The Secret of How to Be Confident Driving Safely in the Rain whilst having Fun

I have to say that I don’t think I am the only woman out there who is nervous about driving. Now I am sure there are many men out there too, but I think it is easier as a woman not to know much about cars and be afraid of them. This in turn means that we really don’t access the right equipment that make us have a fun and safe drive. Yes we learn about car seats (and wouldn’t take a baby out in the car and just place them on the front seat – without so much as a seatbelt; we’d make sure they had a properly fitted child restraint) – but honestly how many of us can say we know much about things like tyres? When you think about it tyres are one of the most important factors when it comes to driving safely because they are the only 4 points of contact with the road. I previously learnt about run flat tyres, which I now have on my BMW, and means that I can confidently go out in my car knowing that I will not need to change a tyre. But what about adverse weather conditions – such as in the rain? I was invited along to learn about the Bridgestone Turanza T005 tyres which enable excellent steering, outstanding response while still maintaining exceptional grip in all conditions.

Driving in Wet Weather Conditions in the UK with the Bridgestone Turanza T005

Living in the UK means that driving in the rain is a regular occurrence so it should come as no surprise that research findings found that buyers of premium tyres want a tyre that puts them in full control in daily, challenging situations, especially on rainy days. They want to feel safe but also to enjoy driving – and that means feeling in control of the car even in the wet. They still want to be able to handle high-speed turns and sudden braking even when it is raining (come on there’s nothing worse than when everyone slams on the brakes and goes down to at least 50 miles per hour on the motorway because the first raindrop has fallen!). Plus they want a tyre that also gives them good fuel efficiency and mileage. Bridgestone Turanza T005 premium touring tyre meets all these expectations: Delivering outstanding wet performance and fuel economy, combined with high mileage, to give drivers full control in challenging daily situations, especially on rainy days. In fact they are the best-in-class wet lateral grip and wet braking performance tyres as tested and certified by TÜV SÜD, one of Europe’s most respected independent automotive testing institutes. So no wonder Audi has selected the Turanza T005, as the premium touring tyre of choice for the new Audi A7 Sportback.

My Experience of Turanza T005

I was invited along to Donington Park to see just how good the Turanza T005 tyres really are. First I got taken around the track at high-speed whilst it was dry by Gary (he has been racing for over 17 years) before driving around myself. This was repeated with the track being made wet to show the control around corners, at high speeds and for sudden breaking. I honestly could not fault the handling and would not have known that the track was wet at all. It certainly did manage to get the car around tight corners quickly, through small gaps and do an emergency brake without travelling too far (as indicated by a row of cones).

To be transparent to my readers I would like to say that I was sceptical that this was because the track wasn’t that wet (it was, would you believe it, a sunny day and the water kept drying up!). Aware of this a section of track was made really wet and we were able to drive around quickly in circles. Again I had an instructor drive me and then did it myself. As the track went from wet to dry I found no variation in the handling and wouldn’t have even known there was any difference in road surfaces at all.

Bridgestone Turanza T005 The Tech Bit

For anyone interested in the technical bit:

Bridgestone has incorporated their B-Silent^® technology on the 19” to 21” Turanza tyre fitment in order to minimise in-vehicle noise on all road surfaces and increase the comfort for the driver significantly. By integrating an open-cell polyurethane foam element applied to the inner surface of the tyre, this technology works directly to reduce the tyre air cavity resonance produced by the air vibration. This contributes to reduce the vehicle’s cabin noise significantly compared to regular tyres without compromising driving performance and dynamics of the tyre. The dense siping in the blocks and void distribution in the centre section of the tread help to produce highly-efficient water drainage. Using new mixing technology, Bridgestone’s proprietary NanoPro-Tech™ polymer is mixed in the high-silica-content compound to help maximise wear, wet grip and fuel efficiency.

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I have been working with Bridgestone and was invited to Donington Park to find out for myself what the Bridgestone Turanza T005 tyres are like. All opinions are honest and my own.