It's been a while since I needed tyres on a standard passenger vehicle; I use BF Goodrich K02 and K03 off road tyres at $550AUD per tyre, but I know what you mean. I guess they get corporate deals in place with vehicle manufacturers. My Audi A5 coupe had Pirelli P-Zero tyres on it...those bastards lasted (barely) 12,000km. I ended up with...wait for it...Michelin instead.

It's all about off road for me mostly and I have to pay the price for rubber I know will do the job...being stranded in the Australian outback is not fun so I don't compromise.

£140 is $282AUD...pretty costly for standard car rubber.