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Potenza S-02A tires are Bridgestone’s Max Performance Summer tires developed for high performance sports cars. Developed for Original Equipment use on selected Ferrari and Porsche vehicles, they were designed to combine responsive and predictable handling with exceptional levels of traction. Potenza S-02A tires are tuned for dry and wet road conditions, however like all summer tires, are not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.
Potenza S-02A tires feature Bridgestone’s UNI-T (Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire Technology) that uses design, construction and tread compound features to enhance tire performance.
Potenza S-02A tires feature a high-grip tread compound molded into a directional tread design with stable shoulders, notched intermediate ribs and a continuous center rib to provide responsive dry-road handling, high-speed stability and traction. Lateral tread notches help pump water from under the tire’s footprint into circumferential grooves to resist hydroplaning and enhance wet traction.
Their internal structures include twin steel belts reinforced by a spirally wrapped cap ply combined with spirally wrapped belt edge strips to minimize weight while stabilizing the tread area to enhancing handling and high-speed capability. The polyester or rayon cord body incorporates a wire-reinforced hard rubber sidewall filler to help blend ride quality with handling stability.
| SIZE | UTQG | MAX. LOAD | Max. Inflation Pressure | Tread Depth | Tire Weight | Rim Width Range | Meas. Rim Width | Sect. Width | Tread Width | Overall Diam. | Revs. Per Mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 255/40R17 (94Y) | 140 A A | 1,477 lbs | 44 psi | 10/32" | 26 lbs | 8.5-10" | 9" | 10.2" | 8.8" | 24.8" | 840 |
| 215/45ZR18 (89Y) | 140 A A | 1,279 lbs | 44 psi | 9/32" | 23 lbs | 7-8" | 7" | 8.6" | 6.6" | 25.7" | 811 |
| 265/35ZR18 (93Y) | 140 A A | 1,433 lbs | 51 psi | 10/32" | 27 lbs | 9-10.5" | 9.5" | 11.1" | 9.6" | 25" | 832 |
| 295/30ZR18 (98Y) | 140 A A | 1,653 lbs | 50 psi | 9/32" | 30 lbs | 10-11" | 10.5" | 12.3" | 11" | 24.9" | 837 |
Founder at Tiresout. Used to be working as an engineer at Bridgestone Tires Akron Technical Center. The responsibilities included but were not limited to technical computing, indoor & outdoor testing of new tires.
I purchased this tire on price. I was expecting performance similar to my old Michelin Pilot Sports. What I ended up with was a tire that has too flexible of a sidewall. I run them at 60 pounds to firm them up and they perform a little better. I still feel sidewall flexing at high speeds and at slower speeds when I snap the car it takes two wobbles to stabilize. Not what I was hoping for. I would rate my disappointment as fairly high. The quality of the tire is high and it might be a great choice for someone who drives easy. I will purchase Michelin Pilot Sports next go around.
Really like these tires. Not as quiet as the Michelins but comparable grip. The do get flat spots if the sit more than a couple of weeks.
I brought a set of the N3 instead of the N2 a while back and the rears are wearing so fast it’s silly. My rears might last another 2000 if i’m lucky. They do handle better on wet roads than the N2 tread, but at a loss of dry traction. The fronts are fine but right after i had the N3’s installed i did a 2000 mile road trip and something must have been off on the alignment because the outer edge was showing bad wear. Car is suppose to be negative camber not positive, so i’m not sure what’s happening here. I’m debating on whether to buy another set of rears so i can wear the front’s out or just replace the entire set.
I am using the Porsche-approved version of this tire (N3) and happy with the performance after 6,000 miles. I question some of the durability numbers however; claims of 20,000 miles seem high to me for this rubber. I check tire pressures weekly and I doubt I will see 20K out of the rear due to the wear I see already. It’s not a complaint however as longevity (although nice) is not my primary motivation. Grip is my primary goal and this tire provides all the dry weather grip I need. I’m not pushing the car as hard when it rains and with that said the S-02A’s are good in the wet. They do tend to develop a flat spot after a week of sitting as someone else has mentioned but this goes away after a few miles. In temperatures below 45 degrees the tire is adequate and can get you from point A to B but I definitely am not pushing the car in cold temps. I won’t dare drive in the snow with this dedicated summer tire! Sure, I would like to get a little more tire life out of this tire but overall I like them and would most likely purchase another set.
Replaced original rear tires with same tires from Bridgestone. Only drive on dry days, never in snow and rarely in the rain. Solid tires, responsive, minimal traction loss. Does wear as expected. Thought of trying a different set, but was recommended by my porsche mechanic to stick to the originals. No regrets. As always, hassle free shopping and delivery from tire rack.
I really like these on my NSX, great handling and civilized enough for a daily driver. The lateral grip on dry pavement is amazing, very predictable, and even in the rain they work very well, although I don’t push it in wet conditions. Other reviews have said they’re not for normal driving, but I disagree. While they are a bit jiggly on rougher surfaces, I find them more than reasonable and have had no complaints from my wife on hour + drives.