Tyres again

[QSHIPQ <QSHIPQ@aol.com>]

Dave E. writes:
>pertinent to our comments about tyres and tests, and as i mentioned yesterday
>in another test, the e46 bmw came with the optional 18" 255/35 sp9000 tyres,
>whereas the normal covers are 16"  205/55.  the audi had 16" 205/55's
sp8000's.
>mmmmm.  part of a cunning plan by bmw?  (a quick check between the 2
>magazines i've read, reveals quite different cars, so bmw are deliberately
sending >the press the up-optioned cars)...
You look at a cunning plan by bmw?  I look at a cunning plan by audi that
wasn't enough.  SP9000 alone mean that audi had some 'intent' to get better
numbers.  Just beaten by the ante, IMO.  Or do we derive from this, that audi
had some reservations about the 17's (18 aren't optional are they) not
"helping" the numbers, objective or subjective.  You read differently into
this Dave.  Sounds like some pretty basic gamesmanship here.  And one company
that is serious about winning combinations.  

....  And one that isn't so.

Tires only make or break a test when the sum of the rest of the whole is
right, or it's a risk.  Great tires on a crappy car, don't get good subjective
or objective numbers.  The risk of 18's on the BMW, IMO, is riskier than 16's
on the audi.  To have confidence that 18's will make a better e46 machine,
shows me someone has more than a 'tire' ace in the hole.

Scott Justusson