1.   But it gives serious drivers an opportunity to flog the car to its limits on dry pavement by allowing the rear end to slide a bit on turns.

2.   East Hardscrabble looks OK, clear ruts where other tires have worn the ice to dry pavement.

3.   Dry pavement.

4.   However, on these vehicles, the four-wheel-drive mode is not suitable for use on dry pavement.

5.   Most folks reckon Quattro to be foul-weather gear, but it also offers a fine sense of balance and agility on dry pavement.

6.   Not all mechanics recommend tires with studs, the metal protrusions that provide extra grip on icy or slushy roads but also produce an annoying noise on dry pavement.

7.   Now the car has two wheels on ice, two on dry pavement.

8.   On dry pavement, the risk can be just as great.

9.   On dry pavement it is quiet, smooth.

10.   On dry pavement, all of the force is transferred to the rear wheels.