Tire Review is showcasing 2019 “Newsmakers” — companies that have made headlines in the past year with tire-related news about new technology, plant openings, marketing initiatives, dealer program updates, product launches and more — that made the list as determined by top engagement on tirereview.com. After a brief overview of each Newsmakers’ newsworthy item(s), you’ll find a company executive’s answer to this question: What can dealers expect from your company in 2020, highlighting key dealer-focused initiatives, programs and events?
News in 2019
Pirelli renewed commitments with American motorsport championships including the Porsche Club of America and the Trans Am Series and added the Air-Cooled Cup USA to those it sponsored in 2019. The tiremaker also showcased its Track Adrenaline technology, a track day product that’s a lap timer and real-time monitoring system, at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. In June, it introduced the Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II, an all-season tire for SUVs and crossovers for the North American market. The Italian tiremaker announced at the end of this year that it was the first tiremaker in the world to transmit information detected by intelligent tires regarding the road surface via the 5G network.
Stefano Sbettega, Vice President of Sales, Replacement:
“We launched two updated replacement product lines, developed for the U.S. market for the CUV/SUV and grand touring segments: the Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II and the Cinturato P7 All Season Plus II, improving their performance on wet handling and braking. We’re looking forward to 2020 for a full roll-out of these updated product families while focusing on product training and dealer experiences that will play a central role in our brand strategy.
“Product training, with emphasis on online content and driving experiences, will focus on Pirelli’s Perfect Fit Strategy, promoting dealer knowledge about our cutting-edge technologies developed with prestigious OEMs, tested on demanding grounds of motorsport and custom-designed to enhance the behavior, performance and safety of each vehicle, from OE fitments to product lines for the U.S. replacement market with attention to consumers’ demand for mileage.
“We’re also working with car manufacturers to develop tires to meet demands of electric cars, including more rapid acceleration caused by the increased torque – or rotational wheel-driving force – produced by electric motors. The marking ‘Elect’ on the sidewall identifies Pirelli tires developed for UHP electric and plug-in vehicles in line with our Perfect Fit strategy.
“In 2020, we’ll further develop our FasTrack associated dealer program with dedicated benefits and promotions for associated dealers by leveraging the digital platform we introduced in 2019, where our dealers can stay updated with everything about Pirelli and have visibility on their progress.
“Pirelli is also motorsport, and we will leverage this platform to showcase our transfer of technology from track to road by integrating product-focused activities and driving experiences for our dealers with motorsport platforms we support in the U.S. from prestige driving schools to rounds of GT racing, the Trans Am series and up to U.S. round of Formula 1, to name a few.”
For more of Tire Review’s 2019 Newsmakers, click here.
Check out the rest of the December digital edition of Tire Review here.
