BRUSSELS—Two months after debuting its "revolutionary" Enliten tire technology on VW's all-electric ID.3, lightweight Bridgestone tires have been selected as OE fitments on the new Volkswagen Golf 8.
Launched in Germany in late August, the eighth generation of the iconic hatchback features custom-engineered Turanza Eco tires, which use Bridgestone's Enliten technology, the tire maker said.
Developed at the Bridgestone R&D center in Rome and produced in Spain, the new 205/55R16 91H Turanza Eco tire has been available to the European market since August. The tires, Bridgestone said, enable a "super low" rolling resistance and lower fuel efficiency with less raw materials.
In addition, the tires improve vehicle handling and driving dynamics through lowered rotating mass, the company said.
A combination of unique materials and a new mixing process enhances the technology's compound wear performance, without compromising on grip, Bridgestone said. Enliten also employs a cavity and full 3D pattern design, which is intended to maximize wet and wear performance.
Further, the tires' rolling resistance are up to 30 percent lower than a standard premium Bridgestone summer tire. This contributes to a reduction of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in a combustion engine vehicle and significantly extends battery life in an electric vehicle.
Enliten tires are up to 20 percent lighter than their equivalent standard tires, reducing the use of raw materials by 4.4 pounds while decreasing the environmental footprint of vehicles.
Bridgestone described the new OE fitment as another milestone in its long-term partnership with Volkswagen.
"Due to the low driving resistance and low weight of the Turanza Eco ... the tire's impact on driving dynamics—on lower-powered engines in particular—becomes clearly visible," Steven De Bock, vice president of consumer replacement and OE at Bridgestone EMIA, said in a statement. "It is fantastic that we're able to bring to life the different benefits of Enliten Technology ... in collaboration with our long-term partner Volkswagen."