BRIDGESTONE POTENZA BRAND TIRES ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FOR NEW TOYOTA YARIS

Mississauga (Ontario), July 2006 - Bridgestone Firestone Canada Inc. (BFCA) and Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) recently announced that Bridgestone® brand Turanza™ tires will be one of the original equipment tires to be fitted on Mazda’s first crossover sport-utility vehicle (SUV), the CX-7.

BFCA and BFNT will supply the 2007 Mazda CX-7 with Bridgestone Turanza EL 42™ tires in size P235/60R18. The Bridgestone Turanza EL 42 is a T-speed rated, all-season, luxury touring original equipment tire. It carries a UTQG rating of 300 for treadwear, ‘A’ for traction, and ‘A’ for temperature.

“The Turanza is a luxury touring tire that complements the performance of Mazda’s new purpose-built crossover SUV,” said Michael Martini, president, original equipment consumer tire division, BFNT. “This fitment is the result of the ongoing relationship between the Bridgestone group and Mazda.”

Mazda touts its CX-7 as a stylish SUV with “the soul of a sports car.”

About Bridgestone Firestone Canada Inc.:
Mississauga-based Bridgestone Firestone Canada Inc. (BFCA) is an affiliate of Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT). BFCA and Nashville, Tennessee-based BFNT are subsidiaries of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. BFCA and BFNT develop, manufacture and market Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton and associate brand tires. They are focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off-road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to their customers in Canada and the United States respectively.