ROME, Ga. (Jan. 9, 2003) — Pirelli Tire North America Inc. has scored three additional original equipment fitments on Ford Motor Co. vehicles, this time on the 2003 Ford Excursion sport-utility vehicle and Ford Super Duty F-250 and F-350 full-size pickups.
The U.S. unit of Italian tire maker Pirelli S.p.A. will supply the auto maker with Scorpion STR light truck tires in size LT265/75R16 radials for these vehicles. The tires will be offered in black sidewalls or raised outline white letters.
Pirelli will make the Scorpion STRs—which feature steel belts and a nylon wrap overlay—at a factory in Brazil and then ship the tires to Ford assembly plants in Louisville, Ky., and Cuautitlan, Mexico. Vehicles made at those plants will be distributed in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, Pirelli said.
This is Pirelli's second OE agreement with Ford in the past four months. In October, the tire maker announced it had secured a contract in the U.S. to provide P6 Four Seasons tires for use on the Lincoln Town Car, Ford Crown Victory and Mercury Grand Marquis.
In addition, Saleen Inc. also has selected the Pirelli P Zero as OE on its production version of the Saleen Thunderbird Bonspeed Edition, set for introduction this spring.