White winters may make for picturesque Christmas cards but they also mean treacherous driving conditions and swathes of the country being impassable. With the distinct possibility that we are set for another white winter Audi has made the announcement that it will offer winter tyres to owners of its cars. Starting from £550, the winter package is available for the vast majority of Audi models from the A1 supermini right through to the Q7 SUV.

Winter tyres are made from a softer, more pliable compound than summer tyres meaning they offer up to 60 percent more grip on roads laden with snow and ice. The compound used in the Audi tyres has apparently been optimised for temperatures below seven degrees centigrade, which will offer peace of mind to drivers who experienced last year's low of -21 degrees.

For drivers who wish to protect their alloy wheels from corrosion brought about by snow and salt Audi is also offering winter wheel and tyre packages. Starting from £792 and available in sizes from 16- to 19-inch, the wheel and tyre packages come complete with heavy duty storage bags to protect the original wheels while in storage.

Paul Healy - 23 Sep 2011