Pirelli – which has supplied tyres exclusively for the GP3 championship this year – will also supply the GP2 championship from 2011, becoming the sole provider of tyres for the most prestigious single-seater championships in global motorsport.

The Milan-based firm is already present in the World Rally Championship, the World Superbike Championship, the Rolex Sports Car Series in North America, the Motocross World Championship and several other national championships for both cars and bikes.

This new Formula One agreement crowns Pirelli’s historic involvement in world motorsport, which dates back to 1907 when the Italian fim won the epic Paris-Peking road race. Pirelli currently exclusively supplies some of the most important World Championships for both cars and bikes, such as the GP3 series, the World Rally Championship, the Rolex Sports Car Series in North America, the World Superbike Championship, and the Motocross World Championship. On top of this, Pirelli also supplies more than 70 other national and international championships. The last Grand Prix victory claimed by Pirelli was the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix, with Nelson Piquet driving for Benetton.

The Summit is aimed at furthering methods of team management, football club operations, and fan base mobilization especially in the CSL as the top league in China. The Summit will also discuss how to conduct effective brand promotions through the organization of sporting events as well as cultivate young football players. Renowned Football executives from Italy and China as well as seasoned football reporters and journalists will be participating in the summit to promote cultural and athletic exchanges between the two countries. As the main organizer, Pirelli will be contributing its invaluable experience as a long-time sponsor and supporter of International football to the Summit’s discussions.

Among the attendants are the Italian Ambassador to China Ricardo Sessa, Football Management Centre Associate Executive Mr. Yu Hongcheng, CEO of Pirelli Asia Pacific Giuseppe Cattaneo; General Manager from CSL Mr. Lang Xiaonong; FIGC representative Vanni Sartini; Italian football Lega representative Giovanni Pifarotti; representatives from Pirelli sponsored F.C. Internazionale Mr. Alongi; Ex-Torino club manager Mr. Renado.Bodi  and the proprietor and head editor Mr. Liu Xiaoxin from Soccer News. In addition, CSL and 16 clubs will be in attendance, with three premier club executives making special speeches. During the summit, these high-profile figures will be concentrating on the fostering of football talent, the creation of new football clubs, the expansion of athletic sales and fan base organization, as well as many other crucial football related topics.

CEO of Pirelli Asia Pacific, Giuseppe Cattaneo states, “Pirelli has a long and proud history for supporting football. We know football is inextricably tied to the Chinese people’s hearts and we are looking forward to using this Summit to further develop football in China. Our commitment to Chinese football mirrors our commitment to product superiority and with both; we will continuously act as a bridge to bring about more understanding and communication between Italy and China.”

Pirelli’s commitment to and sponsorship of Football is unparalleled. For more than ten years, Pirelli has been the primary sponsor of the Italian football club Internazionale. Pirelli has also been a partner for the Swiss team Basel, and sponsored Brazil’s Palmeiras and Argentina’s Velez Sarsfield. Pirelli’s outstanding product superiority and ultra-high performances are also unmatched. Pirelli Tyres are the preferred choice for high-end luxury and sports automobiles such as Ferrari, Masserati, and Lamborghini. It is Pirelli’s pursuit of perfection in product design and manufacturing that infusing its football sponsorships with never-ending support and vitality.

the Scorpion Verde, the world’s first environmentally friendly tyre for SUVs, and the new PZero Corsa, the Ultra High Performance green tyre for supercars

The P7 and P6 Cinturato, which excelled in tough 2010 tests run by the international trade press, will also be in the spotlight

Cyber Tyre, the smart tyre that reads the road, in final phase of development

 

 

 

Geneva, 2 March 2010.  Pirelli unveiled the first environmentally friendly tyre developed for SUVs, its Scorpion Verde, as well as a new tyre designed for use by supercars, the new PZero Corsa. With these two world premiers, Pirelli again makes its mark at the Geneva Motor Show, where the Italian group continues to establish itself as a point of reference not just for high-performance vehicles, through its PZero line, but also for those focused on ecology, with its Cinturato family, which began 2010 by performing brilliantly in the summer tests of the international press with its P6 and P7 models.

In fact, at the eightieth edition of the Geneva show, the Italian group’s tyres fit the lion’s share of the most eagerly awaited models, from the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, one of the stars of the show, to the Tesla, the first electric supercar. The Cyber Tyre, the “intelligent” tyre able to “read” the road, is also a highlight of Pirelli’s presence in Geneva. After having passed the most rigorous tests, the Cyber Tyre is ready to enter the market in its TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) version. 

Green Performance – safety and ecology. Scorpion Verde and the Cinturato family. One of the new products that Pirelli will unveil at the Geneva motor show is the Scorpion Verde, the first eco-friendly tyre for SUVs, which combines safety with fuel savings, while limiting vehicle emissions. The new tyre in the Scorpion line will be presented on the Idiada course in Catalonia in mid-March, 2010.  Scorpion Verde, also on display in Geneva on the Volkswagen Touareg, enlarges Pirelli’s green family.

The family was inaugurated in 2008 with the return of the Cinturato line in the P4 and P6 versions, aimed at mid- to small-sized vehicles, and enriched by the P7 in 2009, the first ecological tyre developed for large-sized engines. In particular, the Cinturato P7, which combines reduced consumption with increased braking performance and road grip, looks to be a green phenomenon at the Swiss convention. And not just at the Pirelli stand, where it is exhibited with the Tesla; the Cinturato P7 has also been selected for various models by other prestigious manufacturers and is displayed on the BMW 5 Series and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, among others. Cinturato P7 will also be found on the Rinspeed UC-Urban Commuter concept car.

Performance and the joy of driving: the new PZero Corsa and the PZero line.  The other new Pirelli product at the Geneva Motor Show is the new PZero Corsa System, the next step for the PZero Corsa, developed to emphasize performance and safety characteristics, while still managing to simultaneously reduce rolling resistance. The new tyre in the PZero line can be viewed on the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. The entire PZero line, Pirelli’s high performance sports product range, is on display on some of the most beautiful cars at the show. These include the new Maserati Grancabrio, the Audi 8 and Porsche Cayenne, as well as models from Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lotus, Bentley, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes, McLaren and BMW.

Pirelli confirms its technology partnership with Lamborghini and presents the world premiere of the new PZero Corsa System at the International Motor Show in Geneva, designed for the new supercar from Sant’Agata Bolognese, the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera, designed for use on the highest-performing next generation of vehicles. Pirelli’s research department, working to reinforce the characteristics of the newest member of the Lamborghini family, developed tyres that contribute to the reduction of environmental impact, with compounds and solutions that decrease rolling resistance, while at the same time taking performance characteristics to the maximum in terms of both safety and handling. The Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera will use the new PZero Corsa System in the 235/35ZR19 and 295/30ZR19 sizes.

The Cyber Tyre and innovative materials. Pirelli’s research looks to the future, developing innovative solutions for the automobile industry and developing materials with ever more ecological characteristics, both in terms of use of the final product, and during production.  The Cyber Tyre belongs to the first category. The smart tyre that Pirelli’s research centres are developing is able to “read” the conditions of the road surface. The Cyber Tyre has recently passed severe dynamic tests conducted on the test track in Nardò and is ready for the definitive development stage for its first application:  TPMS, (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) which makes it possible to have real time information about tyre pressure, vertical load, and internal temperature. The Cyber Tyre is the starting point of a revolution not only regarding tyres as they have always been understood until today, but as a real turning point for the automobile industry as a whole. The system created by Pirelli is the launch pad for a series of future developments, for which the Italian Group has collaborated technologically with other important leaders in the auto sector.

At Pirelli’s booth, the most prominent position is occupied by a Lamborghini Gallardo, a top sports car equipped with P Zero™ tyres. Pirelli tyres have been recognized as the ideal partner to super sports cars among the industry. The slogan that “POWER IS NOTHING WITHOUT CONTROL” describes its high-performance nature as the supplier of choice for car manufacturers. At the booth, visitors are entitled to taking photos with the luxury car and participating in the lucky draw.

Mr. Cattaneo Giuseppe, CEO of Pirelli Tyre Asia-Pacific, attended the opening ceremony and addressed, “We are delighted to be invited to participate in the Shanghai Italian Week. There has been a long history of cultural exchanges between Italy and China. As early as Pirelli’s entry into China, It has been acting as the bridge of cultural exchanges between two countries and constantly exerting its endless efforts. Promoting the Sino-Italian cultural exchanges is also a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate our brand and performance. As Pirelli is continuously developing in China, we are also expecting that Pirelli brand can enjoy more popular support from Chinese community as well as customers.”

Since entering Chinese market, Pirelli has paid special attention on promoting the cultural exchanges between China and Italy. Taking sports and culture as an example, Pirelli reached a three-year agreement with Chinese Football Association and officially became the title sponsorship to 2009-2011 Chinese Super League seasons (namely the “Pirelli Super League” or “PSL”), injecting its centurial sports experience into Chinese football. As the sponsor to Inter Milan Football Club, the 17-time champion of Italian Serie A football league, Pirelli facilitated the memorandum of cooperation between PSL and Inter Milan Football Club to jointly promote the development of PSL as well as Chinese football sports.

Pirelli established its manufacturing presence in China in 2005, when the first-phase construction of its Shandong plant was completed. It currently has two manufacturing lines in China producing tyres for cars and trucks in the city of Yanzhou. The Yanzhou factory is a consolidating step in Pirelli Tyre’s globalization, with production capability already divided among 23 factories in 12 countries.

October 16, 2009 – Cold, rain, snow… in a month of October, most areas of China northern regions have been gradually perceived the chill of late autumn and early winter. At the same time, your car may also have been aware of the severe road condition in fall and winter: snow or ice, wet, slushy, slippery or simply freezing roads typical of the cold season, which will definitely affect the performance and reliability of driving. Have you ever considered appending a pair of “winter boots” for your favorite car? Pirelli Winter Sottozero Serie II and Winter SottozeroTM, which was developed from motor sport tyre technology, proven in the European market and listed as star products of Pirelli, an international tyre giant known as its outstanding product performance, have arrived in Chinese market with wide range of sizes and been on sales in three northeastern provinces, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Qinghai.

The intelligent tyre tread which adapts to the road

Winter Sottozero Serie II has interpreted the development philosophy of “intelligent to read road surface”. Thanks to a system of grooves and a pattern of interactive sipes, Winter Sottozero Serie II can shift like building bricks and literally grab hold of the different kinds of road surfaces. Compared with conventional tires, the braking distance of this tyre on wet road can reduced by 10% and 20% for snowy roads whilst traction with the road surface, lateral force and grip on braking are significantly increased.

The new Winter Sottozero Serie II at its first appearances on 2008 Winter Press Test shows its intention to be one of the best winter products. The specialized German magazine “Auto Motor und Sport” tested Sottozero Serie II with the best winter tyres on the market. New Winter Sottozero Serie II has been awarded with the highest valuation of the test, “Very Recommendable”, with impressive results on snow and wet tracks, confirming Pirelli’s attention for safety and for a total control in the most critical road conditions. The final ranking is the result of demanding tests performed on three different winter surface conditions: Snow – Wet – Dry. Winter Sottozero Serie II has been awarded again with the highest valuation of the test, “Exemplary”, thanks to an excellent balance between performances on snow, wet and dry surfaces, offering safety and total control at the same time.

The structure is innovative, reproducing in a winter tyre the performance characteristics typical of the P Zero Pirelli, the high performance tyre has been chosen by all the main worldwide car manufacturers for their latest sports models. Porsche, Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo have already chosen the new Pirelli winter tyre product, approving it as original  equipment. Considering the growing emphasis of a number of national standards on the environmental protection, the tyre’s compounds are innovative and eco-friendly, without aromatic oil and with a reduced amount of heavy metals.

In addition, the greater unpredictablity of weather conditions, with dry spells when snow is traditionally expected, and sudden heavy rainfall at the beginning of autumn or in the late winter, call for the development of versatile tyres which can guarantee safety not only on snow and ice, but also on wet or slushy surfaces with temperatures falling below 7 degrees, a temperature which not only alters the road surface but also the behaviour of the tyre. The traditional idea of the winter tyre has also been revolutionised: not a snow tyre, but a seasonal tyre, suitalbe for all weather and road conditons from October to April.

The Pirelli antidote down to the end of the world

As the first generation of Winter Sottozero Serie, Pirelli has selected the Ushuaia, Argentina, the world’s southernmost urban extremity, last outpost before the Antarctic and where is on the perils of the most difficult winter condition, for the presentation of Winter Sottozero^TM. It is the first real dual-season cover: from mid-autumn until early spring, always in absolute safety

As with all maximum performance tyres, Winter Sottozero^TM is the culmination of a route that also traversed motor sports, always the mobile test laboratory. In particular, the achievement of the tread compounds of this winter cover benefited from the extensive work constantly taking place in support of world championship rallying for many years. Winter Sottozero^TM starts with a new, patented tread pattern, divided into two completely different internal and external areas of the tyre to guarantee exceptional performance in perfect equilibrium of yield on the different surfaces encountered. Winter Sottozero^TM also comprises the most significant technological innovations, among them its nano-composites, reinforcing elements of molecular dimensions, which are used at the base of the tread for maximum stability on dry surfaces and sprorts car driving conditons. No longer just a tyre able to hold the road well, brake effectively in the snow and keep aquaplaning conditions at bay, but also a guarantee of total acoustic and dynamic comfort and maximum performance in the dry and wet, even driving at high speeds in safety. In the world’s southernmost polar climate, Winter Sottozero^TM confirms that it is Pirelli’s most extreme Ultra High Performer.

Road conditons are complex due to the vast terrain of China northern regions, longer duration in winter as well as frequently changeable weather. Drivers want to enjoy driving, but they also want performance and greater safety, Even in the worst road conditons. Meanwhile, cars are becoming heavier and more powerful and therefore high performance tyres are needed even in winter.

In Pirelli, we know that the road is our friend. The arrival of Pirelli’s winter tyres.  Winter Sottozero Serie II and Winter Sottozero^TM, offers additional security for those demanding drivers. Even in the severe road and most demanding winter conditions, Winter Sottozero^TM now is destined to offer driving with comfort and fun.

The PZero collection is confirmed by the new super cars as their preferred line of tyre

Frankfurt, 17 September 2009. Cinturato family, recognized by the leading European certification bodies as the most ecological and safest line of tyres on the market; the PZero family, confirmed as the favourite for high performance sports cars. And so it was, yet again, that Pirelli conquered the Frankfurt Show, where the Milan-based group stood above the stands of the most prestigious cars and on the most eagerly-awaited models of the German show.

Green performance and safety. Dekra, one of the automobile sector’s leading independent certification bodies, and TÜV, the German certification body, agree that the Cinturato P6 and the Cinturato P7 are the tyres that best match the needs of reducing the environmental impact of vehicle traffic, and of increasing safety.

From independently conducted tests, Cinturato P7 was clearly the best ecological tyre in its category, thanks to reduced fuel consumption and hence reduced carbon monoxide emissions due to the better mileage, and to the maximum levels of safety, particularly in the wet and dry. Cinturato P6, as well as seeing its ecological features confirmed in terms of savings and higher mileage, was the safest tyre in its category in all the tests performed: aquaplaning, roadholding and braking on both dry and wet surfaces.

The most prestigious European certification bodies confirm the success of Pirelli’s commitment to Green Performance, that is to say the reduction of consumption and environmental impact, increasing at the same time performance connected with safety.

In particular, the P7 – launched this year and aimed at the medium- and high-end range – adds features associated with pure performance: comfort, driving pleasure, handling on bends and straight roads, precision on approaches to bends.

The Cinturato P7 cuts rolling resistance by 20% and energy consumption by 4%, knocks 30% off noise levels and reduces braking distance by up to two metres both in wet and dry conditions, using materials free of highly aromatic oils. Features which have made it, up to now, the preferred tyre for car makers’ new products.

Today, Cinturato P7 has been chosen for original fitting by Audi (A4, A4 Allroad, A5), Mercedes (E Class, S Class), Alfa Romeo (New 147), BMW (X1, Serie 1, Serie 3) and Volvo (S80, V70), for the newest and most prestigious models of the E class, a number of which were also present at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The P6 is destined for a target of cars with small and medium-sized engines. Launched last year, Cinturato P6 is the first renewed tyre in the Pirelli brand’s history, designed to guarantee ecology, energy saving and safety and greeted with favourably by the market and specialists alike. The Cinturato P6 guarantees the maximum safety in all weather conditions. In particular, it preserves roadholding on bends and in the wet, and above all reduces braking distance, guaranteeing maximum safety for the smallest cars.

Pure performance. Pirelli is confirmed as the ideal partner for the most eagerly-anticipated sports cars at the Show. In the spotlight at the German event is the P Zero collection, an Ultra High Performance product line developed by Pirelli for the most prestigious and high-performance cars.

At Frankfurt this year, there was a contest between two super cars which replicate the challenge of the race track on the stands and on the road: the new Ferrari 458 Italia, a synthesis of technological innovation, creativity and Italian style and the McLaren MP4 12 C, the latest creation by the British manufacturer, which is distinguished by an even more streamlined profile.

A challenge of beauty, power and technology which finds the right partner in Pirelli PZero, the most advanced product of the PZero collection, innovative in its compounds, structure and tread pattern, chosen right from the launch on the market by all the high-performance sports cars.

“Made in Italy” was also represented by the Maserati-Pirelli partnership. In fact, under the spotlights of the Motor Show even the three flagships of the Maserati stable, Quattroporte, Granturismo and Grancabrio, came fitted for the occasion with Pirelli PZero tyres.

Pirelli PZero also for Lamborghini. On show at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Murcielago will be fitted with PZero Corsa tyres. Designed with two different tread patterns, P Zero Corsa is the sportiest tyre in the P Zero collection, designed to guarantee total grip on bends, under acceleration and braking. These features make it ideal for the racetrack and on the road in the most demanding conditions. Finally, PZero tyre also for Gallardo and Gallardo Spider, the punchiest variant of the Lamborghini family.

PZero also on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage, the Lotus Evora, the Bentley CTC, the SuperSport, the GT Speed, and the new Mulsanne.

P Zero Rosso, instead, for the Swedish Volvo and Saab cars present at the Show: Volvo XC 60, Volvo S80 Executive and Saab 9-3X chose the Ultra High Performance variant of the PZero, which combines sportiness with extraordinary acoustic comfort thanks to the new tread pattern.

At the Frankfurt Show there’s also room for the Scorpion Zero Asimmetrico, which will be fitted on the Volvo XC 70 and XC 60 “R design”.

Pirelli, Chinese Football Association Super League, and FC Internazionale Milano discuss future trilateral cooperation in Beijing

Super League (namely the “Pirelli Super League” or “PSL”), brought together two partners – the Chinese Football Association Super League Co. Ltd and FC Internazionale Milano, holding a meeting to express thanks to all Chinese supporters, and discuss enhanced cooperation between China and Italy. The three parties committed to promoting football exchange between China and Italy, enhancing the competitive strength of the PSL and helping Pirelli and Inter Milan take a more active role in China’s football development.

Mr. Lv Feng, General Manager of Chinese Football Association Super League Co. Ltd, praised Pirelli’s efforts on behalf of PSL development, and emphasized the progress of PSL over the past few months. Lv Feng said: “Pirelli has provided a stable economic base for the Super League for the next few years, which will advance the development of Chinese football following the Olympics.”

The high-performance EUFORI@™ Run Flat tyre is a development that will revolutionize not only the way the car used but also the way it is made. Eufori@ is the latest innovative offer of its unique MIRS (Modular Integrated Robotized System) technology.

Even when the pressure is released close to nearly zero, Pirelli Eufori@ enables a motorist to drive at 80 km/h up to 80 km in perfect safety, which would provide additional protection for amateur drivers who have fewer opportunities to come up against this extreme condition.

With the security provided by Pirelli tyre, amateur drivers will enjoy the pleasure of top speed in the BMW 3 Series Championship to the best extent.

Mr. Giuseppe Cattaneo, CEO of Pirelli China, said, “The consistently excellent performance of Pirelli tyres, as well as its rich racing experiences, led to this cooperation. Being synonymous with passion, control, performance and strength, Pirelli expects all car owners to enjoy the most fun in the BMW 3 Series Championship through this cooperation. It is also the reaffirmation of the long-term partnership between Pirelli and BMW in original equipment cooperation.” Today, Pirelli tyres are fitted original equipment on BMW 1 series, 3 series, 5 series, 7 series, and also the performance M6.

During the new BMW Z4 launch this May in Harbin, ultra-high-performance Winter Sottozero Tyre of BMW Z4 provided by Pirelli is excellently performed and recommended as the winter tyre for new BMW Z4 in China. Coming to this year’s 24 hour-race that finished at the end of May in Nuerburgring, Germany, BMW Z4 M Coupè (about 420 hp) and BMW 135i (about 360 hp), with great support from Pirelli tyre, made victories in the SP6 and SP8T classes, respectively.

Pirelli has always focused on the high-performance tyre market focusing on scientific and technological content and high performance. With the aid of the rich experiences and continuous innovation over one century, racing cars equipped with Pirelli tyres have been receiving almost all major championships worldwide. At the same time, Pirelli has been very skilled at making use of racing sports as a technology development platform to implant the most advanced experiences learnt from its products.

Today, major international events that Pirelli has participated are World Rally Champion (WRC), FIA GT Championship and Grand-AM Road Racing.

Pirelli has had an industrial presence in China since 2005, when the first part of its factory was inaugurated in the Shandong Province. Today, Pirelli has two manufacturing lines in China which produce tyres for cars and trucks in the city of Yanzhou. The strengthening of the Yanzhou factory consolidates the international presence of Pirelli, which currently counts 23 factories in 12 countries around the world.

Pirelli’s present in China with a series of incentives that contribute to its brand awareness, such as the presentation of the 2008 edition of the famous Pirelli Calendar photographed in China by Patrick Demarchelier, in Shanghai; and engagement in other cultural campaigns. Since 2009 and for the next three years, Pirelli has become the institutional sponsor of the Chinese Football Association Super League, which is now called the “Pirelli Super League”.

The attribution of two such important awards demonstrates the general appreciation by the industrial world of Pirelli’s policy of safety and respect for the environment, which it has pursued in recent years.

The awards were received on behalf of Pirelli by Michael Cati, commercial director of Pirelli Tyre China, who said, “It is a great honour for Pirelli to receive this recognition. From 2005, when the company entered the Chinese market, it has always introduced its latest technology and its new products. The P Zero and Cinturato P7 are proof of that. In line with the theme of the Summit, Pirelli will continue to focus on ‘Green’ technology and energy saving while continuing to marry respect for the environment and performance”.

More than one hundred years of motorsport’s experience and the production of ultra high performance tyres has given Pirelli the experience and know-how to offer products of the highest performance in every field of application. The brand new Cinturato P7 is the first high performance, ecological tyre for the high end of the market and compliant with future EU standards that will come into force in 2012, representing Pirelli’s high degree of social responsibility, especially in ecological and environmental protection.

The new Cinturato P7 goes in this direction, bringing together ecology and performance, ensuring at the same time energy savings and reduction of toxic emissions, reduction of sound emission, driving pleasure and safety. From a safety point of view, it ensures excellent performance both on dry and wet road surfaces.

P Zero is Pirelli’s flagship product targeted for the high-end market. P Zero stands for Pirelli’s state-of-the-art research results and offers the most demanding motorists’ unprecedented superior performance in all aspects including sports handling, comfort and safety. P Zero is regarded as an epoch-making innovation in ultra-high performance within the tyre industry, demonstrating Pirelli’s innovative formula and structural characteristics. P Zero has been chosen by the manufacturers of the most sporting and extreme cars.

Pirelli has had an industrial presence in China since 2005, when the first part of its factory was inaugurated in the Shandong Province. Today, Pirelli has two manufacturing lines in China which produce tyres for cars and trucks in the city of Yanzhou. The strengthening of the Yanzhou factory consolidates the international presence of Pirelli, which currently counts 23 factories in 12 countries around the world.

 Pirelli’s present in China with a series of incentives that contribute to its brand awareness, such as the presentation of the 2008 edition of the famous Pirelli Calendar photographed in China by Patrick Demarchelier, in Shanghai; and engagement in other cultural campaigns. Since 2009 and for the next three years, Pirelli has become the institutional sponsor of the Chinese Football Association Super League, which is now called the “Pirelli Super League”.