A sports tyre has been developed by Bridgestone that has to be the grippiest piece of rubber you can experience on an everyday car.

The Potenza Sport tyres have just been released and are available in 96 sizes ranging from 17 to 22 inches with prices running from around £88 to £280 depending on supplier.

With exceptional performance for grip and handling in wet and dry conditions the Potenza Sport has achieved an A rating under the EU's tyre labelling system.

In tests conducted by TÃV SÃD, one of Europe's most respected independent automotive testing institutes, Potenza Sport tyres achieved the best performance in both dry braking and cornering and straight line stability versus competitors in the premium segment.

And on our test runs - in weather conditions ideal for such an exercise - the tyres excelled whatever asked whether that be in the dry, wet, snow, sleet and torrential rain.

Those conditions all happened during a drive in a BMW 3 Series shod with Potenza Sport tyres which replaced the Potenza S0001 as Bridgestone sought to deliver a tyre that suits everything from high performance vehicles to regular vehicles.

The Potenza Sport has a tread design which uses several new cutting-edge features, including innovative 3D sipes to increase shear stiffness, with benefits in braking and abrasion resistance.

The rubber compound used throughout the tyre is made with an optimised formula to improve both wet and dry performance.

Attention has also been paid to other features in the tyre's construction to improve performance at high speed and to increase stability performance and steering response, while optimising rolling resistance.

It all adds up to make the Potenza Sport the most impressive mainstream tyre we have come across and it genuinely transformed the characteristics of the 3 Series.

Little wonder that it has been chosen as original equipment on cars not only made by BMW but also by Maserati and Lamborghini.

In the dry the BMW we drove demonstrated absolute composure and felt as solid as they come with the grip instilling confidence.

The same was true in the wet - and we encountered several millimetres of standing water as well as some snowy conditions and hail covered roads.

All in all the tyre was a fantastic performer no matter what the condition and that is quite exceptional.

The Potenza Sport is without a doubt the best all-round performer we have come across and its durability rating is also top class.

Pound for pound it has to be worth every penny, no matter what you drive. Immediately you notice the extra grip - and it transforms the feel of the car.

As Emilio Tiberio, chief technical officer and chief operating officer at Bridgestone in Europe, added: "The Potenza Sport is the latest chapter in Bridgestone's long legacy in high performance.

"It is the result of our history and innovation in motorsports, combined with our commitment to always going the extra mile to meet drivers' needs, and an investment in research and development that is unmatched in the tyre industry.

"We engineered a premium, high-value sports tyre that keeps drivers in control while unlocking the performance of their vehicle. Potenza Sport is truly a new excellence in sports performance."