Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ Review: Redefines All-Season Performance

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The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ is an ultra-high performance all-season tire designed for drivers of sports cars, muscle cars, and high-performance sedans and coupes. This tire aims to deliver exceptional dry and wet traction, responsive handling, and a comfortable ride, making it suitable for both daily driving and spirited performance.

Engineered with Bridgestone’s latest tire technologies, the RE980AS+ features an asymmetric tread pattern with outer shoulder blocks optimized for dry grip and inner tread blocks designed for improved wet traction. The silica-enhanced tread compound promotes even wear and maintains flexibility for enhanced traction in cooler temperatures.

While primarily focused on dry and wet performance, the RE980AS+ also provides reasonable traction in light snow, allowing drivers in milder climates to use this tire year-round without the need for dedicated winter tires. It’s compatible with a wide range of sports cars, muscle cars, and high-performance sedans and coupes from brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Chevrolet, Ford, and more.

Performance Categories

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ is an ultra-high performance all-season tire designed to deliver exceptional grip and handling in dry and wet conditions, while also providing reliable traction on light snow. This tire excels in several key performance areas:

Dry Traction and Handling: The advanced silica-enhanced tread compound and asymmetric tread pattern work together to maximize dry road traction and cornering grip. The outer shoulder blocks feature a solid, continuous rib design for enhanced steering response and stability at higher speeds.

Wet Traction: The Potenza RE980AS+ employs deep, circumferential grooves and an intricate siping system to evacuate water from the tread area effectively. This helps maintain excellent wet traction and resistance to hydroplaning, even in heavy rain.

Snow and Ice Traction: While not a dedicated winter tire, the Potenza RE980AS+ incorporates advanced multi-cell compound technology that enhances traction on light snow and ice. The directional tread pattern also helps provide reliable braking and acceleration on slippery surfaces.

Handling and Responsiveness: With a focus on performance, this tire delivers precise steering feel and high levels of lateral grip during aggressive cornering maneuvers. The internal construction features twin steel belts and a polyamide reinforcement layer for improved high-speed stability and responsiveness.

Ride Comfort: Despite its sporty nature, the Potenza RE980AS+ offers a surprisingly comfortable and refined ride quality. The optimized tread design and advanced casing construction work together to absorb road imperfections and minimize noise levels, providing a smooth and quiet driving experience.

Tread Design and Compound

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ features an advanced tread design engineered to provide exceptional traction and handling in both dry and wet conditions. The asymmetric tread pattern is optimized for even wear and enhanced water evacuation, with larger outer shoulder blocks for improved cornering grip and continuous center ribs for high-speed stability.

One of the key innovations in the RE980AS+ is the incorporation of Bridgestone’s cutting-edge Nano Pro-Tech silica-enhanced compound. This proprietary rubber formulation utilizes advanced silica reinforcement technology, which improves tread flexibility and enhances grip on wet surfaces while maintaining excellent dry performance. The compound also promotes even wear distribution, contributing to extended treadlife.

Additionally, the RE980AS+ employs an intricate siping system, with thousands of biting edges and increased edge effect, further boosting traction on slippery surfaces. The high-density siping pattern enhances the tire’s ability to evacuate water and resist hydroplaning, ensuring confident handling in rainy conditions.

Bridgestone’s commitment to wear resistance is evident in the RE980AS+’s tread design. The tire features a reinforced tread compound and optimized contact patch distribution, which helps minimize irregular wear and promotes even treadwear across the entire surface. This not only extends the tire’s usable life but also contributes to improved fuel efficiency over time.

Sizing Options

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ is available in a wide range of sizes to accommodate various vehicle fitments. This ultra-high-performance all-season tire comes in widths ranging from 195 to 315 millimeters, with aspect ratios between 30 and 55 series. The rim diameter compatibility spans from 16 to 22 inches, ensuring a perfect fit for most modern passenger cars, sports cars, and high-performance vehicles.

Bridgestone offers the RE980AS+ in popular sizes like 225/45R17, 245/40R19, and 275/35R20, catering to enthusiasts and owners of sports sedans, coupes, and sports cars. Additionally, larger sizes such as 305/35R20 and 315/35R20 are available for muscle cars and high-powered sports vehicles, delivering the necessary grip and stability for their immense power output.

With such a comprehensive size range, drivers can easily find the perfect fit for their vehicle, ensuring optimal performance, handling, and a comfortable ride. The variety of widths and aspect ratios also allows for customization based on individual preferences, whether prioritizing a sportier look with lower aspect ratios or a more comfortable ride with taller sidewalls.

Warranty and Expected Treadlife

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ comes with an impressive 70,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is among the best in its class. This warranty demonstrates Bridgestone’s confidence in the tire’s durability and longevity. With proper maintenance and rotation, many drivers can expect to achieve this mileage or even exceed it, depending on their driving habits and conditions.

In addition to the treadwear warranty, the RE980AS+ is backed by a one-year or first 2/32-inch wear replacement warranty for any defects in materials or workmanship. This coverage provides peace of mind for the initial ownership period.

Bridgestone’s commitment to quality control is evident in the tire’s uniformity. The company employs advanced manufacturing techniques to ensure consistent tire geometry, minimizing vibrations and irregular wear patterns. This attention to detail contributes to a smoother ride and more predictable handling throughout the tire’s lifespan.

Overall, the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ offers an excellent combination of treadwear warranty, expected mileage, and tire uniformity, making it a reliable and long-lasting choice for drivers seeking a high-performance tire.

Ride Quality and Comfort

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ delivers an exceptionally smooth and comfortable ride quality that belies its ultra-high performance capabilities. The advanced tread compound and internal construction work in harmony to provide excellent impact absorption, minimizing the harsh effects of bumps and road imperfections.

Road noise is also well-managed, with the tire’s design helping to reduce the intrusion of tire roar into the cabin. This creates a more serene and enjoyable driving experience, especially on longer journeys. Even at higher speeds, the RE980AS+ maintains a quiet and composed demeanor, further enhancing its appeal as a premium touring tire.

Bridgestone’s expertise in tire engineering shines through in the RE980AS+’s ability to strike a fine balance between responsive handling and ride comfort. The tire’s sophisticated construction allows it to soak up road harshness without compromising its precise steering feel or cornering prowess. This duality makes the RE980AS+ an excellent choice for drivers seeking a tire that can deliver both thrilling performance and a luxurious, comfortable ride.

Handling and Responsiveness

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ delivers exceptional handling and responsiveness, making it a standout choice for driving enthusiasts. These tires excel in providing a direct and communicative steering feel, allowing drivers to maintain a confident connection with the road.

During cornering maneuvers, the RE980AS+ demonstrates remarkable grip and stability. The advanced tread compound and optimized contact patch design work in tandem to maximize traction, enabling the tires to carve through turns with precision and poise. Even when pushing the limits, these tires maintain their composure, minimizing understeer and oversteer tendencies.

At high speeds, the Potenza RE980AS+ shines with its unwavering stability. The tires’ stiff sidewalls and rigid construction contribute to a planted and controlled ride, instilling confidence in the driver. Whether navigating sweeping highways or tackling winding backroads, these tires offer a reassuring sense of stability, allowing you to maintain your intended line with ease.

Overall, the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ delivers a driving experience that is both exhilarating and confidence-inspiring. With its exceptional handling characteristics, responsive steering, and unwavering grip, these tires elevate the driving dynamics of any performance-oriented vehicle, making every journey a true pleasure.

Dry and Wet Traction Performance

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ delivers exceptional dry and wet traction performance, ensuring confident driving in a wide range of conditions. Its advanced tread compound and innovative design elements work together to maximize grip and stability.

Dry Braking

On dry surfaces, the tire’s stiff tread blocks and high silica content provide outstanding braking power. The tire’s contact patch remains stable under heavy braking, allowing for shorter stopping distances and improved control. Even during aggressive driving maneuvers, the RE980AS+ maintains its composure, inspiring confidence behind the wheel.

Wet Traction

In wet conditions, the tire’s advanced siping and circumferential grooves effectively evacuate water from the contact patch, enhancing traction and minimizing the risk of hydroplaning. The silica-enriched tread compound maintains its flexibility and grip on wet surfaces, ensuring reliable handling and braking performance even in heavy rain.

Hydroplaning Resistance

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ features a specially designed tread pattern with wide circumferential grooves and lateral notches that effectively disperse water away from the contact patch. This exceptional hydroplaning resistance allows the tire to maintain solid contact with the road surface, even when driving through deep puddles or during heavy downpours, providing a sense of security and control in challenging wet conditions.

Snow and Ice Traction

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ is an ultra-high performance all-season tire designed for sports cars, coupes, and performance sedans. While it excels in dry and wet conditions, its snow and ice traction capabilities are somewhat limited compared to dedicated winter tires.

During light snow, the RE980AS+ performs reasonably well. The directional tread pattern and high silica content in the compound help provide decent grip and traction on packed snow. However, as snow accumulation increases, the tire’s performance starts to diminish. The relatively shallow tread depth and lack of aggressive sipes and biting edges make it challenging for the tire to maintain traction in deeper, unplowed snow.

On ice, the RE980AS+ struggles more. The compound hardens in freezing temperatures, reducing its ability to grip the icy surface effectively. Braking distances on ice are significantly longer compared to a proper winter tire. Sharp turns and sudden maneuvers on icy roads should be avoided, as the tire can easily lose traction and cause the vehicle to slide.

While the RE980AS+ can handle light wintry conditions, it is not recommended for driving in areas with frequent heavy snowfall or icy conditions. For optimal winter performance and safety, it is advisable to equip your vehicle with dedicated winter tires designed specifically for harsh cold-weather driving.

Value and Competition

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ is positioned as a premium ultra-high-performance all-season tire, and its pricing reflects that positioning. Depending on the size, you can expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $300 per tire, putting it on the higher end of the pricing spectrum for its category.

However, Bridgestone argues that the RE980AS+ offers exceptional value through its combination of dry and wet traction, handling responsiveness, and year-round usability. The tire’s advanced silica-enhanced tread compound and asymmetric pattern are designed to provide impressive grip and steering precision, even in less-than-ideal conditions.

Compared to some of its key competitors, like the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ and Continental ExtremeContact DWS06, the RE980AS+ holds its own in terms of overall performance. While it may not lead the pack in any single category, it delivers a well-rounded driving experience that should appeal to enthusiasts seeking a capable all-season tire.

Where the Bridgestone really shines is in its treadwear warranty. With a 60,000-mile warranty for V/H/V-rated sizes and 50,000 miles for W-rated sizes, the RE980AS+ offers some of the best coverage in its class. This added peace of mind can help offset the higher initial purchase price for many buyers.

Ultimately, the value proposition of the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ lies in its ability to deliver a premium driving experience across a wide range of conditions, backed by an impressive treadwear warranty. While it may not be the cheapest option on the market, it could be a worthwhile investment for those seeking a high-performance all-season tire that doesn’t compromise on quality or longevity.