LAS VEGAS — Pirelli & C. S.p.A. has long touted its tires as original equipment on many of the world's finest automobiles, but with its new Scorpion All Terrain Plus light truck and SUV tire, it's focusing squarely on the North American replacement market.
The Scorpion AT Plus is the first product line Pirelli has developed as a replacement line only, Andrea Clerici, the company's vice president of car replacement sales for the U.S., said.
"It's not a pull from an OE-dedicated line that has been tuned for the replacement market," he said. "It's a pure specific (aftermarket) development."
Pirelli Tire North America launched the All Terrain Plus — which replaces the 10-year-old Scorpion ATR — during a ride-and-drive event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April 4-6, attended by tire dealers, distributors and the tire and automotive trade press.
The tire maker originally signaled its intention to add this product 18 months earlier at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show, saying at that time it was looking to grab a larger share of the light truck/SUV tire market in North America.
Along with hearing product briefings, dealers and journalists tested the new tire at the speedway on various road surfaces, including wet and dry pavement and on dirt and gravel. Testing included transitioning at high speed from pavement to gravel roads and back.