The Firehawk Indy 500, a high-speed, energy-efficient summer tire, has been produced since 2016 by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company (USA), a subsidiary of the Japanese corporation Bridgestone. This rubber belongs to the UHP segment and is intended for premium passenger cars. In the model range of the American brand, it replaced the Wide Oval Indy 500 tires. The tires are characterized by predictable behavior and fast steering response, easy, stable handling, and stable braking in any summer weather, high resistance to aquaplaning, and excellent maneuverability.
Pros:
- Good grip on dry and wet roads.
- Cornering stability.
- Comfort and silence.
- Excellent value for money and quality.
Cons:
- Absolutely not designed for winter driving.
Overall thoughts
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires are made from a rubber compound based on proprietary synthetic rubber, with the addition of soot and additives that provide:
- resistance to high temperatures;
- reliable adhesion to dry and wet roads;
- low rolling resistance;
- high wear resistance.
The performance properties of the Firestone Indy 500 tires owe to the original asymmetrical, non-directional tread, divided into several sectors:
- a central zone, consisting of two wide ribs, providing control over the road situation;
- the outer medial rib, the blocks of which create a circular lightning groove from the side of the shoulder zone – this functional zone helps to cross the washed-out sections of the road;
- shoulder areas of massive blocks (they improve maneuverability and guarantee safe cornering at speed);
- the drainage system of three circumferential channels, created using the patented Pulse Groove technology.
Summer tires of a renowned North American manufacturer show incredible technical performance. The tires offer excellent traction, comfort, and acoustic noise reduction. The work surface has a symmetrical design with no directionality. This suggests that the tires do an excellent job on difficult road sections without giving rise to doubts about their quality. In the design, it is worth noting the large outdoor units, which guarantee improved performance when cornering and make it possible to make other maneuvers confidently. The continuous arrangement of tire elements contributes to ideal grip and provides directional stability with sensitivity to the driver steering commands.
Summer tires must have several qualities that must ensure continuous operation of the wheel in various weather conditions. The key to achieving this is a quality rubber compound. The tire composition, including proprietary synthetic rubber, exceptional soot, and other fillers, significantly increases the grip of the car and guarantees stability at high temperatures. In addition to these basic properties, tires significantly reduce rolling resistance, which has a positive effect on fuel consumption, which is very important for owners of high-speed vehicles.
The maintenance indicators
The tires do not have built-in wear indicators. Instead, the company suggests using the penny test, which is already the standard for measuring tread depth. To do this, stick the penny into the grooves of the tire tread. If the tread touches the upside-down head of Abraham Lincoln, the tire tread depth is at least 2/32 inches.
Driving on dry, wet, and slippery roads
The structure of Firestone Firehawk 500 rubber has many microscopic pores, which, when in contact with a wet road, act like tiny suction cups. Firehawk Indy 500 product is well protected from the early onset of aquaplaning, which also succeeds due to circulating deep grooves.
The massive shoulder blocks of the Firehawk Indy 500 increase the stiffness of the tire for dynamic cornering. The wide pulsating groove accelerates water drainage and reduces the risk of aquaplaning. An improved rubber compound and optimized asymmetric tread pattern give these Indy tires 20% less braking distance on wet roads.
The increased width of the ribs in the centre of the tread increases the speed of the tire’s reactions to steering turns and control over the road situation.
Drivers’ reviews
Drivers note that this is a very soft and comfortable rubber for everyday driving; the tires give the feeling that we can drive on wet and dry roads with the same tire performance even at high speeds in heavy rain. Buyers note that thanks to the rigid sidewalls, the tires are very stable in corners.
Tire Sizes
16″
195/55R16
205/45R16
205/50R16
205/55R16
225/50R16
17″
205/40R17
205/45R17
205/50R17
215/45R17
215/55R17
225/45R17
225/50R17
225/55R17
235/45R17
235/50R17
235/55R17
245/40R17
245/45R17
255/40R17
275/40R17
18″
215/40R18
215/45R18
225/40R18
225/45R18
225/50R18
235/40R18
235/45R18
235/50R18
235/55R18
245/35R18
245/40R18
245/45R18
255/35R18
255/40R18
255/45R18
265/35R18
275/35R18
275/40R18
19″
225/35R19
225/40R19
225/45R19
235/35R19
245/35R19
245/40R19
245/45R19
255/35R19
255/40R19
265/30R19
265/35R19
265/40R19
275/30R19
275/35R19
275/40R19
285/30R19
285/35R19
325/30R19
P245/50R19
20″
245/40R20
245/45R20
255/35R20
255/45R20
275/35R20
275/40R20
285/30R20
285/35R20
295/30R20
305/35R20