Bridgestone releases street-legal track tyre
Potenza RE-71R extreme performance tyre leverages high-tech polymer for road and raceUpdated: 30 March 2017
Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone has revealed that its latest street-legal track tyre, the Potenza RE-71R, will now be available in Australia. But there's a catch... Bridgestone saying customers may need to wait up to four months for a set.
"As a low volume tyre the RE-71R has to be imported from Japan, which can take up to four months," explained Bridgestone spokesperson, Myles Wallace.
"To work around this issue, we're encouraging dealers with a high number of track-day customers to keep a supply of the most popular sizes in stock."
Featuring what Bridgestone says is an upgraded tread compound and improved contact patch, the RE-71R is aimed squarely at track-day enthusiasts needing a performance tyre for use on and off the race track.
The tyre utilises UltimatEYE technology, a high-grip polymer Bridgestone claims is able to adapt to changing road surfaces, increasing the contact area to deliver more grip in a wider range of conditions. A curvier shoulder profile is also said to provide greater stability under heavy acceleration, reducing the tyre's tendency to roll under the rim in corners.
Bridgestone said the Potenza RE-71R showed "significant lap-time improvements without sacrificing ride comfort or wear life" during testing at Japan's Tsukuba circuit. The manufacturer claimed a one per cent improvement in lap times and a three per cent increase in minimum corner speed when testing the tyre on a Toyota 86. The tyre was tested against Bridgestone's outgoing performance tyre, the RE-11A.
"We have developed a tyre that represents the benchmark in performance for track-day enthusiasts, while also delivering unrivalled driving response on the street," said Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Andrew Moffatt.
"Engineered using race technology and a clean sheet approach, the Potenza RE-71R delivers maximum grip under braking and cornering, responding to drivers in wet and dry conditions.
"New compound technologies, combined with an improved multi-angle groove pattern designed to drain water and enhance wet traction means this truly is the performance tyre for all conditions," Moffatt concluded.
The Potenza RE-71R is available in sizes ranging from 165/55R14 to 295/30R20 through Bridgestone stockists now.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
