s the Pilot Sport 4 S special fusion of control, stability, safety and durability, which allow the A45 to deliver its full, breathtaking road and track ability. 

So there you have it, three hyper hatches which work just as well on the track, as off it. And when you need tyres that can live up to that Jekyll and Hyde billing, Michelin’s ultra-versatile Pilot Sport 4 S is tough to beat.

Hero image credit: Michelin