Pirelli has created a dedicated line of period tires for classic and vintage cars that combines the look of the past with the technology of the present.
Pirelli Collezione is available for models dating back to the 1950s, providing classic car owners with a tire that maintains their vehicles’ character while providing peak tire performance on road or track. At launch, the company also unveiled a new size for the Cinturato CA67 in celebration of Lancia Flaminia’s 60 anniversary. Pirellis were standard issue for the Flaminia, which came in sedan, coupe and convertible body styles.
Besides cars on which Pirellis were mounted, such as Ferraris, the new line will also fit classics like the Mercedes 300 SL, Lamborghini Miura and Porsche Carrera, as well as non-luxury-performance cars like the Volkswagen Beetle. The Collezione is particularly suited to the classic Porsche community, with the Cinturato CN36 and P7 compounds developed in close collaboration with Porsche, and chosen as factory fitment for the performance coupes and convertibles, because of their style and technical performance.
To create the tires in the Collezione, Pirelli engineers researched each marque’s archives and original equipment lists to faithfully recreate the tire characteristics that would match with each car’s suspension set-up and vehicle dynamics. The original tire sidewall markings are maintained on the new tires.
However, the construction and detailing are modern-day Pirelli, using current technology, such as high-performance nylon in a dual-ply carcass and the high-tensile steel wire in the tire’s bead geometry, to grant the classic car with a safer driving experience.
The Pirelli Collezione includes the 1950s-era Cinturato CA67, the first textile belted radial tire developed by Pirelli, it contains four longitudinal grooves in the ‘a grace’ style with a cut shoulder and wide siping. It fits the Aston Martin DB5, Ferrari 250 GT and the Gullwing Mercedes 300SL.
Cars from the 1960s can benefit from the high-profile Cinturato CN72, which is notable as the OEM tire for the entire Ferrari range and the Maserati 4000 and 5000. Other cars that can benefit from this tire are the Aston Martin DB6, Ferrari Daytona, Lamborghini Miura and the original Maserati Ghibli, among others.
Also for the ’60s, the Cinturato CN36 (Pirelli’s first standard production AN67 was created specifically for the Fiat Dino, but will also work on the Dino Ferrari, Porsche 911 and Mercedes 280s. Its main features are housed in its performance, most notably absorbing impacts and aquaplaning protection.
The Cinturato CN12 will fit cars from the 1970s, most notably the Lamborghini Miura and Maserati Bora, but also the likes of the Aston Martin DB4 and Jaguar E-Type. Sedans from the era, such as Jaguar’s XJ40, would look more authentic in the Cinturato P5.
Also from the 1970s, the Cinturato P7 features nylon zero-degree belt and ultra-low sidewalls, and is primarily intended for race track applications for Porsches, including the Carrera Coupe.
And finally, the P7 Corsa Classic (available for wet or dry applications) is meant for rally applications, with today’s latest tire structure and tread pattern, but featuring traditional sidewall appearance. Meant to deliver maximum performance and safety, it will look right at home on the Ferrari 308, Fiat 131 Abarth and Audi Quattro GrB, among others.