I have the wintersports on this year(on the S4) - last year I had the MZ01's (Blizzacks - on the svt). I agree that this is a great winter wheel. You don't give up a whole lot in good dry roads and they are decent in the snow and ice. They are no where as effective as the MZ01 in the heavy snow, but by midwinter of last year the Blizzacks lost a lot of tread and were only average winter tires for the duration of winter. I have noticed no change in the wintersports performance thus far and they are tons better than the blizzacks when the roads are good. And I have yet to be snowed in this year and it has been a brutal winter here in MN. I highly recommend this tire for people who don't want to give up a lot of performance in the winter.