Originally Posted by Adjuster

I have used two sets of the Pilot Sport A/S tires on two different A8's.

The D2 was with the stock wheels, 17's I think, and they worked excellent, ran smooth, wore very well, did not track ruts, and were overall great tires with excellent grip in the dry for a "A/S" tire.

I put another set of the "second" generation ones on my 2004 A8L, on 20' rims with 275/30 20's tire size, and still have them. I used them a few summers, and into the first part of winter, but that wide, and on 20's, they really were marginal for snow, but fine for wet or ice.

For snow, I have a dedicated set of 255/45 18 Blizzak tires, that are excellent in bad weather, and I've run them an entire summer now, and they are pretty dang long wearing, speed rated, load rated and the price was right at 119.00 each on clearance from tire rack a few years ago. (Wait and buy your snow tires in the spring, when they are selling off what they have laying around.)

My other set of wheels, is another 20" deal, with Conti DW's the BEST summer tire I've ever run period. Smooth, do not track ruts at all, and for a very low profile sidewall, a ride that should not be possible, while you get the feel, and sharp cornering ability of a dedicated summer tire.

That said, I see there is a NEW Pilot sport A/S tread design, looks more like the Pilot Sport summer tires, and I've noticed that they ran the soft rubber edge in more, like they should have on the first and second designs. (They are dual compound tires, with a harder, longer wearing middle compound that's for ice/snow/water, and the same soft grip compound that's for the summer tire cornering ability on the outside edges for grip when you need/want it.) The new design is not directional, but it is side specific, so I think that's why they improved the tread compound layout, as now the same OUTSIDE tire edge can be wider, while they run harder, longer lasting compounds in the middle, and inside edge more for wear, and wet/ice/snow conditions.

If I was buying a new set of tires? I would be seriously tempted to get the new Pilot Sport A/S, just because they are dual compound, but the Conti DWS are a proven performer, and cheaper, but I don't like the tread design as much. (I know, picky, but hey it's why I drive a S8, not a Malibu or Accord...)

Originally Posted by Adjuster

The 255 wide 18's with the slightly taller sidewall are actually a better tire choice than the 245 width stock tire.

The slightly taller tire brings the speedo right to what it should be, IE: Accurate, not optimistic. And your fuel economy should improve in theory as it lowers the rpm across the board as you drive slightly.

Downside is it raises the car up slighty. (I don't see this as a downside being an S8 driver.) And the minimal final drive gear change makes the car slightly slower off the line, but not much.