With the BMW 328i Sport being rather overtyred using the same sizes as the E36 M3; a 245/40/17 at the rear, tyre choice is chosed with half an eye on cost.

I really wanted to have Michelin Pilot Sport II's all round, however they were coming in at about £170 per tyre!

So I was recommended the Marshall KU17 by my trusted tyre fitter.

As he explained, they use the same Silicon technology as the top brands, Goodyear F1's for example, meaning superior grip and wear.

Add to this, the tyre was only £70 a tyre - and it looked nice enough - very similar in design to the original Michelin Pilot Sport (i.e. Symmetrical).

Having had them fitted and bedded them in, now I have got over the initial 'lets not wear them out so quick this time', I've set to really leaning on them.

And the good news is: They really are very very good. Especially at that cost.

In the wet, perhaps because I'm pushing 200bhp around at the rear, and I'm always looking to move the back around, they don't perhaps have as much grip as I'd like, however they do work well.

They clear water very well, and a fairly quiet.

However dry grip is their party piece.

I simply have to be a nutter to get them sliding, and into corners, setting the car up well, they just grip and grip. Very progressive in their movement across the thread as well.

All in all, as a budget performance tyre, they really are amazing.

Very much recommended, and should Pilot Sport II's still be expensive, I'll be getting more of the same.

Excellent grip for the price, can't really fault them. At least in my 205GTI I don't need to worry about smoking away the fronts as they're so cheap!! :)