Summer tyres go really hard and slip in the cold.

During the winter, the testing of summer tyres takes place in South Africa.

Front-wheel drive with summer tyres was OK, driven carefully.

High speed (V and Z) rated, wide based, low profile summer tyres are not suitable.

Because of the short summer in Finland, Nokian tests summer tyres at other locations.

A two-wheel drive car on winter tyres is better than a four-wheel-drive car on summer tyres...

Contract manufacture by Giti Tire includes production of up to 500,000 Nokian summer tyres with expansion up to 1.5 million tyres per year.

Our driver in the Cayenne on summer tyres might have had a torrid time getting to the top of the hill, but now there he can continue on his way.

Winter tyres also have a different compound, with a high-silica content meaning that they stay softer, more pliable and thus offer more grip at low temperatures than summer tyres.

Subject: High-speed tyres in Sweden In April this year, when many car owners in Sweden were about to buy new summer tyres, an absurd situation arose.

Our research has shown that more than two thirds of drivers do not know the difference between winter and summer tyres, something which could be improved by including questions on this subject in the driving test.

The two women skidded on summer tyres along roads treacherous with black ice and artillery damage, hurrying through rebel checkpoints to get back to the house each day before the DNR's military curfew.

The softer compound keeps it flexible when summer tyres start to stiffen up, and at 2am one morning on a damp and cold road, the first signs of the summer rubber starting to struggle were there.

Having just about (and it was a close thing) managed to zig zag our way to the top of the Ice Hill in a four-wheel-drive Cayenne on summer tyres, we are going to try something slightly different.

The tyres rely for their improved grip in winter conditions on rubber compounds that differ from those used in summer tyres, and tread patterns designed to disperse water or slush effectively and key into snowy surfaces.

Auto Express Editor Steve Fowler said: "The safety margin between summer tyres and winter tyres is easily the difference between having a crash and not, and proves there is still a compelling case for switching when the temperatures drop."

Sceptics may say that we have a vested interest in selling additional tyres, but the reality is that although there is an upfront cost, the extra total expense can be minimal - while drivers are using their winter tyres, their summer tyres won't be wearing down.