A new Pirelli Collezione tire has been introduced for owners of the legendary car Mini. Designed for the world's most iconic cars produced between 1950 and 1980, the Pirelli Collezione tire family combines a classic look with modern technology.
A CLASSIC TIRE WITH FUTURE TECHNOLOGY
Pirelli has recreated the Cinturato CN1972 tire, first introduced in 54, for all different versions of the classic Mini (including cars manufactured under license by Innocenti) in size 145/70 R12. This radial tire is manufactured with a similar tread pattern and sidewall design and modern technologies. Pirelli Collezione tires, produced with the latest compounds to provide increased grip on wet roads, guarantee safety and high safety standards without compromising the original style. During the development of this tyre, Pirelli engineers worked with the same parameters used by the original car designers to perfectly complement the suspension and chassis tuning Mini had when it was new. To achieve this, they referenced original materials and designs found in the archives of the Pirelli Foundation in Milan.
PIRELLI AND MINI: A LONG STORY WRITTEN IN ITALY
Pirelli began designing a Cinturato tire for the Mini in 1964 with a tread pattern called the 367F. A year later, Mini's success reached Italy. Production continued until 1975 after Innocenti obtained a license to manufacture these cars at its Lambrate factory near Milan. Pirelli developed tires in size 1976/90 SR145 for the Mini 70 and 12/120 SR155 for the Mini 70 in 12. Pirelli also produced special 'large series' radial tires for sports versions of the car, such as the Innocenti Turbo De Tomaso, with wider tread patterns and shorter sidewalls than conventional models. Pirelli's P1980 for city cars in the 3s; Red Flame is the equipment of the entire Mini family, including the Check Mate, Studio 2 and Piccadilly special editions. The Mini was reborn in 2000 under the wing of BMW. Pirelli also received the homologation of the Eufori@ Run Flat tire for the new car. This tire, which is synonymous with reliability, enabled it to travel up to 80 kilometers at a maximum speed of 150 km/h, even if it was completely descended, thanks to its special structure that could support the total weight of the vehicle.
PIRELLI CINTURATO: TECHNOLOGY AND SECURITY
The radial Cinturato, which Pirelli described as “the wonderful new tire with its own seat belt inside” when it was first launched, has been the equipment of the world's most important cars for more than 70 years. Pirelli created the sporty tire concept for the road with the launch of the Cinturato CA67, CN72 and CN36 versions. This concept was necessary to provide as much grip as cars that made their mark in their era, such as the Ferrari 250 GT and 400 Superamerica, Lamborghini 400GT and Miura, Maserati 4000 and 5000. As the calendars showed the mid-1970s, the next big revolution in the Cinturato family came with the Cinturato P7, which features a zero-grade nylon strap and an ultra-low profile. The first car models to adopt these tires for the road were the Porsche 911 Carrera Turbo, Lamborghini Countach and De Tomaso Pantera. The P7 and P6, which followed the P5, became the predecessors of the P1980 and P600 in the 700s. These tires featured safety improvements in wet grip and cornering. By the 1990s, the P6000 and P7000 were introduced to the market, where safety and performance were further enhanced. Back in 7, the Cinturato P2009 name stood out with its features such as reducing fuel consumption and harmful emissions, using ecological materials, and improved control and braking capabilities. The latest Pirelli Cinturato P7 is now safer, more efficient and more sustainable, with its smart compound adapting itself to ambient temperature and driving conditions.
PIRELLI COLLEZIONE
The Pirelli Collezione family was born to continue automotive history with tires that will serve the dual purpose of preserving the look and driving feel of the original versions while increasing efficiency and safety thanks to modern technology and manufacturing processes. The assortment includes legendary names from the Stella Bianca, first introduced in 1927, to the Stelvio, and more recently the Cinturato P7 (1974), P5 (1977), P Zero (1984) and P700-Z (1988). Pictures, plans and other materials compiled from the extensive archives of the Pirelli Foundation formed an essential part of the reinvention of these tyres. The Foundation keeps in its archives all documents related to the design, development and production of every Pirelli tire created over the years. Pirelli Collezione tires are available to customers at Pirelli's P Zero World stores in Los Angeles, Munich, Monaco, Dubai and Melbourne, as well as classic car tire specialist dealers such as Longstone Tires.
MINI: AN ICON OF STYLE AND DESIGN FROM 1959 TO THE PRESENT
The Mini Minor 850, the first model designed from scratch by British Motor Corporation, was sold by two different brands, Austin and Morris, as Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor, respectively. It was realized in a short time that the car designed by Alec Issigonis for daily transportation could also be adapted to motor sports. The first Mini Cooper, which appeared in 1961, triumphed two years later at the Monte Carlo Rally. These years were the period when the 'mini car' phenomenon reached Italy as well. The narrow maneuvering space and the small number of parking spaces compared to the number of vehicles on the roads led to a new concept in automobile design. Production of the Mini started in Italy with the Mini Minor 850 and continued with the Cooper 1000 and eventually the Mk2, Mk3, Mini 1000 and Mini 1001 models. The Italian versions of the Cooper enjoyed great success as they were better equipped and lower priced than the British models. As the 1970s approached, British Leyland (continuation of BMC) made two decisions. First, they would turn the Mini into a separate and independent brand, and second, they would launch a new Mini Clubman luxury version. Various mechanical modifications were made in 1984 to keep the car up-to-date, such as using disc brakes at the front. By 1997, the Mini brand had been acquired by BMW. In 2019, Mini celebrated the 60th anniversary of the brand by presenting the special Mini 60th Anniversary Edition.
Be the first to comment