Its brilliant to stand and watch, my mate has been moaning about his 3.0 BMW Z4 being useless, my old P reg V12 7 series never let me down despite being huge and much more powerful, it was on 16 inch rims though!

It seems the more modern BMWs and the like either sit there spinning with the TC off, or wont do anything at all with it on!

We've had some snow where I live, not too much mind, the sensible wheels and Michelin Primacy tyres on the S-Type mean it gets on perfectly fine despite being RWD.

However I do enjoy seeing clips on the local news of posh pansies with their low-profile BMW's sliding back down the hill.

Serves you right. My pet rabbit could work out that was never going to get up an icy hill.

I remember from the "big blizzard" of early 2003 (if I recall correctly) several beemers doing the same - on one hill where we all had to stop (a lorry had got stuck) a 5-series with bling-bling low profiles on decided to have a go on a similar road that could get to the top via another route (still a hill though), but which had only fresh snow on it.

Needless to say he managed to get 50m up the hill (not even a 1/4 of the way), came to a halt, then slid back down, bouncing off the kerbs like a bumper car, from one side to the other. Everybody watching below had a great laugh at his expense. Thank God I had a little Micra with (relatively) skinny tyres back then - no probs at all apart from waiting for others in front.

To be honest even with my Mazda3 on 205/55 R16s I've never had a problem driving on snow and ice (touch wood!) in the 7 years I had it - for once being a light-footed driver is not something to laugh at! My neighbour and his wheel-spinning BMW 325 is though!

My friend has a 330 convertable - she calls it Bambi...