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2005 Bridgestone/Firestone Drive & Learn: Where Rubber Meets the Road
Tires screeching, rubber burning, adrenaline pumping -- you would have thought I was in the Indianapolis or Daytona 500. Nah! I was in Landover, Maryland at Fedex Field, participating in the 2005 Bridgestone/Firestone Drive & Learn Program to experience tire technology at its best. We were invited to preview the new Bridgestone/Firestone offerings -- Turanza EL400, Dueler H/L Alenza, Firehawk Wide Oval and Fusion HRi. Each new tire builds on the manufacturer's battle-tested UNI-T (Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire [Technology]) concepts.
UNI-T is a combination of technology that augments three primary factors of tire performance: the casing, bead and tread. There are several different levels of UNI-T that range from AQ (advanced quality) to AQII. Each level provides enhanced design, durability and optimal wet/dry performance handling for the tire.
On the Bridgestone/Firestone test track, I was able to push each tire pretty hard through tight turns on both wet and dry pavement to demonstrate their ability to grip surfaces. The first tire was the Turanza EL400, Bridgestone's T (118mph), H (130mph), and V (149mph) speed rated tire, designed as an affordable luxury car fitment. Tested to be quiet, smooth and excel on wet pavement, the EL400 handled well as it kept me on course, unfazed by the variables thrown my way.
  
Up next was the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza, a luxury SUV and light truck fitment, available in T, H and V speed ratings. Since many SUV drivers are clueless to the ramifications of bad tires on their rides, this demo gave us good info on how important tires are to SUV handling, braking and safety. The Dueler H/L Alenza looks good and is the OEM tire for the Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Suburban, Lexus RX and more.
Firestone's Firehawk Wide Oval ultra-high performance tire (W-168mph-speed rated), designed for American muscle cars, also performed up to par along with the Fusion HRi designed for the compact "tuner" market, a "H" speed rated tire. Both possess UNI-T, and expose Bridgestone/Firestone as serious players in developing new and useful tire technologies.
Look out for the new Bridgestone/Firestone ad campaign through print, radio and television -- they are amusing and should attract attention. More importantly, check out Bridgestone/Firestone's warranty summary. It's as good as it gets with a 30-day test drive.
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