BRIDGESTONE’S WINTER TYRE TESTING EVENT PARTNERS WITH FASTLANE LUXURY CARS

At Fastlane Luxury Cars, we never quite know what our high-end customers will ask for next, but when Bridgestone Tyres approached us, through the fantastic team of Drive Event, we were more than happy to help with their request. They needed to rent from us six luxury SUVs with very specific tyre sizes to test a new tyre as part of the Bridgestone Winter Tyre Testing event which took place in February 2019.

HOW FASTLANE LUXURY CARS PERFORMED ON BRIDGESTONE WINTER TYRES

The luxury SUVs which were required for the Bridgestone Winter Tyre Testing event were specially brought from Italy and Germany to the testing location in Austria by Fastlane Luxury Cars, and it was by all ways quite a shopping list! We sourced six luxury vehicles, including two Audi Q7s, a Mercedes GLE, BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne and a Porsche Macan. There’s no doubting the quality of these vehicles and their powerful performance which would put the new Bridgestone winter tyres through their paces.

BRIDGESTONE TYRES HISTORY

Bridgestone Tyres was founded in 1931 by Japanese Shojiro Ishibashi in Fukuoka, Japan. The company mission has always been “to serve society with superior quality”. Bridgestone Corporation is currently the world’s largest tyre and rubber company and one its its most famous subsidiaries is Firestone Tyre and Rubber Company. Now a world leader in tyre technology, Bridgestone recently released their winter tyres after extensive research and road testing. They wanted to produce tyres that offer more grip yet remain fuel-efficient and safe.

BRIDGESTONE WINTER TYRE TESTING

Prior to the 2019 Winter Tyre Testing, Bridgestone Tyres were already the market leader in Russia for the non-studded tyre market. Their mission was to create the most versatile tyres to suit the market without necessarily focusing on a particular feature, such as braking on ice or acceleration on snow.

Their new tyres which were put to the ultimate road test were the new Blizzak Spike-02 tyres with studs and the Blizzak Ice tyres. These specialist snow tyres are produced exclusively for Russia and the nine CIS (Commonwealth of Independent State) countries which are mainly the member countries of the former Soviet Union.

The Blizzak Ice tyres have tough tread blocks to improve wear resistance. The design also has grooves which allow air to pass through the tread, reducing acoustic noise and discomfort for drivers and passengers. The Spike-02 was shown to reduce skid and provide “hook” in all directions. Oval spikes within the tread help improve traction and reduce skidding on snow and ice.

These tyres also showed a decrease in braking distance on ice by 10% compared with previous winter tyre models. Bridgestone’s new Spike-02 tyres maintained the normal compliance of 60 studs per running metre of tread with the broadest side of the claw facing across the direction of drive for good braking and acceleration. They were also designed to reduce the loss of spikes during winter driving.

Fastlane Luxury Cars is the key of success for any Automotive Event

ABOUT THE SUVS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TESTING EVENT:

Mercedes GLE

Powered by a turbocharged 6-cyclinder engine, the Mercedes GLE combines agility, speed and safety. The report on the Mercedes GLE during the Bridgestone Winter Tyre Test showed it dampened the buzz from the tread compared to the uncomfortable acoustics generated by the wheels of the Range Rover Evoque. With a 60/40 split rear seat the Mercedes GLE also lends itself to winter sports when the ultimate tyres are essential.

Audi Q7

Two Audi Q7 vehicles were used in the Bridgestone Winter Tyre Testing and it’s not surprising. These luxury 7-seater SUVs have picked up awards including “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Crash Test Rating. The  Quattro® all-wheel drive was perfect for combining with Bridgestone’s new winter tyres and the Q7 handling was further enhanced. 

BMW X5

The powerful  BMW X5 SUV is a popular choice with drivers throughout Europe, the USA and the rest of the world. German engineering coupled with power and agility makes this family-sized luxury SUV ideal for winter sports events with an optional third row of seats, great road-hold and a generous luggage space.

Porsche Cayenne

ABOUT THE SUVS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE TESTING EVENT:

Mercedes GLE

Powered by a turbocharged 6-cyclinder engine, the Mercedes GLE combines agility, speed and safety. The report on the Mercedes GLE during the Bridgestone Winter Tyre Test showed it dampened the buzz from the tread compared to the uncomfortable acoustics generated by the wheels of the Range Rover Evoque. With a 60/40 split rear seat the Mercedes GLE also lends itself to winter sports when the ultimate tyres are essential.

Audi Q7

Two Audi Q7 vehicles were used in the Bridgestone Winter Tyre Testing and it’s not surprising. These luxury 7-seater SUVs have picked up awards including “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Crash Test Rating. The  Quattro® all-wheel drive was perfect for combining with Bridgestone’s new winter tyres and the Q7 handling was further enhanced. 

BMW X5

The powerful  BMW X5 SUV is a popular choice with drivers throughout Europe, the USA and the rest of the world. German engineering coupled with power and agility makes this family-sized luxury SUV ideal for winter sports events with an optional third row of seats, great road-hold and a generous luggage space.

Porsche Macan

Considered one of the best crossovers when its comes to handling, the Porsche Macan offers sports car dynamics without sacrificing passenger comfort or lack of cabin noise. It’s a fun drive with a powerful engine, smooth ride and precision handling, especially with the appropriate winter tyres.

Bridgestone says that nearly half its customers are repeat buyers and that’s the highest rate in the tyre industry. As this test with our luxury SUV fleet provided by Fastlane Luxury Cars showed, Bridgestone Tyres must be doing something right.