New Bridgestone Potenza S001 tyre engineered specifically for Renault’s latest hot hatchback…
The New Renault Mégane R.S. has been updated with state-of-the-art technology for greater agility, efficiency and driving enjoyment. These innovations still rely on the right tyres which is why Bridgestone engineered every aspect of the Potenza S001 to match the new design of the iconic French hot hatch.
A tailored approach was a must for the New Renault Mégane R.S. ‘This is a very different vehicle,’ explains Laurent Hurgon, Renault’s development driver for the new model. ‘It has a more powerful engine and the suspension as well as the four-wheel-steering system have been recreated. Bridgestone engineered the Potenza S001 tyres to respond to this and maximise the benefits of these innovations.’
As the exclusive producer of the 19” tyres that are standard fittings for the New Renault Mégane R.S., Bridgestone wanted to create a tyre that would deliver every fraction of the power, control and sports performance the vehicle is capable of.
‘The Mégane R.S. is a hot hatch. We designed the Potenza S001 on this basis. We put larger blocks on the outside of the tread pattern to improve dry handling and braking, and smaller blocks on the inside to optimise performance in the wet,’ explains Christophe de Valroger, Vice President of Original Equipment for Bridgestone Europe. ‘This improved the contact line for a better connection with the road’s surface and better stability at high speed. It also increased the lateral forces, making it possible to corner quickly, a must for a hot hatch.’
However, the innovations extended beyond tread pattern and groove geometrics. The tyres are made from an advanced material compound and feature a reinforced sidewall, increasing the stiffness of the tyre carcass and improving responsiveness and cornering power.
‘We reduced the rolling resistance, keeping the Potenza S001 in line with regulations for today and tomorrow and obtained the EU Grade A label for wet grip,’ explains de Valroger. ‘Designing and producing tyres in Europe for a vehicle being engineered in Europe allowed us to work closely together at every step.’
The benefits of this approach were experienced by Laurent Hurgon too. ‘Bridgestone and Renault partnered on the previous generation of the Mégane R.S., but this tyre took our collaborative efforts to a new level,’ he says. ‘We were genuinely fine-tuning every little update with each other. You feel this incredible accuracy in the performance.’
‘The Mégane R.S. was already an iconic hot hatch,’ says de Valroger. ‘But with its new innovations and the Potenza S001, this reputation is bound to grow.’
The 2018 Renault Mégane R.S. will be available from dealerships in March 2018.
