Bridgestone tyres OE on Renault Mégane R.S.

The 2018 Renault Mégane R.S. is available from dealerships as of this month, and Bridgestone is supplying original equipment tyres for cars delivered with 19-inch rims. The Mégane R.S. wears the Bridgestone Potenza S001 in size 245/35 R19 93Y.

Commenting on its supply to the new Renault, Bridgestone says it “engineered engineered every aspect” of the Potenza S001 to match the Mégane R.S. “This is a very different vehicle,” adds Laurent Hurgon, Renault’s development driver for the new model. “It has a more powerful engine and the suspension as well as the four-wheel-steering system have been recreated. Bridgestone engineered the Potenza S001 tyres to respond to this and maximise the benefits of these innovations.”

As the exclusive producer of the 19-inch tyres that are standard for the Mégane R.S., Bridgestone wanted to create a fitting that would deliver every fraction of the power, control and sports performance the vehicle is capable of.

“The Mégane R.S. is a hot hatch. We designed the Potenza S001 on this basis. We put larger blocks on the outside of the tread pattern to improve dry handling and braking, and smaller blocks on the inside to optimise performance in the wet,” explains Christophe de Valroger, vice-president of original equipment for Bridgestone Europe. “This improved the contact line for a better connection with the road’s surface and better stability at high speed. It also increased the lateral forces, making it possible to corner quickly, a must for a hot hatch.”

However, the innovations extended beyond tread pattern and groove geometrics. The tyres are made from an advanced material compound and feature a reinforced sidewall, increasing the stiffness of the tyre casing and improving responsiveness and cornering power.

“We reduced the rolling resistance, keeping the Potenza S001 in line with regulations for today and tomorrow and obtained the EU Grade A label for wet grip,” continues de Valroger. “Designing and producing tyres in Europe for a vehicle being engineered in Europe allowed us to work closely together at every step.”

The benefits of this approach were also experienced by Laurent Hurgon: “Bridgestone and Renault partnered on the previous generation of the Mégane R.S., but this tyre took our collaborative efforts to a new level. We were genuinely fine-tuning every little update with each other. You feel this incredible accuracy in the performance.”

“The Mégane R.S. was already an iconic hot hatch,’ concludes de Valroger. “But with its new innovations and the Potenza S001, this reputation is bound to grow.”