Bridgestone, a global leader in advanced solutions and sustainable mobility, has launched its new flagship ultra-high performance tyre: the Bridgestone Potenza Sport.
This next generation tyre represents a new standard in premium, high-end sports performance, providing best-in-class performance in the dry, supported by a premium wet package.
Tested by TÜV SÜD, one of Europe’s most respected independent automotive testing institutes, the Potenza Sport achieves the best performance in both dry braking and cornering – and straight line stability – versus competitors in the premium segment. Additionally, the tyre offers outstanding wet performance.
Pioneered With Cutting-Edge Tech
So let’s delve a little deeper into the background of the Potenza Sport.
Bridgestone wanted to create a tyre that met the expectations drivers have in high performance tyres, while addressing the everyday challenges they face. That is why market research was undertaken to begin the Potenza Sport development. Bridgestone interviewed over 3,800 end-users across Europe. Their input gave Bridgestone the foundations to engineer an ultra-high performance tyre that meets driver needs and expectations of control and confidence.
To achieve the Potenza Sport’s performance, Bridgestone has applied various new technologies in tread pattern, compound and construction. The tyre’s tread design has several new features, including innovative 3D sipes to increase shear stiffness, with benefits in braking and abrasion resistance. The compound, thanks to an optimised formula combined with mixing technology, improves, as we’ve mentioned, wet and dry performances.
Furthermore, Bridgestone uses a new hybrid crown reinforcement to maximise the tyre’s stability performance at high speed. A sporty carcass package is also applied to increase stability performance and steering response, while optimising rolling resistance.
The Tyre of Choice
Custom-developed Potenza Sport tyres have already been selected as original equipment by some of the most prestigious car brands in the world, including Maserati for its MC20 supercar, Lamborghini for the Huracán STO, BMW for the 8 Series and many more to come.
Indeed, we drove over 600 miles in a BMW shod with Potenza Sport tyres. Our journey from the Midlands via County Durham to England’s northernmost county – Northumberland – couldn’t have felt more secure. The tyres coped admirably with motorways, twisty rural roads, tight city streets and weather-beaten coastal lanes.
We were blessed with sunshine during the break, so we couldn’t put the tyres to the test in damp weather. However, the grip was phenomenal on all the road surfaces we encountered, especially when the odd tight corner took us by surprise. Even the quaint winding cobbled streets of Durham couldn’t put the Potenza Sport tyres off their stride.
Hotel Indigo Durham 
Durham Cathedral
Hotel Indigo Durham was our base to explore the North East. Located in the city’s former Old Shire Hall building on Old Elvet, the hotel is perfectly placed to experience all that Durham has to offer. It is always good to stretch your legs after a drive, so we even managed to walk around the University, castle, and world-renowned Cathedral while we were there.
Once back in the car, we drove up as far as Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve in Northumberland, before circling back south to enjoy Hotel Indigo Durham’s Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Bar & Grill. This restaurant treats you to signature steaks, timeless English and French classics, and a comprehensive selection of premium cocktails. The menu is exclusively curated by Marco and is the perfect setting for any occasion – from an intimate dinner for two to a family celebration.
The restaurant features a range of regionally inspired special dishes, so you can imagine how welcome the hotel’s bedrooms are when it’s time to digest and relax for the evening. The individually designed bedrooms take inspiration from Durham Cathedral and University, with the room we had boasting a king-sized bed and en-suite bathroom with rainfall shower. WiFi, a mini fridge with complimentary water, a Smart TV and air conditioning made the stay even more delightful.
Driving Pleasure
Of course every mini-break ends too quickly, but when you know you’re heading home in a car equipped with some of the safest tyres in the world, it makes the drive back a pleasure, rather than a chore.
Developed and manufactured in Europe, the Bridgestone Potenza Sport is available across the UK, the European continent – and beyond. The tyre is on offer in 96 sizes from 17’’ to 22” to cover a range of passenger cars and on-road SUVs.
“The Potenza Sport is the latest chapter in Bridgestone’s long legacy in high performance,” said Emilio Tiberio, Chief Technical Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Bridgestone EMIA. “We engineered a premium, high-value sports tyre that keeps drivers in control while unlocking the performance of their vehicle. Potenza Sport is truly a new excellence in sports performance.”
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