bacos4

I will take delivery of 01 Pearl/onyx S4 in mid july. Currently have a 98 A4 2.8Quattro witha set of steel wheels for winter (yes I know they are but ugly but cheaper and sturdier than mags) Tires are Conti Wintercontact TS770 Sizes 195/65 R15H. Question: Will this combination work for my S4????

steveo@s4.org

15" wheels are too small for the front brake calipers. Some people found a few 16" wheels that worked.
I just got some Dunlop Winter Sport M2 tires put on the stock wheels. Bought a new set of wheels and tires for the summer. (they aren't here yet, but they are on the way. So I'm told)

Steve L O

bacos4

Thanks Steve. You might want to consider the Contis though, they are a great all round compromise, even in the dry.

Vijay

That set-up would compromise your dry road performance way too much even if it did fit. Remember, the actual number of days you are truly driving in snow sufficient to require snow tires in a quattro is limited. Still, you do need snow tires since the stock tires, or any other max performance tire you might otherwise want, truly sucks in the snow. My recommendation: Dunlop Winter Sport or equivalent "H" rated snow tire, 225/45-17 on stock wheels, with a set of lighter wheels and better tires for spring, summer, fall.

RS4saloondrivr

No The wheels will not clear the front brake rotors.

RS4saloondrivr

They are excellent in the snow and ice and quite good on dry pavement. I also got a different set of wheels for winter. In any snow deeper than a couple inches the stock wheels tend to pack snow inside them and become unbalanced. I live in Wisconsin and see plenty of winter driving. With the wintersports and quattro I have a blast in the snow.

DMoore

The factory recommended size for snow tires for S4 is 205/55-16. There are a few 16" alloy wheels available which fit the S4, although it's a pretty limited choice.

Nobody makes a 15" wheel that fits - your old ones won't. I had the same size on my previous A4 2.8Q. Nobody presently makes a steel 16" wheel that fits - so alloys are your only choice. I have 16" Ronal R-28s, but OZ, ATP, BBS and Audi all have other models that fit also. Audi has an optional winter wheel for the S4, now available in US, that's 16 x 6. Nice and narrow, but quite pricey.

You already understand the benefits of downsizing for snow tires, so I won't belabor the point. I have 205/55-16 Pirelli P210s. They're snow tires, not "all-season" but they're balanced more towards dry road handling than ultimate snow performance. Which tire is best is your call. For best snow performance, try a Nokian Hakka Q. Dunlop M2, Michelin Alpin, and the newer models of the Blizzak have all received good reviews last winter.

I bought my S4 last October, so I already have a full Sierra winter on the car. With the right tires, it will be just as invincible in the snow as your previous A4 was.

DMoore
'00 S4 (mine's pearl/onyx also)