Pirelli unveils new ‘intelligent compound’ Cinturato P7 

Milan, Italy – Pirelli & C. SpA has launched its latest generation of Cinturato P7 high-performance summer tire which will debut in all European and Asian markets this summer. 

The tire is the upgraded model of the 2009 Cinturato P7 and combines safety and efficiency, said in a 25 May Pirelli statement.

The new model features a number of technological enhancements, including a new compound equipped with “mechanical intelligence”, said Pirelli.

The compound, according to the tire maker, can change according to ambient temperatures and works “a bit like having two compounds in one.” 

This has been achieved through a tread pattern specifically created for the tire and which is enriched with specific silicon resins that help to increase grip and enhance the function of polymers. 

The tire’s polymers, according to Pirelli, have been chemically modified to improve the interaction with silicon and change according to the tire’s working temperature. 

The better distribution of the silicon particles and the effective interaction between them gives the new compound “a sort of mechanical intelligence,” Pirelli added.

In addition to that, the tire is claimed to “greatly improve” wet handling, aquaplaning and braking in particular: taking four metres less to come to a stop from 100kph. 

The tread pattern, with lateral and longitudinal grooves, is specifically intended to evacuate water “in the most efficient way possible”, while the shoulder blocks deliver 'the minimum possible stopping distances' both in the wet and the dry, according to Pirelli.

Overall, the tire’s life has increased by 6% and rolling resistance is down by an average of one class (12%), compared to the previous generation, Pirelli added.

With the increased mechanical resistance of the compound, Pirelli has also used less materials for the tire, and reduced the weight of the product compared to its predecessor. 

“Less material means less weight, decreased rolling resistance, and a more mindful use of resources,” Pirelli noted. 

The Italian tire maker said it developed the new tire in collaboration with “the world’s leading car makers”, through virtual tire models.

The tire can, therefore, be tuned to work with other existing driver aids on vehicles, including lane control systems installed on the car. 

The product can also be adapted for use in electric and hybrid vehicles, or can include run flat and seal inside technologies for extended mobility.