With the introduction of three new Potenza tires, the expansion of the fuel-friendly Ecopia line and the kickoff of the annual Safety Scholars Contest and Drive-and-Learn tour, it’s been a busy year so far for Bridgestone Americas.
In a series of back-to-back events in mid-March, the tiremaker unveiled the new tires to dealers and select media, using Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix, Ariz., as the proving grounds. The fast-paced driving, coupled with several information-packed sessions, proved Bridgestone is attacking the North American market on all sides.
Introduced at the event were: the Potenza S-04 Pole Position, a summer UHP tire that replaces the Potenza RE050A Pole Position; the Potenza RE970AS Pole Position, an all-season UHP tire that replaces the Potenza RE960AS Pole Position; and the Potenza RE960AS Pole Position RFT, an all-season performance line of run-flat tires designed for many of today’s popular run-flat-equipped vehicles.
Tire Specs
The Potenza S-04 Pole Position, Bridgestone’s newest flagship entry into the summer performance tire lineup, was engineered with features to provide improved wet and dry handling. Wide circumferential grooves provide rapid water evacuation; high silica content improves traction in wet conditions by increasing flexibility of the tread compound; and the footprint has been optimized for even contact pressure across the whole tread surface, Mark Johnson, Bridgestone’s product education manager, told event attendees. Large, stiff, high-grip shoulder blocks help maximize road contact and handling through corners and a continuous interlocking center rib provides quick response to steering inputs, he added. The S-04 PP comes in 45 Y-rated sizes ranging from 16- to 20-inch wheel diameters.
The Potenza RE970AS Pole Position is designed to offer all-season capability and enhanced wear while still delivering confident wet and dry handling, Johnson said. Like the S-04 PP, the RE970AS PP includes a silica-rich compound to aid in wet and dry traction and large shoulder blocks for solid cornering performance. The RE970 PP tread pattern features advanced 3D sipes for improved braking performance and also incorporates “3D stealth tread elements,” which increase block stiffness for improved handling while also aiding all-season grip. A continuous center rib enhances responsiveness, according to Johnson. The RE970AS will launch in the second and third quarters of this year and come in 34 W-rated sizes ranging from 16- to 20-inch wheel diameters. 
The Potenza RE960AS Pole Position RFT incorporates Bridgestone’s third-generation run-flat technology, which Johnson said contributes to significantly improved ride comfort over previous run-flat tires. “This marks an advancement in terms of our run-flat technology,” he explained. “Our 3G run-flat capability really represents a big step forward in run-flat tire characteristics.”
Third-generation RFT technology combines Cooling Fins and NanoPro Tech Sidewall reinforced rubber compound to control heat build up, especially when a tire is underinflated. The technology also allows for a reduction in overall tire mass and sidewall stiffness, resulting in improved ride comfort, lower rolling resistance and improved wear vs. the previous generation run-flat tire, Johnson said. The first nine sizes, ranging from 16- to 19-inch wheel diameters, will be launched throughout the year.
All three Potenza products come with a 30-day “buy and try guarantee,” as well as Bridgestone’s Platinum Pact three-year replacement limited warranty.
Media and dealers tested the S-04 and RE970AS Pole Position tires in wet and dry handling exercises on the track. And in order to get a true sense of Bridgestone’s third-generation run-flat technology, the RE960AS Pole Position RFTs were tested for noise, handling and comfort – while properly inflated and then again with one tire underinflated.
Also previewed at the event was the Firehawk Wide Oval AS, which is still in the planning stages. Once completed, the tire will be offered in 38 sizes ranging from 16- to 18-inch wheel diameters. H- and V-rated sizes are expected to be backed by a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty, while W-rated sizes are expected to be backed by a 40,000-mile treadwear warranty. The tire will be backed by the 30-day “buy and try guarantee.”
Going Greener
Building upon the initial success of the Ecopia line, which was introduced in the second half of 2010, Bridgestone also announced plans to add sizes to the fuel-saving tires. According to Julie Porter, product manager for mass market touring and eco products, Bridgestone will add 29 sizes to its Ecopia EP422 line and 19 new sizes to its Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia SUV, CUV and light truck line.
The Ecopia EP422 is made up of 5% post-consumer recycled rubber and incorporates Bridgestone’s NanoPro Tech technology, which contributes to fuel efficiency and CO2 reduction by controlling the interaction between polymer filler materials and other rubber materials, Porter said.
Both the Ecopia EP422 and the Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia are built with a new “Fuel Saver Sidewall” compound that lowers rolling resistance by returning more energy back to the tire – instead of generating heat – than a conventional sidewall, she added.
The Ecopia EP422 offers a 36% rolling resistance improvement and a 4% fuel economy improvement; the Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia offers a 42% rolling resistance improvement and a 4% fuel economy improvement, Porter said.
The Ecopia EP422 45 to 65 series sizes range from 15- to 18-inch wheel diameters. The tire carries a UTQG rating of 480AA and a 65,000-mile limited treadwear warranty.
To prove the Ecopia’s fuel-saving capabilities, at the event Bridgestone demonstrated the lower rolling resistance of the tires. Two identical 2011 Honda Civics – one fitted with Ecpoia EP422 tires and the other with Bridgestone Turanza EL 400 tires – were put into neutral and simultaneously released from a raised trailer bed. The Ecopia-shod Civic came to a stop 98 feet past the car with the Turanzas, giving attendees a hint of the potential savings the tires can offer consumers.
Making the Rounds
Recognizing that the mass rollout of several new products would be incomplete without adequate dealer education, the 2011 Bridgestone Drive-and-Learn tour will feature educational seminars and driving exercises centered around the new Potenza lineup, according to Phil Pasci, vice president of consumer marketing. This year’s traveling event will include multi-day stops in 15 locations nationwide, reaching some 2,400 tire dealers and their staffs.
Pasci added that the new Potenza tires will be included in Bridgestone’s point-of-sale materials, which address each of the tiremaker’s lines. The new offerings also will be added to the company’s certification training for dealers.
Bridgestone will continue to focus on print advertising in national consumer magazines, as well as targeted advertising in enthusiast and tuner publications, given the UHP nature of the new Potenza tires, Pasci said.
