Armstrong Blu-Trac PC vs Vercelli II tires

All-season tires are forever in demand as they provide year-round traction and performance while also delivering comfortable rides on paved surfaces. Moreover, they eliminate the need for an extra pair of tires if you live in an area that does not encounter moderate to heavy snow. Today, the battle is between tires from manufacturers Armstrong and Vercelli. Incidentally, though Armstrong is an American company where Zafo International makes products, Vercelli is a company with tires manufactured in Thailand and sold by American Omni Trading Company.

While the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC has been designed for passenger cars, the Vercelli II offers buyers zing by being specially made for performance-based coupes and sedans. Both are available with limited manufacturer tread life warranties, though the one on the Vercelli is seriously greater. Both feature symmetrical tread patterns and the tread depth on the Vercelli tire is slightly higher. We have rated the tires based on our proprietary grading system termed SimpleScore, where parameters such as longevity, handling, and traction have been given 1-10 numerical scores. You'll get to know more details by the end of this Blu-Trac PC vs Vercelli II tires comparison.

Armstrong Blu-Trac PC tires

As the next generation of passenger tires, Armstrong Blu-Trac PC has been built to deliver a comfortable and smooth ride with low road noise and greater even wear. Traction and braking ability have gone up over its previous generation. Along with the limited manufacturer tread life warranty, Armstrong also backs this tire with a 6-year limited warranty, road hazard repairs coverage, 24/7 roadside assistance, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. A set of inner ribs reduces road noise here and improves comfort.

Strategically-positioned sipes, along with the all-season rubber compound, are responsible for great performance and traction. Additionally, the lateral grooves showcase chamfered edges for low rolling resistance, leading to higher fuel efficiency. The Blu-Trac PC was found suitable enough for an admirable average SimpleScore of 8.5.

Vercelli II tires

Those users who wish to drive on all-season tires but want to enjoy spirited performances from their performance-oriented sedans and coupes should consider the Vercelli II. With this tire, the availability of year-round performance and traction as well as a limited manufacturer warranty are the main advantages, considering the latter is usually missing from a UHP (Ultra-High Performance) tire. Expect the twin center rib design to assist in improving braking performance and high-speed stability. A computer-optimized design decreases road noise and vibrations to ensure a quiet and smooth ride.

For the amount of grip and cornering performance expected from this tire, the higher tread depth is understandable. The details of the limited manufacturer tread life warranty will be provided soon after. We found the Vercelli II to be good enough for an average SimpleScore of 8.1.

Armstrong Blu-Trac PC vs Vercelli II tires on traction

The Armstrong Blu-Trac PC features strategically positioned sipes that ensure great traction. Apart from the above, the all-season rubber compound also has a role to play here. For wet traction and minimizing hydroplaning, the self-locking sipe system is useful once again. With the advanced tread pattern improving grip, this tire receives an average traction score of 7.8.

Compared to the above, the Vercelli II gets enhanced traction due to its smart tread pattern, higher tread depth, and sipe technology. The directional tread pattern also enables this tire to stick to the surface while moving ahead. As per our tests, the Vercelli II was found good enough for an average traction score of 7.8.

ADVANTAGE: Tie

Armstrong Blu-Trac PC vs Vercelli II tires on handling

Despite not being a performance-oriented all-season tire like the Vercelli, the Armstrong still features self-locking sipes for better braking performance, further boosted by effective water evacuation. The three inner ribs follow the road for higher stability and precise steering response. Additionally, chamfered edges on the lateral grooves increase tire rigidity. As per the above, the Armstrong Blu-Trac receives an average handling score of 8.2.

In comparison, the Vercelli II is a performance-based all-season tire that showcases features such as a twin-type center rib design for better braking and high-speed capabilities. You'll notice that the Vercelli II is available with W and Y speed ratings, higher than the V, H, and T speed ratings of the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC. This is a tire suitable for enjoying spirited drives on performance-based sedans and coupes. We were able to award the Vercelli tire with an average handling score of 8.6.

ADVANTAGE: Vercelli II

Armstrong Blu-Trac PC vs Vercelli II tires on longevity

It is here that the Armstrong holds a major advantage over the Vercelli, offering buyers not just a higher 85,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty but also a comprehensive policy, with the latter including road hazard repairs coverage, a 6-year limited warranty, a 30-day money back guarantee, and 24/7 roadside assistance. As opposed to the above, the Vercelli receives a 45,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, along with a no-questions-asked, 24/365 free replacement limited protection policy.

The Armstrong provides a high fuel efficiency due to lower rolling resistance, made possible by chamfered edges in lateral grooves. Sipes on this tire ensure even wear, and while the Armstrong receives a scintillating average longevity score of 9.7, the Vercelli only manages an 8.1.

ADVANTAGE: Armstrong Blu-Trac PC

When to use each

For users who tend to use all-season tires daily, it makes sense to search for reasonably priced options, and both the Armstrong and Vercelli fall in this category. With these tires, the need to own and store an extra pair for adverse weather conditions is automatically eliminated. Apart from the above, a high limited manufacturer tread life warranty is responsible for higher peace of mind, as can be seen in the case of the Armstrong tire. While the Armstrong can be used on sedans, CUVs, minivans, and coupes, the Vecelli is limited in terms of use on performance-oriented sedans and coupes.

Which one should you choose?

Only users who aim to corner and drive hard would do well to buy the Vercelli II. Both tires are tied in terms of traction and the Armstrong surges ahead in longevity. However, before you reach that all-important purchase decision, we would like to bring the most important criterion into consideration — price. While comparing the starting prices of the two tires, we found the Blu-Trac PC to be available for a mere $44 per tire ($176 for 4) and the Vercelli II to be priced at $66 ($264 for 4).

During our extensive road tests, we found the following reasons to choose the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC:

• A significantly higher limited manufacturer tread life warranty and a comprehensive warranty coverage policy for greater peace of mind
• Fits a larger percentage of passenger cars
• It is the less expensive tire

On the other hand, the reasons to select the Vercelli II include:

• The need to extract high performance from your vehicle
• Better handling
• Better braking performance

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help, and our helpful agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.