A driving safety training on the Sachsenring, sponsored by the tire expert Bridgestone with simultaneous presentation of the new year-round weapon? Well, let's not miss that! At the end of July, Bridgestone called for the raffle. Fortunately, I belong to a select circle, which was also invited without gambling participation and so it happened that a few weeks later I stood next to the ten selected lucky mushrooms on the driving safety area of the Sachsenring.
Let's be honest. The topic of tires plays a rather disorderly role for the normal automobile owner and is almost certainly not one of the favorite topics. The tiresome choice of tire is usually left to the trustworthy workshop. The decision for the right tires - two sets for summer and winter use, or rather a set of all-season tires - depends not only on the size of the wallet, but also on the local conditions. Especially in urban regions and generally where one can expect mild winters from experience, all-season tires sell like sliced bread on the counters of tire dealers. This is exactly where Bridgestone comes in and goes on the offensive with the newly developed all-season tire Weather Control A005. The Japanese offer 64 different sizes. The focus here is on 17 inches, as the growing popularity of SUVs does not stop in the tire segment. Overall, Bridgestone covers 90 percent of the market and offers something for almost everyone.
With their new year-round weapon, the Japanese want nothing less than the class leader Michelin Cross Climate + attack. That at least on paper is possible, proved the first tests. The addition of larger amounts of silica and the even greater depth of the water-draining tread grooves significantly improved the wet properties compared to the predecessor. The Weather Controll A005 was therefore awarded the highest distinction in the wet grip test, the EU label A.
Attention, it will be slippery!
We participants were a mixed bunch - from the novice driver to the "old" hare, who have already participated several times in driving safety training and thus had a large repertoire. Nevertheless, boredom did not occur in any of us.
As an automotive blogger, I spend a lot of time in four-wheeled companions and cars are practically my second living room, so I naturally assume that I am an excellent driver - like probably 90% of all men.
Nevertheless, I was extremely curious about what else I can learn in the subject safety training and especially how the new all-year Pneu Weather Controll A005 beats.
Such a driving safety training is never wrong. Under the guidance of a competent trainer, in our case Holger Weber, you will learn valuable tips and advice to stay in control of the situation even in difficult situations. And the Holger escaped even the tiniest driving errors and promptly came via the spark the right commands to make it the same at the next attempt better.
The focus of the exercises was above all on simulated driving on slippery surfaces - the usual suffering of every driver during the cold season. Since we had an outside temperature of over 24 ° C and bright sunshine, the conditions were not ideal for this. The rubberized road surface, which wetted with water, provided a remedy for this.
The driving exercises on wet rubber were not child's play and demanded a lot of skill. Whether emergency braking with dodging, starting on the mountain, the sudden exhilaration of the stern, slalom or cycling with different steering and acceleration impulses - they were the classics of every driving safety training. The highlight was a test drive on staked course, in which two riders had to alternate in the team. It was an exciting head-to-head race in which the Bridgestone people looked old and were placed fourth. The first three places each only separated 3 seconds. My teammate and I were happy about third place.
A round thing
The Bridgestone tires were brilliant all along the way and harmonized wonderfully with the hybrids provided by Toyota. The Weather Controll A005 convinced with great feedback and an easily assessable performance range. Steering movements were implemented directly and the vehicle was always easy to control. Even on wet, rubberized terrain, the tires performed well.
Although I am a proponent of seasonal tires, I was pleasantly surprised by the Bridgestone Weather Controll A005. Especially on slippery surfaces, he ensured a good sense of security. Of course, a year-round tire is never in direct competition with summer and winter tires, but Bridgestone offers a real alternative, especially for customers in large cities or in the lowlands, where no major weather extremes are likely to be. Considering heavy rain showers in the summer months, the Weather Controll A005 will almost certainly beat summer tires of low price, which often have blatant weaknesses in this situation.