SP8000s and snow

[Alex Rosser <lxrosser@triskaideka.ugcs.caltech.edu>]

> I am contemplating an A4 Avant q for the wife, I want the sports suspension,
> but I'm curious if the car has enough ground clearance for those days when
> the snow piles up a bit? Any BTDT's? SP8000's and snow, is that a very good
> mix? My RE71's + ice made for a slippery day. Remedied it with studded
> Gislaveds though.

SP8000s and snow are a *bad* idea. I run SP8000s on my street/stock autocross
911. Our autocross practice last year coincided with a local snow storm. The
SP8000s were iffy on the drive there(left home in the clear, the weather got
progressively worse the closer I got to the site), and all I learned about in
the practice(conducted in ~2" of snow/slush/ice) was how to try and recover
from spins. However in wet/dry(summer) applications, the SP8000s is a great
street/non R compound autoX tire(for those of us who can't really justify one
*more* set of rims in the garage, especially since I'd have to take a second
car to the track to carry the race tires, and man, how those 7x16/8x16 P-car
rims cost, and...).

The SP8000 is the reason I was looking for 15" rims for my 4kq(and thanks to
everyone who responded with advice)... come summer 3 or the 4 cars will be
wearing SP8000s in one size or another. In the winter I run Gislaveds on the
940 and I just pulled a set off my 142 for the 4kq. The Porsche doesn't see
snow. I don't trust anyone else on the road(plus, throttle-lift oversteer
becomes a *lot* more exciting on snow/ice.).

-Alex
 1971 Volvo 142E		1994 Volvo 944T
 1986 Porsche 911 Targa		1986 Audi 4000cs Quattro