Pirelli Tire North America Inc. is combining sporty performance with comfort and durability for its newest ultra-high performance tire, the P Zero AS Plus 3.
The new tire leverages the familiarity of Pirelli’s P Zero performance line with all-season ability and handling that the tiremaker says is a specific demand of the North American market. The P Zero AS Plus 3 joins two existing tires in the all-season “Plus” line — the Scorpion AS Plus 3, for CUVS, SUVs and pickups, and the P7 AS Plus 3, a touring tire for sedans and coupes.
The UHP tire joining the Plus lineup features a new tread pattern, compound and construction. And it comes with a 50,000-mile limited tread wear warranty. It is replacing the P Zero AS Plus.
Ian Coke, chief technical officer for Pirelli, says the P Zero AS Plus 3 tire outperforms its predecessor in snow, wet and dry braking, and also wears 25% longer — all while also improving rolling resistance.
Pirelli says the combination of the new rubber compound with horizontal 3D sipe technology on the tread provides more even wear, better traction and braking in snow, plus performance in wet conditions. And those performance attributes come alongside a comfortable, quiet ride.
The tiremaker calls the P Zero AS Plus 3 “the top performing all-season tire in the Pirelli range.”
The tire is available in 31 sizes, for wheels ranging from 17 to 20 inches, and it’s designed with premium fitments in mind, including the Ford Mustang, Genesis G80, BMW 3 series and Mercedes’ C-Class.
Pirelli says the tire’s siping is crucial to its performance in any weather. The three-dimensional sipes interlock to create more stiffness in the tread pattern, and that results in better braking in both rain and snow. And while engineers were focusing on mileage, they found that increasing stiffness to enhance road contact extended not just the tire’s performance attributes, but its mileage as well.
The higher siping density also improves grip in the snow, while four longitudinal grooves displace water to improve wet performance and reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
And while virtual design aided in the creation of the new tire, Pirelli says the polymers in the compound have reduced rolling resistance by 10%, which also helps reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Virtual tools have also simulated that throughout the tire’s life, its tread efficiency at end-of-life will improve by 20%.
Claudio Zanardo, president and CEO of Pirelli North America, says the tire shows Pirelli’s “commitment to develop products that answer to the specific needs of this market.’
Zanardo says Pirelli is succeeding in its effort to increase its reach through independent tire dealers. “We are not there at 100%,” but the tiremaker soon will be unveiling a new dealer associate program, which he believes will help the tiremaker extend its reach even further.
He says Pirelli’s strategy relies on “doing things together,” and that includes working with dealers to educate consumers on what the Pirelli tire lineup offers.
