Okay, to answer the OP's question...The S-04 is the predecessor to the RE050A. The predecessor to the S-03 was the RE01R, which has no been replaced by the RE-11, which I run on my car and love it to death. It has an asymmetrical cavity design to give more consistent contact pressure across the WHOLE tread under heavy cornering unlike it's successors, and it's 3D tread grooves are the exact same technology you will find on the Bridgestone F1 rain tires. They're extremely effective in wet weather, even once your tread is half worn out. When the grooves are worn flat, the amazing wet traction goes away, but even with the inner part of the tread gone, if the outer portion is still there, the tire will still work in the rain. It's pretty impressive. The S-04 has a highly enriched silica compound which helps the rubber become more flexible when wet and therefore provide better wet traction, and features a deeply implanted center circumferential groove that has a more dense reinforced rubber compound to provide better steering response and stability, especially in corners.
Now, there are some terms and specs being thrown around that I don't think people realize can be mixed up...namely the UTQG rating given by the manufacturer. Most people don't realize that you can't accurately compare those ratings across brands. The Dunlop Star Spec 200 A A rating can't be directly compared to the Bridgestone RE-11's 180 A A because those ratings are assigned by the manufacturer of said tire and can only be accurately compared to other tires within the same brand. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the lower that number, the stickier the rubber. The "AA" or "A" or (hopefully not on your NSX) "B" or "C" traction ratings and temperature ratings are on wet courses, with the ONLY constant factor being that the course has to be approved by the government, everything else about the UTQG ratings is totally up to whoever produces the tire.
The S-04 falls under the "Ultra High Performance Summer" category and carries a UTQG rating of 280 AA A, while the RE-11 falls under the "Extreme Performance Summer" category and carries a UTQG rating of 180 A A.
All RE-11 Sizes can be found here:
http://www.bridgestonetire.com/productdetails/quicksearch/potenza_re-11
And all S-04 sizes can be found here:
http://www.bridgestonetire.com/productdetails/quicksearch/potenza_s-04_pole_position
So, for the OP, if it's a very sticky tire you're looking for, you'll love the RE-11. If you treat them well, you'll be able to get around 18-20,000 miles out of them, depending on your alignment. They're very quiet on the highway, as well.
If you're wanting a tire that will last you longer without compromising a great deal of traction, I think that the S-04 would be a great fit as well.
It depends mostly on your style of driving as to which direction I would advise you from there, but I have RE-11's for a reason.
Is there a dictionary that spells this out somewhere?
