Bridgestone develops bespoke premium tires for new Porsche Macan Electric and Panamera models
Nashville, TN — Bridgestone has been chosen by Porsche to develop bespoke tires for its new Macan Electric and Panamera models. Both vehicles are now available with custom-engineered Bridgestone Potenza Sport ultra-high-performance tires. The third generation of Porsche’s sporting luxury sedan, the Panamera, can also be fitted with tailor-made Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 tires—Bridgestone’s first winter original fitment for Porsche.
“After our collaboration on the Porsche Cayenne, we’re breaking new ground in our partnership and offering premium tire fitments to help enhance the driving experience of new Porsche models,” said Steven De Bock, Vice President Original Equipment (OE) at Bridgestone EMEA. “We’re proud to share two firsts—the Panamera’s first Bridgestone OE fitment and our first bespoke tire for an electric Porsche car with the Macan Electric. It is exciting to showcase our ability to provide a range of premium fitments that will help Porsche’s drivers get the most out of these two incredible and very different cars.”
The Porsche Macan Electric’s custom Potenza Sport tire applies a tread and compound design that enhances the vehicle’s dynamic sporty performance while managing the high weight and torque of the electric sport utility vehicle (SUV). With Bridgestone’s flagship ultra-high-performance tire customized to the Macan Electric’s unique requirements, the premium tire maximizes handling in the dry, wet and at high speed. This comes alongside maximized braking performance and comfort, and optimized rolling resistance to support the vehicle’s approximate 370-mile range.
These performance benefits are enabled by ENLITEN™ Technology. ENLITEN is Bridgestone’s next-generation technology platform designed to deliver uncompromising performance with a focus on enhancing sustainability characteristics. Developed and manufactured in Europe, the Macan Electric’s bespoke tires are available globally in six dimensions across 20’’, 21’’ and 22’’ sizes.
Bridgestone has provided Porsche Panamera drivers with two unique fitments to enhance their vehicle’s performance across the seasons. The Porsche Panamera’s 21’’ Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires are engineered with ENLITEN Technology to enhance the vehicle’s sporty driving behavior and driver comfort, while providing low rolling resistance for energy efficiency. The Panamera’s bespoke Potenza Sport ultra-high-performance tires apply a pattern design and material package that maximizes dry handling, wet handling and high-speed performances.
The Panamera’s bespoke 20’’ Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 winter fitment applies a pattern design that maximizes dry, wet and snow handling to enhance the car’s performance in winter conditions. All these custom-designed tires are engineered and produced in Europe.
The development process for both projects leveraged Bridgestone’s innovative Virtual Tire Development technology. This technology improves both the efficiency and sustainability of the tire development process—leading to a reduction of up to 60 percent in raw material consumption and CO2 emissions in the development phase of original equipment tires.
Bridgestone’s Virtual Tire Development was key to reaching Porsche’s requirements for the Porsche Macan Electric and Panamera. In particular, the technology was used to enhance the bespoke tires’ dry braking capabilities and ensure proper matching with the vehicles’ braking systems. The use of Virtual Tire Development also helped to ensure the Macan Electric’s dynamic sporty behavior could be coupled with the high weight and torque of a SUV electric vehicle to maintain a high level of stability at high speed.