Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC launched three new ultra-high performance Potenza tires in Phoenix, Ariz., on March 24, 2011.
The trio of Bridgestone Potenza tires is:
1. Potenza S-04 Pole Position. The UHP summer tire replaces the Potenza RE050A Pole Position.
2. Potenza RE970AS Pole Position. Bridgestone’s all-season UHP tire will replace the Potenza RE960AS Pole Position.
3. Potenza RE960AS Pole Position RFT. The all-season performance replacement line of run-flat tires is designed for many of today’s popular RFT-equipped vehicles.
Potenza S-04 Pole Position
The Potenza S-04 Pole Position is Bridgestone’s newest flagship entry into the summer performance tire lineup. The tire has been engineered with features to provide improved wet and dry handling compared to the RE050A Pole Position.
Wide circumferential grooves provide rapid water evacuation, while the high silica content improves traction in wet conditions by increasing the flexibility of the tread compound.
Bridgestone says the footprint has been optimized for even contact pressure across the whole tread surface. Large, stiff, high-grip shoulder blocks help maximize road contact and handling through corners, while a continuous interlocking center rib provides quick response to steering inputs.
To help minimize noise, Bridgestone incorporated an advanced pattern design with what it calls a “Resonance Noise Attenuated (RENOA) Silencer Groove.”
The S-04 Pole Position comes in 45 Y-rated sizes, all available as of the first quarter of 2011.
Potenza RE970AS Pole Position
The tire is designed not only to offer all-season capability and enhanced wear compared to its predecessor, but also to deliver “confident wet and dry handling.”
The RE970AS PP includes a silica-rich compound to aid in wet and dry traction, and large shoulder blocks for solid cornering performance.
Its tread pattern features advanced three dimensional sipes for improved braking performance, and also incorporates “3D stealth” tread elements that increase block stiffness for improved handling and all-season grip.
A continuous center rib enhances responsiveness, while the footprint is optimized for even load distribution to enhance wear performance.
The tire will launch in the second and third quarters. It will be available in 34 W rated sizes.
Potenza RE960AS Pole Position RFT
Bridgestone’s third-generation (3G) run-flat tire features improved ride comfort. By adding 3G RFT technology to the RE960AS Pole Position, Bridgestone created a replacement line of all-season UHP run-flat tires for many of today’s most popular run-flat equipped vehicles.
"3G technology is primarily focused on ride comfort," said Robert Saul, consumer tire product manager in the United States and Canada for the consumer tire sales division.
The sidewall runs 21-degrees cooler with “Cooling Fins” – a sidewall protrusion design – than without. The NanoPro-Tech sidewall reinforced rubber compound controls heat build up, especially when a tire is underinflated.
The 3G technology also allows for a reduction in overall tire mass and sidewall stiffness, resulting in improved ride comfort, lower rolling resistance, and improved wear versus Bridgestone’s previous generation run-flat tire.
For the first time, Bridgestone is backing a run-flat tire with a 40,000-mile limited tread wear warranty.
The first 9 sizes will be introduced throughout the year. They are:
* 195/55RF16 87W,
* 205/55RF16 91H,
* 205/45RF17 84W,
* 225/45RF17 91W,
* 255/40RF17 94W,
* 225/40RF18 88W,
* 245/40RF18 93W,
* 255/35RF18 90W and
* 285/35RF19 99W.
All three of the new products come with a 30-day “buy and try guarantee,” as well as Bridgestone’s Platinum Pact three-year replacement limited warranty.
For more information, visit www.bridgestonetire.com.
