The new Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 tyre has been launched. It is designed specifically for city drivers of medium and compact cars who need a safe solution all year round. This latest product was designed virtually and offers a high level of braking control in a variety of different weather conditions. All the sizes in the range have obtained the highest A rating on the European tyre label for wet grip. Snow control is guaranteed by its 3PMSF marking, which identifies tyres that are certified for severe winter conditions.
On dry roads, the Cinturato All Season SF3 ensures stability, acoustic comfort, and rolling resistance that are closer to a summer tyre than a winter tyre. Its versatility has been confirmed by independent Dekra tests in Germany, which identified the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 as the best in its class for combined braking (taking in dry, wet, and snow conditions.) The new Cinturato has also been recognised by the TÜV SÜD certification body, which has awarded it the ‘Performance Mark’ thanks to its strengths in different driving situations.
The Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 inherits adaptive tread technology with 3D sipes from its predecessor, which are now further improved to provide better grip on snow throughout the tyre’s life. As the tyre wears, these sipes change their shape from a straight line into a zigzag pattern, increasing the surface area capable of capturing snow despite the reduction in tread depth.
The sipes also can open and close according to the energy travelling through the tyre, being capable of going from a winter configuration into a much stiffer and more compact summer pattern as required, which enhances braking performance, road holding, and driving precision. Wider grooves and sharper angles in the directional tread pattern design compared to the previous generation also contribute to improved snow performance. These features additionally benefit water expulsion, reducing the risk of aquaplaning. This optimisation of the land-sea ratio improves comfort as well: the entire Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 range scores “A” or “B” for noise on the European tyre label.
The evolution of the tread pattern grooves was made possible thanks to innovations in the materials chosen. Normally, wider grooves detract from optimal performance in summer conditions. However, the compound used in the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 can balance the tyre’s stiffness, stability, and responsiveness even in high temperatures. This is underlined by the Dekra tests, which confirm the new Cinturato All Season SF3’s leading position in dry braking. At the same time, the new tyre is equally effective in winter as the compound does not harden in the cold – which helps to provide more grip. This is down to the introduction of innovative ingredients: a new mix of polymers with special microstructures that can maintain high mobility when it’s cold yet adequate stiffness when it’s hot, new resins of natural origin that ensure grip at low temperatures, and liquid polymers that maximise performance on snow without penalising grip on wet roads.
The use of virtual modelling was fundamental throughout the design process, allowing the compounds and tread pattern design to be developed in parallel, so that their respective characteristics work together to achieve the desired results. Virtualisation also made it possible to precisely engineer the distribution of physical stresses on the tyre. As a result, energy is spread evenly throughout the footprint of the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3, with a string of benefits in terms of wear, noise, and rolling resistance. This adds mileage, enhances driving comfort, and improves fuel consumption as well as related emissions.
The Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 will be available for sale starting from April 2024, with sizes ranging from 16 to 20 inches. Also available on this new product is a selection of sizes with the Elect marking, indicating tyres equipped with technology that enhances the characteristics of BEVs and PHEVs. For high centre of gravity vehicles such as SUVs, which require specific tyre characteristics, Pirelli offers the Scorpion range in different seasonal variations, including all-season.
