LAS VEGAS, NV – For over a century, Pirelli Tires have remained the Original Equipment on the World’s Finest vehicles.  No other tire company on the floor of the world’s premier showcase for automotive, aftermarket and tuning business can equal Pirelli’s heritage of technologically innovative products or its successes on and off the racetrack.  Pirelli will capture the attention of the attendees at this year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas with an array of striking and exclusive vehicles that only Pirelli can align – telling the story about its brand and stable of new products. Among those products – an all-new line of SUV/Crossover and Light Truck tires developed with Pirelli’s Green Performance strategy will be on display, highlighting its commitment to bring more and more “Green” products to market. 

Green Performance

Pirelli’s Green Performance strategy translates into new products and new production systems with reduced environmental impact and low energy consumption – all while focusing on quality and added safety.  Investments in technology and innovation run parallel to ambitious objectives such as pushing the green proportion of our tires from the current 20% to 40% by 2011, as well as offering mobility that joins added safety and performance to environmental sustainability. 

Pirelli – Worldwide Leader in Sustainability

Pirelli’s approach to green performance and its position as a world leader in sustainability is recognized globally.  In the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, Pirelli leads the Auto Parts and Tire Sector for the third year in a row in sustainability, and was confirmed in the twice-yearly review of Financial Times’ sustainability indices for seven consecutive years.  In 2009, the Pirelli Group improved by 11% to a global rating of 88%, in a segment that averages 48%. These ratings come in part because of the efficiencies in production processes and in lowering energy consumption.  Pirelli’s Eco-Sustainability strategy resulted in its lowering of water consumption levels 12.7%, energy consumption 9.2%, and both its CO2 and NOx emissions by 8.9 and 14.9% respectively over the last four years.

Products

Pirelli will introduce two new product entries into the global marketplace and announce several line extensions: 

Scorpion Verde All Season

The newest addition to the Pirelli Scorpion Family is all about Green Performance.  The Scorpion Verde All Season has been designed specifically for SUV’s, Crossovers and Light Trucks.  It offers drivers increased performance in wet braking, dry handling, wet handling, snow traction and reduces aquaplaning. In addition, through decreased rolling resistance and an 8% reduction in weight, it lowers CO2 emissions. 

The Scorpion Verde All Season’s use of cutting edge compounds helps deliver longer tread life for consumers. This means improved wear uniformity, which equals higher mileage and a stable footprint for the consumer.  

P Zero Trofeo

Trofeo is a DOT street legal race tire that gives enthusiasts a wider contact patch; greater rigidity and stability during acceleration and braking, as well as the peace of mind of having a constant and consistent footprint area at high speeds.  Trofeo is manufactured using state-of-the-art innovations in technology and materials that give racers the ability win on-track and drive on-road.  

P Zero Nero (Line Extension)

The deepest and most extreme UHP tire line in Pirelli’s arsenal – the P Zero Nero – will grow with a new fitment for high-performance luxury vehicles. It is a winning combination of enhanced driving enjoyment, precise cornering, excellent grip – even at the limit, and high resistance to aquaplaning.  The P Zero Nero has been specifically designed for “soft” and “hard” tuning, and is ideal for tire and wheel conversions.  315/25R23 102Y XL 

P Zero – Run Flat (Line Extension)

The P Zero legend sets new ultra high performance standards and has achieved a level of excellence to complement the world’s most exclusive sports cars.  A combination of technological features eliminates the previously unavoidable compromises associated with extreme driving: performance and comfort, acceleration and braking, in both wet and dry – and is available in these new run flat sizes:  285/35ZR19 (99 Y); 245/40ZR18 93Y 

Scorpion Ice and Snow (Line Extension)

Specifically designed to enhance the low temperature performance of fast, luxury SUV’s, Scorpion Ice & Snow is the ideal solution to ensure maximum mobility.  Like all Scorpion products, safety and comfort are prioritized in the tire design and full control is assured even under the most demanding conditions.  245/55R18 103H; 245/50R19 105V XL

 

Vehicles

 

In support of the product on display, Pirelli will also have a stunning array of vehicles on hand that only it can align to demonstrate and showcase Pirelli’s story of how it became “Original Equipment on the World’s Finest” and what “Power is Nothing without Control” truly means:

 

 

Pagani Zonda R

Pirelli’s commitment to ultra high performance tires coupled with its depth of product for original equipment and replacement applications mean the slogan “Original Equipment on the World’s Finest” isn’t just lip service.  Automotive manufacturers Mercedes Benz, BMW, Ferrari, Audi, General Motors, Ford and many, many others understand that when you build the best cars, you must install the best tires.  As a testament to the quality and ability of the Pirelli P Zero – the legendary ultra-high-performance product – Pirelli will display the Pagani Zonda R.   Pagani Automobili designed the Zonda R to deliver a power-to-weight ratio of 701 horsepower per ton, which will catapult the few who experience its prodigious power from 0-60 in a scant 2.7 seconds.  Connecting all that power to the ground is the Pirelli P Zero – truly Original Equipment on the World’s Finest.

 

Volkswagen Touareg

The Volkswagen Touareg may be an SUV, but it runs on ultra-low sulfur diesel.  That means it has 97% less sulfur content, radically reducing emissions.  With 225 horsepower and 406 pound feet of torque, the Touareg’s Scorpion Verde All Season tires put all that power to the ground with an eye towards Green Performance. 

 

Foose Terracuda

Chip Foose and his company Foose Design are synonymous with the best of American automotive culture, hot-rodding and muscle machines.  This year, Foose brings his Terracuda to the Pirelli booth.  Its custom frame designed by Chip and built by Art Carr, Chip has redesigned the Mopar in almost every conceivable way – and left no body panel untouched.   Terracuda’s 392ci Mopar crate engine is mated to a Tremec 5-speed transmission and a Ford 9-inch rear end. The custom leather interior features touches of Ferrari and carbon fiber.  Foose-designed wheels adorn the car and are wrapped in proper Pirelli rubber.

 

Transformers “Bumble Bee” Camaro

Fans of the new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro and the blockbuster cinematic action hit TRANSFORMERS movies can now combine their love of the car and the films with the Bumble Bee Edition Camaro RS,  direct from theTRANSFORMERS movie set in Hollywood, California. 

 

2010 Spade Kreations Ford Mustang GT

An evolution of retro – the Spade Creations Mustang GT favors the hardware of hardcore drift cars, the aggressive style of Ford’s iconic pony car, and the environmental responsibility of a flex-fuel power plant.  The Mustang rides on an aggressive 24” wheel fitment with low-profile and super-wide Pirelli tires.  A race-tuned coilover suspension helps put the flex-fueled E-85, force inducted, water/methanol injected fire-breathing engine power to the ground. 

 

Troy Bayliss Edition Ducati 1098 R

Troy Bayliss is a Ducati legend. In celebration of his victory in the 2008 World Superbike Championship aboard the 1098 R, and the end of a career that proudly claims three World Championships aboard three generations of Ducati Superbike, the factory have built a 1098 R Bayliss Limited Edition.

Enjoying exactly the same high specification as the standard ‘R’ model, the 1098 R Bayliss Limited Edition has a special color scheme designed by Aldo Drudi and approved by Troy Bayliss himself and will be on display in the Pirelli booth all week at SEMA.   

 

No where will you find such a collection of style, muscle, power and design other than Pirelli’s booth, #41027, SEMA 2009, November 2-6, 2009 in Las Vegas, NV.  Pirelli’s commitment to original equipment applications means that the best vehicles in the world wear Pirelli’s, and its commitment to the replacement market means that those cars consumers want to wear Pirellis can. 

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets.  For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

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Media Contacts:

Rafael Navarro, Director Communications & Motorsports

951-533-0305  rafael.navarro@pirelli.com

 

Joe Severns, Public Relations Manager

706-506-2195    joe.severns@pirelli.com

Pirelli returns to Daytona this weekend for a second time this season, ready to set all-new records at the storied Florida raceway in the Brumos Porsche 250.  The Saturday, July 4th race is scheduled for 70 laps/250 miles on the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course and can be seen live on SPEED at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT).

While January’s Rolex 24 and the Brumos Porsche 250 are run on the same track, the similarities end there.  This Saturday’s race will be run in the heat of a typical Florida summer afternoon, a challenging environment that takes its toll on the drivers, race cars and the track itself.  The dire conditions also bring out the best in the Pirelli P Zeros.

“It is going to be nasty, hot, slippery and tough,” said Jon Fogarty, who co-drove to victory in the 2007 Brumos Porsche 250 with GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing and teammate Alex Gurney in the team’s No. 99 Pontiac Riley Daytona Prototype.  “The heat will sap energy out of the drivers and the motors, and the tires are going to have there work cut out for them.  I am sure the Pirellis are up to the task, but I am certain that it will be a more difficult track to drive than what we have in January.”

Burt Frisselle co-drives the No. 61 AIM Autosport Ford Riley Daytona Prototype with Mark Wilkins.  He also expects the Pirelli P Zeros to be ready for the grueling Florida conditions this Fourth of July.

“Daytona is a tough track for tires because it requires great traction for the tight hairpins and at the same time requires longevity and stability when running the high banking at over 190 mph,” Frisselle said.  “For 2009, the P Zero is even better for the drivers as it allows us to get the occasional lock up going into Turn 1 and the Bus Stop chicane without the penalty of a big flat spot.  Pirelli’s hard work has shown in the lap times.”

The warm weather conditions could also be a challenge for the teams and drivers in the Grand-Am Rolex Series GT category.  Andy Lally was part of January’s class winning Rolex 24 team in the No. 67 TRG Porsche GT3 and looks for an equally challenging race this weekend.

“The main thing that we will deal with at Daytona this weekend as opposed to the 24 hour race in January is the heat,” Lally said. “We will be focusing mainly on tire life, especially this year because for the first time Grand-Am will run this race in the day time. The infield section will be very tough to put the power down and we will be pushing the Pirellis for all there worth.  We had no real tire issues in the Rolex 24 win and I don’t anticipate any this weekend either.  This allows us to focus on driving.”"

Pirelli Tire North America designs, develops, manufactures and markets tires for passenger vehicles in both the original equipment and replacement markets as well as markets and distributes tires for motorcycles and motorsports. Located in Rome, Georgia, Pirelli’s Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) employs state-of-the-art technology to manufacture tires for both export and domestic markets.  For more information please visit www.us.pirelli.com.

Mikolajki, June 28, 2009 – Pirelli’s soft-compound Scorpion tires delivered a faultless performance on unknown territory – taking the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team to victory in the debut of Rally Poland in the FIA World Rally Championship.

Despite having very little information about the eighth round of the World Rally Championship – which was run on gravel stages close to the holiday resort of Mikolajki – there were no problems with punctures or tire wear for any of the leading competitors throughout the three-day event.

Conditions were cooler than expected in Poland, with occasional rain during the event. Nonetheless, despite the humidity the stages remained in good condition even when used a second time. Along with the traction and grip provided by the Pirelli Scorpion rubber, this allowed drivers to reach average speeds of close to 81 mph on some of the stages. Ford’s excellent result with its Pirelli tires has set up a thrilling championship duel with just four rounds of the World Rally Championship left to run.

The new World Rally Championship leader and Rally Poland winner Mikko Hirvonen commented: “Actually, I was surprised by just how much traction and grip there was on the stages. I was definitely expecting worse. Even when I was running first on the road, it wasn’t really a problem for us. We had quite a wide variety of conditions here, but the car and the tires coped very well with all of them. I’ve really enjoyed this rally, and of course it makes the championship quite interesting now.”

Poland was also host to the sixth round of the Junior World Rally Championship. A thrilling battle meant that the two candidates for victory – in an R3 car and a Super 1600 car – started the final day separated by less than a second. In the end, it was Kevin Abbring who triumphed at the wheel of a Pirelli-equipped Renault Clio R3.

Pirelli’s rally manager Mario Isola concluded: “From our point of view it was a perfect rally. All we had to do was supply the teams with the tires, and there were no other problems for us to deal with. The wear rate has been excellent, while providing everyone with plenty of grip, and there have been no punctures despite some tricky conditions. Our soft compound gravel tire – which will be used again in Finland and Britain – is seeing much more use compared to last year, but it has shown itself capable of adapting to a very wide range of different conditions. There was a particularly good fight in the Junior World Rally Championship as well. Unlike the main series, competitors are allowed to cut their tires in the Junior Championship – adding an extra tactical element.”

The next round the World Rally Championship – the legendary Rally Finland – takes place from July 31 to August 2 on fast gravel stages close to Jyvaskyla.

Pirelli Tire SpA – Press Office – Motorsport Communication
Viale Sarca, 222 – 20126 Milano – Italy – phone/fax +39 02 644245407 – www.pirelli.com