Touting performance and peace of mind, Pirelli debuted its new Scorpion AS Plus 3, an all-season touring tire for CUV, SUV and pickup truck applications, during a virtual launch event May 17. Developed exclusively for the North American market, the company says it is designed to provide more mileage, more comfort and more control, whether drivers are on a daily commute or long-distance journey.
Pirelli Tire LLC CEO Pietro Berardi kicked off the presentation by emphasizing the company’s focus on two priorities — its customers and its products. “Today, we are shifting gears to put a much higher focus on the need of our American customers with the Plus product lines,” he said. “The Plus product lines have been designed specifically for North America and its American customers, providing more mileage and all-season performance. Pirelli innovation drives improvements in all of our product lines. It’s embedded in our DNA. We are delivering this technology to the most important segments — crossovers, SUVs, pickups and electric vehicles.”
Michael Gerowitz, Pirelli head of product marketing, region North America, explained how the Scorpion line represents innovative solutions to deliver performance and peace of mind for these vehicle owners, which now includes the newest family member — the Scorpion AS Plus 3.
“Today we’re continuing to innovate and launch a new product in North America’s fastest growing segment, CUV and SUV all-season tires,” Gerowitz continued, noting that the CUV/SUV segment represents more than 30% of fitments in the all-season category, with growth being driven by 18-in. and 19-in. sizes that are emerging in the new generations of these popular vehicles.
“This technology incorporates advanced digital modeling and design tools that gave our development teams a clear technological advantage before a physical tire had been built. This allowed Pirelli to virtually build and test dozens of prototypes to arrive at the best all-around tire for your needs,” Gerowitz explained.
Discussing how Pirelli continues to push innovations for the Scorpion line, Gerowitz said the new tire features a 70,000-mile tread wear warranty, confident driving in all-weather conditions and new 3D technology that works in harmony with the complete tire design package, all to deliver a confident, road-hugging driving experience. “To create the profile of the new Scorpion [tire], Pirelli engineers utilized new, advanced virtual tools that simulate the tire and dynamic conditions, predicting pressure and energy changes.”
Berardi discussed Pirelli’s dealer strategy that revolves around dealership training and education. “We are investing by working with our dealers to train them on the distinct benefits of our product, so that they can clearly communicate that information to the consumer. The consumer will see that their dealer is informed about our tire and sharing how a specific product best meets their needs,” he said.
The company says key features of the new Scorpion AS Plus 3 are:
- Tread pattern: Specific siping distribution is designed to give the tire more uniform stiffness and promote a regular wear pattern as the tire wears down, for greater mileage and product performance.
- Innovative compound materials: Highly functionalized polymers help extend the tire’s working temperature range even at low temperatures, while bringing significant mileage improvements and maintaining strong wet capabilities.
- 3D sipe technology: The 3D sipes work on dry and wet surfaces to optimize the tread block stiffness for handling ability and feel, while on snow-covered surfaces they are able to open and increase traction for year-round performance.
- Comfort: The tread pattern is optimized for reduced road noise and the tire design is able to absorb sounds from the road.
The Scorpion AS Plus 3 will be available in 37 sizes and will span 17- to 22-in. fitments. Key fitments include the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda CR-V, Toyota Highlander, Ford F-150 and Kia Sorento.
