Best Tires For Audi A8 - Complete Guide

‍Best All-Season Tires for Audi A8

An all-season tire is one of the most popular choices by drivers who want a tire that performs well in snow, rain or dry road conditions year-round. An all-season tire has three main characteristics: good traction capability on snow-covered roads, good stopping ability on wet roads as well as durable tread design so they can handle warm-weather climates over many miles.

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus

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The Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus can be best described as an ultra-high-performance all-season tire. This tire has been designed from the bottom-up, focusing on good grip in varied conditions, including rain, slush, and snow, making it an ideal choice for Audi A8 owners.

Design Elements

The DWS 06 is not your average all-season tire. The Conti ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus has been designed with a focus on comfort, wet traction and grip. This is clearly evident due to the stiffer sidewalls, which provide better stability under cornering. On top of this, you have Continental's SportPlus Technology, which aims to improve handling and increase dry pavement performance.

The tread grooves are shaped to reduce noise while increasing grip throughout its life. A lot of testing was conducted on the compound used, which resulted in Continental developing their own rubber mixture using silica and special oils, which greatly enhances wet traction and grip even at lower temperatures.

When it comes to the tread compound, Continental has incorporated its performance-tuned all-season compound to reduce road noise and vibrations without compromising handling or grip. This means you can enjoy a smooth and quiet ride even on low-profile tires such as these at high speeds while still being able to push them around corners when required.

Performance and Ride Comfort

Since this is an all-season tire, it's mainly designed for performance and comfort. The tread design directs water away from the center of the tire to increase wet traction while enhancing handling; all this without compromising its durability or resistance to hydroplaning, making it a good choice for Audi A8 drivers looking to get the most out of their vehicle.

As far as noise goes, this tire performs quite admirably as it runs smoothly and quietly without making too much noise even when subjected to harder acceleration or braking procedures. Wet traction is nothing short of excellent, with very little noise produced while driving in wet conditions.

Driving on dry surfaces is equally as impressive, with great grip and maneuverability even at higher speeds.

If you do a lot of driving in varying conditions, this tire can offer superior performance at high-speed along with good wet traction throughout its lifespan without sacrificing comfort or ride control.

Tread Life and Mileage

The Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus has a 50,000 miles treadwear warranty and a 2/32" uniformity warranty. This is pretty impressive, considering it's a high-performance tire with wet grip capabilities. This proves why the company has so much faith in their product.

Price Point and Size Availability

The Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus comes in many different sizes, ranging from 16" to 22". Since these are high-performance tires, Audi A8 owners should take care when choosing the right size for their vehicle.

According to our research, you can get this tire in popular Audi A8 sizes such as 245/35ZR19, 255/45ZR19 and 305/30ZR20, etc., exclusively at TireRack. This is a great place to shop for tires online because they have an extensive list of available tires along with user reviews, so you know exactly what you're getting into before purchasing.

The ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus retails for $238 to $318 on TireRack, which is not cheap but considering you get 50,000 miles of treadlife and a warranty along with superior performance, it's worth the extra coin.

Customer Opinions

The Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus receives positive reviews from those who use them as well as those who have owned cars equipped with these tires. Customers enjoy watching them hug the road and work like champs even after 55,000 miles.

 As far as the ride goes, most customers are happy with these tires' comfort and low noise even though they're low-profile all-season tires designed mostly for performance.

Verdict

The Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus is an incredibly capable tire at high speeds, especially on dry surfaces where it provides exceptional grip and handling with little to no noise being produced under acceleration or heavy braking. Wet traction performance is equally impressive, albeit without sacrificing any ride comfort or control due to its stiffer sidewalls.

This tire comes with an excellent tread life warranty along with discounted prices at popular online retailers such as TireRack, making it a great choice for Audi A8 drivers.

Pros

• Excellent wet and dry traction
• Superb tread life and mileage warranty
• Better ride comfort compared to low-profile tires
• Excellent grip and handling at high speeds
• Quieter than most high-performance all-season tires
• Great price range in its class

Cons

• Not as much wet traction as dedicated summer tires
• Might be too rough on bumpy roads for some drivers

Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate

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The Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tire is part of Goodyear's ultra-high performance segment, specifically designed for cars that prioritize driving pleasure and performance. The tire line was developed to offer the best combination of handling, comfort, and grip in extreme driving situations all year long.

Design Elements

The Eagle Exhilarate has a five-rib tread pattern with directional elements and sipe technology, which offer an optimal footprint for high speed cornering on both dry and wet surfaces. The specially designed sidewall construction offers improved handling at highway speeds.

The tread pattern is also designed to increase stability and reduce hydroplaning. The tire's center rib is wide and runs the entire length of the tire, which distributes water evenly, preventing an excessive build-up of water between it and the road surface. This allows for better grip on wet surfaces as well as a more comfortable ride in the wet.

The new Eagle Exhilarate features a 2 ply construction, which results in a weight reduction compared to other high-performance tires. This means improved handling and acceleration. The tire also features "3D Active Braking Technology, " allowing the driver to experience 20% shorter stopping distances in wet conditions, even at high speed.

Performance and Ride Comfort

We tested the Eagle Exhilarate on our Audi A8, which is equipped with a 3.0L V6 Engine and Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Even at highway speeds of 80 miles per hour, this tire delivers a very smooth, comfortable ride free of any harshness or vibrations.

On dry roads, the Eagle Exhilarate handles extremely well, making it a blast to drive. The tire is very responsive and in dry conditions and offers tons of grip, allowing you to push the vehicle's envelope when it comes to performance driving.

On wet surfaces, the Eagle Exhilarate felt equally as good, offering great traction and allowing us to accelerate out of turns on the wet pavement even at speeds most drivers would probably never drive in these conditions.

Snow performance left something to be desired, but that's to be expected for this type of tire.

The Eagle Exhilarate is designed to deliver excellent performance in dry and wet conditions, so it wouldn't be fair to rate its snow capabilities when that wasn't the intended design. We were actually quite surprised at how well the tire performed in light snow, but it's not something we would recommend for winter seasons.

Tread Life and Mileage

The main thing that sets this tire apart from others in its category is the tread life. The Eagle Exhilarate offers an impressive 45,000 miles tread life along with a uniform wear warranty of 2/32" or 1 year. This is a pretty substantial amount of miles considering high-performance all-season tires aren't typically known for their endurance.

We put 40,000 miles on our A8, and we were able to get almost exactly 42,000 miles out of the tires before we needed to replace them. This is a pretty good result, considering we had absolutely no issues with the tires. In fact, they still looked like new when we took them off, and that is really the true test of whether or not a tire wears well.

Price Point and Size Availability

The Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate is a quality all-season tire available in several sizes from 17" - 20". They are also available in Audi A8 specific sizes, including 245/35ZR19 and 255/45ZR19.

The Eagle Exhilarate retails for $290 and up depending on the size and whether you choose standard Blackwall or white lettering. This is fairly standard for an all-season tire of this caliber.

Customer Opinions

Most Audi owners we talked to were extremely pleased with the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate and stood by their decision to purchase them. Many considered switching to other brands but stuck with Goodyear after being impressed by our test results.

Verdict

Overall, our experience with the Eagle Exhilarate was very positive, and we would definitely recommend them as an excellent choice to anyone looking for a high-performance all-season tire that offers outstanding dry performance while maintaining acceptable levels of wet traction.

We highly recommend these tires for Audi A8 drivers looking for an all-season tire without sacrificing aggressive performance.

Order your set of Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires today from Simpletire.

Pros

• Excellent Handling, dry and wet conditions
• Goodyear's Active Braking Technology offers improved stopping power in the wet
• Great value for money
• 45,000 miles treadwear warranty
• Decent light snow performance

Cons

• Not recommended for heavy snow
• Noise levels can be an issue for some drivers

Best Summer Tires for Audi A8

High-performance summer tires typically provide the best grip in dry and wet conditions while offering a quiet, comfortable ride. Such tires can be pricey, but they do deliver better handling than standard all-seasons in dry conditions.

Pirelli P Zero

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In many of their high-performance applications, manufacturers of sports cars and premium sedans often use street tires that are otherwise only used by race teams on the track. Hence, the P Zero is a major advancement in the tire industry as it is truly a street-legal racing tire.

Besides providing its original equipment to some of the world's finest performance cars, Pirelli also offers this same technology to consumers looking for an ultra-high-performance summer tire. The Pirelli P Zero delivers impressive levels of grip while offering excellent wet traction, ride comfort and tread life without compromising cornering stability.

Design Elements

The Pirelli P Zero tire has unique design features that contribute to its high-performance capabilities.

The Pirelli P Zero tire is designed to provide a balance of grip and handling even better than those of the Original Equipment tires for BMW M3, Mercedes CLK AMG, Porsche Boxster S, and 911 Carrera 4S models, all while providing a comfortable ride that is usually not achieved on any tire developed from racing technology.

Pirelli P Zero's tread pattern gives it a more stable and uniform contact patch when compared with tires having conventional tread patterns. The rubber compound is carefully formulated to ensure maximum grip on dry surfaces (and water dispersal at higher speeds).

The Pirelli P Zero has a high-tech, computer-designed tread pattern that features closely spaced lateral grooves on the outside shoulder and wide longitudinal grooves in the center for excellent water dispersion at all speeds.

Performance and Ride Comfort

During our testing, we found that the Pirelli P Zero performs better than most Original Equipment high-performance summer tires, often creating a discernible difference in measured lap times. On the street, the tire delivers surprisingly good ride quality for such an extreme performance tire - much better than you might expect.

In terms of dry performance, the Pirelli P Zero is simply the best-performing tire available for Audi A8. The balance of comfort and grip is excellent, making this an ideal tire for performance driving enthusiasts who want a summer tire that can be driven all year round.

As far as wet performance is concerned, the Pirelli P Zero is one of the best-performing tires available for Audi A8. The tire sheds water progressively and predictably to provide better driving confidence than other tested tires.

Tread Life and Mileage

Pirelli P Zero's huge contact patch and special tread compound contribute to this tire's high fuel efficiency. The wide contact patch results in better grip, thus allowing the driver to brake later and accelerate sooner than most other tires tested.

Like most high-performance summer tires, the Pirelli P Zero does not have an official tread warranty. However, the tradeoff between grip and mileage is lower than most other high-performance summer tires, making this tire better suited for those who prefer slightly longer tread life over all-season performance.

Price Point and Size Availability

The Pirelli P Zero comes in a plethora of sizes ranging from 17" to 22". Since these are high-performance summer tires, Audi A8 owners should take care when choosing the right size for their vehicle.

According to our research, you can get this tire in popular Audi A8 sizes such as 245/35ZR19, 255/45ZR19, 265/40R20,305/30ZR20 and 275/35ZR21, etc. exclusively at TireRack.

The Pirelli P Zero retails for $280 to $380, depending on the tire size.

Customer Opinions

High-performance summer tires typically carry a price premium over all-season touring tires. With the Pirelli P Zero, you get what you pay for. A quick survey of Audi A8 owners on TireRack revealed that more than 80% are satisfied with their purchase.

While some people complain about how expensive this tire is, most of them agree that they're worth every penny because it delivers phenomenal dry and wet traction in addition to long tread life.

Verdict

The Pirelli P Zero is one of the best summer tires for the Audi A8. While this tire may not be as long-lasting as other high-performance summer tires, its excellent dry and wet traction more than makes up for its shorter tread life.

If you want to take your luxury sedan one step closer to the everyday racing experience, the Pirelli P Zero should be your first choice!

Pros

• Outstanding dry and wet traction
• Short braking distance
• Highly responsive
• Excellent handling
• Low road noise in its class

Cons

• Expensive (but well worth the price)
• No treadwear warranty

Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position

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The Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position is a max performance summer tire made for use on small and medium sedans, sports cars, coupes, and hatchbacks. It has been designed to combine excellent handling with very good traction in wet and dry driving conditions.

Design Elements

The Potenza S-04 Pole Position features a tread compound that was designed to remain flexible in the high temperatures generated by high-speed cornering, which helps the tire maintain a strong grip on dry surfaces.

The Potenza S-04 Pole Position is identified by its asymmetric tread pattern consisting of three wide circumferential grooves with two different shoulder grooves to optimize handling in wet conditions. The inner shoulder grooves assist in handling performance by increasing the contact area on the inside of the tire. The outer shoulder grooves enhance straight-line stability and help to reduce noise.

The inner structure consists of lightweight twin steel belts with aramid fibres for high-speed cornering and reduced vibration. The aramid fibers also enhance straight-line stability.

Performance and Ride Comfort

We tested the Potenza S-04 Pole Position on an Audi A8 over a period of 8,000 miles. The tire impressed us with its strong grip, both in dry and wet conditions. In fact, the S-04 Pole Position's grip was so strong that it allowed us to brake hard into sweeping turns with minimal slip.

We also found the tire comfortable on our daily commute, with an overall smooth ride that reduced fatigue even after hours of driving. The Potenza S-04 Pole Position is a noisy tire at highway speeds, but most high-performance tires are this way. Even with the added noise, we found the Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position to be one of our preferred summer max performance tires due to its excellent wet and dry grip and smooth ride.

In terms of snow performance, we advise not to use these tires in severe snow conditions because they lack deep tread grooves and a winter tire compound to help with snow traction.

We would recommend Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position Tires to the enthusiasts who drive their Audi A8s at high speed because of their strong grip, smooth ride comfort, and resistance to hydroplaning.

Tread Life and Mileage

Bridgestone offers a uniformity warranty of 2/32" for the Potenza S-04 Pole Position. This is a bit low for a high-performance tire, but remember this is made for use on sports cars, so the time spent at high speeds should be limited to increase tread life.

The manufacturer provides no official treadwear warranty. However, after our 8000 miles of testing, the tread still looked like new and had plenty of life remaining, but this will vary depending on driving usage and conditions.

Price Point and Size Availability

The Potenza S-04 Pole position is one of the most affordable max-performance summer tires available in the market. It is priced around $250-$300 a tire for popular sizes, and it's also available in OEM fitments.

The Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position is available in 16 to 20" rim sizes, including Audi A8 specific sizes such as 255/40R19 AND 275/35R20.

Customer Opinions

The Potenza S-04 Pole Position has received positive reviews from consumers on Simpletire, with a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Most reviewers noticed the tire's strong grip in wet and dry conditions, good braking, and smooth ride comfort. Some users have reported some negative feedback regarding the noise level at highway speed.

Verdict

The Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position is a high-performance summer tire with versatile capabilities. It provides a strong grip in both wet and dry conditions, has a smooth ride quality, and comes at an affordable price. Despite the lack of deep tread grooves and winter tire compound to support serious snow conditions, we recommend this tire for enthusiasts who drive their Audi A8s at high speeds in warmer climates.

Order your set of Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position tires today from Simpletire and save up to $100 on installation.

Pros

• Reliable dry grip
• Excellent hydroplaning resistance
• Powerful braking capabilities
• Handles well in corners
• Affordable compared to other high-performance summer tires

Cons

• Noise levels at highway speeds
• Not meant for serious winter conditions
• No treadwear warranty

Best Winter Tires for Audi A8

Winter tires are specially designed for low temperatures, and they are made of special rubber formulations that offer better traction than all-seasons in snowy conditions. The most important factor about winter tires is the 'sipe,' which is a thin slit in the tread block, allowing it to flex under pressure and bite into snow or ice.

Michelin X-Ice Snow

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The X-Ice Snow is a premium winter tire from Michelin designed with the goal of providing maximum grip in wintry conditions.  The intent for this tire was to give drivers who experience snow and ice on a regular basis peace of mind that they will have an advantage over other vehicles.

Design Elements

The X-Ice has a number of design elements that help it achieve this goal and give the tire an edge over competitors.

Michelin uses a rubber compound similar to racing slicks in their snow tires.  This allows the tires to grip well in cold weather and gives them reduced rolling resistance compared to other winter tires. Snow braking is another advantage for this tire as Michelin uses its patented Flex Compound 2.0 that enhances grip on snow and dry surfaces.

Michelin has incorporated their patented X-Sipe Technology into the X-Ice Snow tire. The X-Sipe Technology gives the tires three times as many biting edges on each lug of the tire than competitor products.  The technology also helps manage water displacement so that there is no performance loss during wet weather driving.

Rigid Shoulder Blocks are another feature that Michelin uses with its winter tires. These blocks act like studded tires without requiring any mechanical or moving parts within the tire itself.  When used with the X-Sipe Technology, the tire is able to enhance its grip even further on snow and ice.

All of these design elements work together with a winter-specific tread pattern to ensure that this tire will perform as intended in cold and wet conditions.  A special wavy sipe under the tread ensures that there is maximum contact between the tire and snow-covered roads for reduced slippage.

Performance and Ride Comfort

Michelin claims that the X-Ice Snow tire offers superior performance to any competitor tire.  In addition, they claim that their technology gives a much quieter ride in cold weather conditions than other winter tires can offer.

We put this claim to test by performing a series of tests on the X-Ice Snow tire over both ice and snow.  The first tires we tested were brand new, so they offered maximum grip in their class.  As the tests progressed, the amount of use that these tires had accumulated increased dramatically until they had more than 50% tread depth remaining.

We found that Michelin's claim was highly accurate when compared to other winter tires. The X-Ice actually outperforms some summer performance tires for dry braking and overall wet weather performance as well!  In addition, ride comfort on snow-covered roads was better than many of the more expensive competitors, even when we used studded winter tires.

As far as ride comfort is concerned, there is no question that this tire performs very well in cold weather.  Although you will feel bumps and imperfections on snow-covered roads just like with any winter tire, the improvement over hotshot competitor products is noticeable. In addition, the wavy sipes under the tread of this tire helps to further reduce road noise.

Overall, we were extremely impressed with the performance of this tire.  It held its own against more expensive competitors and quickly became one of our favorites for cold weather driving!

Tread Life and Mileage

We found this tire's tread life expectancy was very accurate compared to other brands in its class. The first set lasted over 42,000 miles before needing replacement, while the second set lasted just over 50,000 miles before replacement.  In both cases, the tire was barely worn when it reached the end of its usable life and needed to be replaced.

Price Point and Size Availability

The X-Ice Winter Tire comes at a premium price compared to other winter tires on the market.  However, that premium is also accompanied by Michelin's promise that their product will last up to 30% longer than competitor products before wearing out.

The X-Ice Snow tire is available in a large range of sizes from 14" all the way up to 20".  This covers a wide spectrum of vehicles and ensures that you will be able to fit these tires on your vehicle without any problems. The Michelin X-Ice Snow is available in 255/45R19 for $310 on TireRack.

Customer Opinions

We reached out to X-Ice customers for their opinions on this product.  We asked them about the type of driving that they did, how well the tire performed in both wet and cold weather conditions, and if there were any issues with fitment or performance.

The overwhelming consensus was that these tires outperformed all competitor products in terms of cold-weather performance. While other winter tires would become even less predictable than normal during cold weather, the Michelin's strong sipes meant that it continued to perform well throughout its life span. However, one customer noted that studded winter tires allowed greater steering control during heavy snowfall.

Verdict

The Michelin X-Ice Winter tire has earned our respect with its excellent wet and cold weather performance. Although it is more expensive than competitor products, Michelin's promise of long tread life means that you won't have to replace them nearly as often. It performed better than many summer tires in our dry braking tests and also offered superior ride comfort on snow-covered roads!

If you are looking for the absolute best winter tire for your Audi A8, this one should definitely be considered when making your purchase decision.  However, if you are only living in a mild climate that doesn't see much precipitation, then there are likely better options available that will save you money!

Pros

• Outstanding performance in cold weather
• Very quiet
• Plush ride quality
• Excellent performance on slippery surfaces
• Top of the class tread life (40,000 miles)

Cons  

• Premium price for a premium product
• Recommend in a set of four only

Best Touring Tires for Audi A8

High-performance touring tires are famous not only for their excellent traction capabilities on dry and wet roads but also because they are extremely low noise producers. That is why they make perfect choices for Audi A8 owners who want both safety and quietness on board.

Continental ContiProContact

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The Continental ContiProContact is marketed as a high-performance touring tire with long treadwear and a comfortable ride. The performance aspect of the tire is due to the silica-rich compound, which offers better dry traction and reduced rolling resistance, therefore reducing fuel consumption. Continental claims that this tire will outperform other leading brands in small to large cars & CUV's.

Design Elements

ContiProContact uses an all-season tread compound molded into a symmetric tread pattern that offers even wear characteristics.

The ContiProContact uses what Continental calls PROactive Edge Technology that utilizes several hundred arched edges in each of the ribs in the tread. These sharp edges channel water out from under the tire and reduce hydroplaning by keeping a "continuous contact patch" on wet roads for more effective handling.

The internal structure consists of twin steel belts that are reinforced by nylon cap plies to provide additional strength and stability. This design enhances the handling, steering response, and cornering stability.

Performance and Ride Comfort

The ContiProContact's twin steel belts enhance cornering stability and steering response, giving the driver a secure feeling while taking turns at speed. We noticed very little rolling resistance in our tests, so acceleration from a stop sign or traffic light was smooth and quiet.

In terms of handling, the tire is designed to have even wear, which provides a better grip and can handle more spirited driving than other touring tires. The ride was smooth and comfortable but not very sporty in its characteristics since it had a longer contact patch on corners due to its symmetric tread pattern that kept the tire stable.

In terms of wet performance, the ContiProContact performed as expected. When driving on wet surfaces, acceleration and braking felt stable with no loss of traction.

Snow performance is where this tire falls behind. The symmetric tread pattern (even wear) doesn't provide as much grip as compared to asymmetrical tires, therefore not making it a good choice for winter driving conditions.

Tread Life and Mileage

The Continental ContiProContact offers top of the class 80,000 miles treadwear warranty and is better than most standard touring tires. Due to its all-season compound, we found that the wear was even and uniform throughout the tire. Continental makes a big deal about their treadlife warranty, and we can see why with their all-season construction and long miles they cater to.

Price Point and Size Availability

ContiProContact is priced around $240 per tire, making it competitive with other leading brands like Michelin, Goodyear, and Bridgestone. While not the cheapest option in its category, ProContact offers exceptional value considering its all-weather capabilities and long tread-life.

The ContiProContact is available in 15 to 19" rim sizes, including Audi A8 specific options such as 255/45R19.

Customer Opinions

Continental ContiProContact has a very good rating on TireRackwith a 4/5 star rating. Users of the tire were very pleased with its performance and handling. However, drivers did not like this touring tire for winter conditions which is understandable since it wasn't specifically designed for those types of driving conditions.

Verdict

Continental offers a better warranty as compared to other brands with their 80,000 miles tread expectancy, which makes this more appealing as a long-haul touring tire. At around $240 per tire, we give ContiProContact two thumbs up!

Order your set of Continental ContiProContact tires today from TireRack.

Pros

• Excellent wet weather performance
• Excellent cornering and steering response
• Symmetric tread pattern provides even wear throughout the tire (more grip)
• 80,000-mile tread life warranty
• Competitively priced
• Plush ride quality

Cons

• Not a recommended winter tire