Porsche has selected Bridgestone, a world leader in high-end tires and environmentally friendly transportation options, to create custom tyres for its next Macan Electric and Panamera vehicles. Custom-engineered Bridgestone Potenza Sport ultra-high-performance tyres are now available for both cars. The Panamera, Porsche's third-generation sporty luxury sedan, may also be equipped with custom Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 tyres, which are Bridgestone's first winter original fitting for the car.

The tread and compound design of the Porsche Macan Electric's custom Potenza Sport tyre manages the electric sport utility vehicle's (SUV) high weight and torque while enhancing the vehicle's dynamic sports performance. Bridgestone's signature ultra-high-performance tyre, tailored to Macan Electric's specific needs, maximises handling in dry, wet and high-speed conditions. Along with improved rolling resistance to enable the vehicle's about 600 km range, this also includes improved braking comfort and performance. ENLITEN Technology makes these performance advantages possible. Bridgestone's next-generation technology platform, ENLITEN, is intended to provide unwavering performance while emphasising sustainability features. Developed and manufactured in Europe, the Macan Electric’s bespoke tyres are available globally in six dimensions across 20’’, 21’’ and 22’’ sizes.

In addition to offering reduced rolling resistance for energy efficiency, the 21" Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres for the Porsche Panamera are designed with ENLITEN Technology to improve the vehicle's dynamic driving characteristics and driver comfort. The custom-made Potenza Sport ultra-high-performance tyres for the Panamera maximise dry handling, wet handling and high-speed performance through their pattern design and material composition. To improve the car's performance in winter circumstances, the Panamera's custom 20" Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 winter fitment uses a pattern design that optimises dry, wet and snow handling. These specially made tyres are all created and manufactured in Europe.

In order to meet Porsche's specifications for the Porsche Macan Electric and Panamera, Bridgestone's Virtual Tyre Development was essential. The technology was specifically employed to improve the dry braking characteristics of the custom tyres and guarantee that they were properly matched with the braking systems of the cars. Up to 60 percent less raw materials and CO2 emissions are used during the creation of original equipment tyres thanks to this technology, which also increases the sustainability and efficiency of the tyre development process. By combining the enormous weight and torque of an SUV electric vehicle with the dynamic sporty behaviour of the Macan Electric, Virtual Tyre Development also made it possible to retain a high degree of stability at high speeds.

Steven De Bock, Vice President Original Equipment (OE) at Bridgestone EMEA, said, “After our collaboration on the Porsche Cayenne, we’re breaking new ground in our partnership and offering premium tyre fitments to help enhance the driving experience of new Porsche models. We’re proud to share two firsts – the Panamera’s first Bridgestone OE fitment and our first bespoke tyre for an electric Porsche car with the Macan Electric. It is exciting to showcase our ability to provide a range of premium fitments that will help Porsche’s drivers get the most out of these two incredible and very different cars.”

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Kenda Tires will serve as the official original equipment tyre supplier for The Blank Slate, the electric pickup from Slate Auto. The global tyre and wheel manufacturer has been tapped to equip the vehicle with its KLEVER S/T EV, a tyre built around the performance, efficiency and durability demands of Slate's eagerly awaited truck.

Engineering personnel from both firms collaborated on the research, development and production of a tyre calibrated to the Slate truck's weight, torque output, efficiency targets, ride and handling traits and expected driving conditions. Kenda will also furnish accessory tyre lines, giving buyers room to personalise their trucks without compromising the platform's performance, safety and quality benchmarks.

Slate Auto has attracted broad industry attention for its unconventional take on electric vehicle ownership, centred on affordability, simplicity and personalisation. Bringing a dedicated OE tyre supplier on board marks a meaningful milestone as the company works toward a production-ready vehicle and supply chain.

The KLEVER S/T EV was purpose-built for the Slate application, with features that address the heft and instant torque characteristic of electric drivetrains. Its low rolling resistance design helps stretch efficiency and range, while reinforced construction bolsters durability, handling and tread life. Engineers at Kenda's American Technical Center in Akron, Ohio, supported development, collaborating closely with automakers on tailored solutions for emerging mobility platforms. The tyre debuts as original equipment on The Blank Slate when production starts in November 2026, timed to Slate Auto's schedule.

Jimmy Yang, Global President, CEO and Chairman, Kenda Industrial, said, "As the automotive industry continues to evolve, Kenda remains committed to delivering innovative tyre technologies that meet the needs of both manufacturers and its consumers. Our collaboration with Slate Auto represents an exciting opportunity to support a company that is reimagining electric mobility through accessibility, personalisation and practicality. We are proud to contribute our engineering and production expertise with our EV-focused technology to help bring The Blank Slate to market."

Brandon Stotsenburg, Vice President of Automotive for American Kenda Rubber, said, "This partnership reflects Kenda's continued growth in the original equipment automotive market and our ability to develop purpose-built solutions for next-generation vehicles. The KLEVER S/T EV was designed to address the specific challenges EVs present, from increased vehicle weight and instant torque to efficiency and ride comfort requirements. Working alongside Slate throughout the development process has allowed us to create a tyre solution that complements the vehicle's performance while supporting its affordability and personalisation goals."

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FALKEN has secured original equipment supply approval from Audi for its AZENIS FK520 summer tyre, which will be fitted to the premium brand’s flagship SUVs, the Q7 and Q9. Production begins in May 2026, with the tyres carrying the R0 designation to mark the Audi-specific fitment. The deal reinforces FALKEN’s standing in the premium original equipment market.

The AZENIS FK520 (R0) comes in three sizes covering 20- to 22-inch wheel diameters, with vehicles assembled at Audi’s Bratislava plant in Slovakia. Buyers can inspect the fitted tyres and their EU tyre label data through Audi’s vehicle configurator. The ultra-high-performance tyre is built for sporty road cars, offered in reinforced Extra Load versions across all sizes and rated to Y speed specifications for up to 300 kmph, targeting drivers focused on stability, precision and safety.

FALKEN’s original equipment record with premium marques spans many years and includes Audi, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. The AZENIS FK510A SUV gained Porsche Macan approval in 2018, and the AZENIS FK520 (NG0) followed in 2026 for the Porsche Cayenne Electric. Since 2011 the brand has maintained a motorsport presence, campaigning a Porsche 911 GT3 R in the ADAC RAVENOL Nürburgring Endurance Series and the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring.

Christian Stolting, OE Sales Director, Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH, said, “It is an important step for our original equipment business to fit the Q7 and Q9, two models of great importance to Audi, with the FALKEN AZENIS FK520 (R0) as a factory-fitted option. The choice of our tyres for these Audi models reflects confidence in the performance and quality of FALKEN in this segment.”

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has secured an original equipment supply deal with Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. for the automaker's new Fairlady Z, which reached the Japanese market in August 2026. Yokohama's ADVAN Sport V107 will be fitted in size 245/45R18 100W.

Belonging to Yokohama's flagship ADVAN range, the Sport V107 sits in the ultra-high-performance (UHP) segment aimed at premium vehicles. It is engineered to reconcile qualities that usually pull in opposite directions – combining confident dry and wet grip and stable steering with comfort and safety – and in this Fairlady Z application it pairs high-speed handling composure and quick steering response with a comfortable ride.

Nissan's new Fairlady Z carries forward its heritage-inspired design language alongside contemporary technology, and the model remains celebrated for its characteristic driving feel, with the refresh sharpening performance while honouring the nameplate's lineage. The fitment advances Yokohama Rubber's Yokohama Transformation 2026 medium-term plan covering 2024–2026, under which the consumer tyre business is working to lift the proportion of high-value-added tyres sold by winning original equipment contracts for its ADVAN range and its GEOLANDAR tyres for SUVs and pickup trucks.

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Hankook Tire is now supplying its ultra-ultra-high-performance (UUHP) Ventus S1 evo Z tyres as original equipment for the new Porsche Panamera, expanding a relationship that dates to 2021. The fitment lineup adds 21-inch sizes – 275/35 ZR21 at the front and 325/30 ZR21 at the rear – alongside the 19- and 20-inch dimensions previously supplied. Every size carries Porsche-specific ND0 homologation markings on the sidewall, completing the Ventus S1 evo Z range across 19 to 21 inches.

Engineered to balance ride comfort with dynamic driving performance for the Panamera, the tyre was validated beyond standard segment homologation tests. Hankook subjected it to maximum-speed testing at Germany's Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit to confirm structural robustness and its ability to meet high-performance sports driving demands.

The Ventus S1 evo Z incorporates an asymmetric tread pattern for exceptional handling and stable grip, with tread blocks engineered to maintain optimal stiffness under varying conditions. Three main grooves on the inner tread improve wet-road water drainage, while a larger outer tread block area enhances cornering performance and dry-road grip. A double-layer carcass reinforced with aramid hybrid fibres bolsters high-speed stability by minimising heat-induced deformation, helping preserve precise steering response. High-strength steel belts and beads, together with a reinforced sidewall structure, further sharpen straight-line stability and handling precision.

The tyre is currently supplied as original equipment to global premium automakers for high-performance vehicles. In the replacement market, it is offered in 15 sizes from 18 to 21 inches, with widths of 225 to 315 mm and aspect ratios of 30 to 45. In July 2026, the Ventus S1 evo Z was also selected as an OE fitment for Porsche's iconic 911 Carrera sports car.

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