NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 7, 2013) — General Motors Co. is fitting the top trim version of the 2013 Cadillac ATS luxury sport sedan with 18-inch Bridgestone Potenza RE050A RFT run-flat radials, marking the first-ever Bridgestone run-flat OE fitment with GM.
Bridgestone Americas is supplying GM with run-flat tires in size 225/40RF18 88W (front) and 255/35RF18 90W (rear) for fitment on the ATS Premium Collection, the highest level package available on the new ATS, the Nashville-based tire makers said.
Michael Martini, president, OE, U.S. and Canada Consumer Tire Sales Division for Bridgestone Americas, called the fitment a "win-win situation when it comes to brand image."
The compact sport sedan is offered in rear- and all-wheel drive versions, with a choice of four- and six-cylinder engines—including a 2-liter, 272-hp turbocharged four-cylinder and a 3.6-liter, 321-hp V-6—according to GM.
The car earned North American Car of the Year honors at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. Pricing starts at $33,900, GM said.
Equipping the ATS with run-flats allows GM to offer the car with no spare tire, jack or inflation kit, thereby saving weight and trunk space, Bridgestone said, noting that the ATS is rated the lightest car in its class.
The tire maker describes the Potenza RE050A RFT as an ultra-high-performance summer tire featuring an asymmetrical tread pattern designed to enhance acceleration and cornering while at the same time promoting rapid water evacuation and reduction in road noise.
Bridgestone builds the tire at its plant in Wilson, N.C.
The standard OE fitment for the ATS is the Michelin Primacy MXM4 ZP run-flat, size P225/45R17.