I had GSD3s on my old 300lb/ft Ibiza and they were the best gripping tyres it ever had...and it went through a few different sets!
My GTI has new Dunlops all round thanks to the dealer, when they're worn away I'll get Goodyears on my 17s without any hesitation. You get what you pay for.
I'll agree with evo's view of bigger wheeled cars having less bite and acceleration, I've seen it on a few different cars when changing to bigger wheels. The only way to counteract it is to fit lighter wheels.