These are dedicated winter tires. I bought them in size 225/45-17 for the stock wheels on my 2000 S4. I have driven them over 5000 miles in the last 4-months of winter (2000-2001). I have driven them in dry, wet, rain, sleet, hail, snow, slush, ice, and even some dirt/mud. I drove from Philly to Buffalo and back, in the winter, encountering deep snow (7+ inches), and heavy rains, etc. These tires never lost traction. After 5000 miles, they do not show a lot of wear, although I have not driven them as hard as I would the summer tires.

These tires are tremendous in wet and snowy conditions. They grip better than anything I have ever used on snow or ice. The tires are very good on dry pavement, and in the stock size, with the tire pressures set appropriately, I don't feel that I have given up much in terms of handling, assuming that the car is not being raced on curvy roads. I often forget that I am driving on winter tires on sunny dry days. I have had a few impromptu street races from stop lights, on dry pavement, and these tires seem to do just as well as the summer tires in providing grip for a street/drag race.

I can feel some difference from the summer tires (Bridgestone RE-040) in regard to the tires' ability to take sharp fast corners. However, you would have to be exceeding every speed limit, and driving recklessly (by police standards) to be able to feel this difference. I think I could really drive these tires hard on curvy dry pavement, and they would do well, but I am guessing that the tires would wear out quickly.

These tires are fairly quiet. There is only a slight increase in noise, on dry pavement, at speeds over 50mph, compared to the stock summer tires. I can hardly imagine better winter tires than this, although there are a few other choices that are rated well also. I am extremely pleased with the level of traction and control that these tires provide, in all conditions. Unless I really pushed on the gas pedal, these tires seem to not lose traction on snow.

The braking on snow and ice is also terrific. The difference between driving with these tires in the snow, and with non-winter tires (even all-seasons), is like night and day. I thought about getting an SUV for winter instead of using the S4 in winter, but after driving on these Dunlop Winter Sport M2 tires on the S4, I changed my mind; the S4 with these Dunlops make an ideal winter fun vehicle.

By: Jim Sullivan Email: jssullivan@yahoo.com (Nov-01)

Make & model of car the product was used on: 2000 A4 QMS

I am surprised that no one has reviewed this tire. After last weekend's major snow dump, I thought I should say something. Warning, I am going to rave about these tires.

I got my Y2K A4 QMS w/MTM chip a year and a half ago and immediately bought spare Borbet wheels, swapping the street tires on the Borbets and buying the Dunlop Winter Sport M2's. Within a month or so of western New York State ownership, I found myself coming home from work in a wild, raging snow storm, skidding around on the SP8000's that came on the car. In spite of the blowing and cold snowstorm, I enthusiastically jacked up my A4 out in the driveway and installed the newly mounted snow tires.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE! These new breed of "Performance Snow Tires" are excellent in the snow, grippy on ice, and exhibit indiscernible noise/harshness penalty in the dry. I could honestly see where good folks living in inclement conditions in the north could consider running these all year. I've got about 13,000 miles on them now and they're wearing great too.

Highly recommended.