The latest Volkswagen Golf 8 will come equipped with Bridgestone’s Turanza Eco tires, which the company states have been designed specifically for the car and feature its Enliten technology, which is said to benefit both efficiency and handling. The first Volkswagen Group car to use the tires was the ID.3 EV, with the Golf representing their premiere in an IC engine application.
The headline claims for the technology are that it provides a low rolling resistance tire without compromising handling dynamics, while also reducing the bill of raw materials used during production. Bridgestone highlights that a standout feature of the Golf-specific tire is the improvement in handling it offers, with the material’s blend and compound mixing process providing good wear resistance without compromising grip. Additionally, wet weather performance is enhanced through the use of a cavity and full 3D pattern tread design, enabling the tire to attain an EU label B-grade for wet grip.
Alongside enhanced driving dynamics due to a lower rotating mass, Bridgestone says the tire’s lightweight construction reduces materials use (by around 2kg per tire), while also further aiding rolling resistance. According to the company, tires with Enliten Technology demonstrate a rolling resistance that is up to 30% lower than its premium conventional summer tire, which translates into a claimed 20% reduction in fuel consumption.
