MILAN — Pirelli & C. S.p.A. has achieved an original equipment milestone with 500-plus fitments of run-flat tires with U.S. and European car makers.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.'s Alfa Romeo brand is most recent auto maker to choose a Pirelli run-flat OE fitment, selecting Pirelli P Zero Corsa AR three-season run-flats for two version of its Giulia sedan — sizes P225/40ZR19 (front) and P255/35ZR19 (rear), as optional fitment for Ti sport version and P245/35ZR19 (front) and P285/30ZR19 (rear) standard on the 500-horsepower Quadrifoglio edition.
These fitments contract pushes the number of run-flat OE fitments to 516, including 326 summer, 100 winter and 90 all-season tire fitments, Pirelli said.
Other car makers that have chosen Pirelli run-flat are BMW A.G, and its mini brand; General Motors Co.'s Cadillac brand, FCA's Dodge and Jeep brands; Mercedes-Benz A.G., and Rolls-Royce, Pirelli said.
"Run-flat technology responds to the demands of prestige and premium car manufacturers for a level of personalization precisely tailored to the technical characteristics of their vehicles," Pirelli said.
"Throughout the development process, which takes two or three years, Pirelli's engineers work hand in hand with their counterparts at each manufacturer to create specific tires that are distinguished by a special marking on the sidewall."
Pirelli offers run-flat versions of its P Zero, Cinturato, Scorpion and Scorpion Winter, Winter Sottozero 3 and Winter Sottozero Serie II lines, covering 97 percent of fitments for rim diameters of 18 inches or larger.
The Milan-based tire maker said its "Self Supporting" run-flat technology features a specially designed tire sidewall structure that is capable of supporting the weight of the car even after a puncture. This allows drivers to continue traveling up to 50 miles at speeds of up to 50 mph.
Overall, Pirelli said it has more than 2,800 manufacturer homologations for its product range.