61 Totally New Sizes Developed in the Last 12 Months;
MIRS Production Plays Crucial Role in Flexibility

ROME, Ga, Dec. 6, 2005 Pirellis new 2006
price book reveals the true nature of its leadership in the
high-performance tire business an astonishing 61 totally
new sizes added to the range marketed just 12 months ago. These
numbers dont refer to new products in existing sizes (which
amount to a further 65 new product items) but to completely new
sizes designed from scratch 28 for passenger cars and a
further 33 for light truck.
All the new car sizes are UHP (V rated and above) and
two-thirds of the light truck tires are 20-inch diameter and above.
This confirms Pirellis leading position in the design,
development and commercialization of high-performance tires.
Historically, size evolution has been the driving force behind the
shape of the tire market and the key to maintaining profitability.
Who leads in development usually wins in the market! Pirelli is
operating on the leading edge of technology, able to offer an
unbeatable choice of performance sizes with a product range updated
at an average rate of one completely new size and two new product
items each week.
During 2005 Pirelli significantly increased its R& D pace,
bringing on stream a new generation of Eufori@ run-flat tires and
extending the P Zero line, particularly with ultra-highperformance
Corsa System radials and P Zero Nero in sizes 20-inch and above. In
the light truck segment, Pirelli introduced first the Scorpion Zero
Asimmetrico and, more recently, the new on/off road Scorpion ATR,
both with a strong orientation towards larger-diameter,
lower-profile performance products. Formerly considered a minor
player in the 4×4 market, Pirelli is now a trend-leading
protagonist and a preferred supplier of light truck market leader,
Ford. The breadth of the technology put in play is a massive
achievement.
MIRS has played a crucial role in bringing new sizes to market.
Pirelli has steadily increased the number of products allocated to
the MIRS process, 35 new product items in the past 12 months alone,
allowing it the flexibility of small-batch production unrivalled in
the tire business. Competitors cannot match Pirellis path
into UHP without first developing flexible production systems, and
in that, Pirelli believes it has a significant lead.
The latest MIRS innovation in the U.S. has been the production of
26-inch and 28-inch Scorpion Zero Asimmetricos. Highly specialized,
and highly profitable, these tires have been made almost on
demand as orders are placed by Pirelli dealers. The first
order for a 28-inch Scorpion was made by Pirellis Marketing
Department for the SEMA Show in Las Vegas in November. It amounted
to just 2 sets! No problem; the tires were on their way to Vegas 48
hours after the new mold arrived at the factory! And after a great
SEMA Shoe, the orders have been rather larger.

Pirelli Tire North America specializes in the manufacture and
marketing of highperformance car, light truck and motorcycle tires
and currently has four of its highly advanced MIRS (Modular
Integrated Robotized System) modules in operation in a new factory
in Rome, Georgia, to better serve the American OEM and Replacement
markets.