Looking to buy a replacement set of performance tyres that are suitable for both commuting and track days? Bridgestone has finally launched its new Adrenalin RE series with the RE005.
This is the long-awaited successor to the RE003. Bridgestone Australia skipped the RE004 as it felt it didn’t suit customer expectations, but with this RE005, expectations should be met as it surpasses various metrics of the RE003.
For example, the company says this new model offers a 7 per cent improvement in dry grip, a 12 per cent improvement in wet grip, yet while offering better longevity and wear, and 25 per cent reduced rolling resistance for efficiency.
Interestingly, the new tyre is also 7 per cent lighter than the RE003, which will be handy for track day fans as it will help to reduce unsprung mass. This is thanks to an advanced new rubber compound featuring Nano Pro-Tech polymer-silica. Bridgestone Australia sales director Claudio Sodano said:
“Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE003 customers are incredibly engaged and passionate about their cars and tyres, so it was essential that any successor to the product was a genuine step up in performance.
“These are the customers who spend time researching and planning their next tyre purchase. When the RE004 was tested in our market, it didn’t surpass the expectations Potenza Adrenalin RE003 set, so we made a conscious decision to skip the fourth-generation product to ensure we met the high standards of our loyal base of Adrenalin customers.
The new Potenza Adrenalin RE005 is a noticeable step up, and we have full confidence customers will love the RE005 even more than the RE003.”
We had the opportunity to test the new tyre at Norwell Motorplex last week, with some first-gen Toyota 86s and a BMW M240i coupe on a wet skidpan. With a day of hard testing on the track, the tyres proved to offer consistent and predictable grip, even at and over the limit during slides.
Bridgestone also had one of the Toyotas wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tyres, in the same size, just so we could compare with a like-minded rival.
Although we didn’t check the tyre pressures or wear level, after back-to-back slalom tests it was pretty clear the RE005s felt better in terms of initial bite and they offered superior flexibility, allowing the driver to adjust the car’s behaviour, all while remaining very stable and controlled.
The new tyre won’t be fitted as a factory OEM tyre for any models at this stage, but it is marketed as a replacement alternative. Bridgestone says it is launching the tyre in 50 different sizes in Australia, from 195/55 R15 up to 275/30 R20.
Prices start from around $228 (retail price), which, Bridgestone says, is only marginally up on the previous RE003. It’s on sale now.
