Pirelli Launches New Scorpion ATR

Need a tyre that can perform on any surface, while remaining quiet and looking good? Pirelli says the new Scorpion ATR does exactly that. Attending the tyre’s launch in Tozeur, Tunisia Tyres & Accessories asked if a tyre capable of performing strongly on sand and in wintry conditions really can be quieter and more comfortable than any other 4×4 tyre Pirelli has produced?

At the Scorpion ATR’s launch, Pirelli representatives spoke of the Italian manufacturer’s latest 4×4 offering with no small measure of hyperbole. Describing the Scorpion ATR as “Another Tyre Revolution”, the company was basically saying that its latest offering is aimed squarely at the “would like to go off-road, but won’t make a habit of it” market. But that is not to say that it doesn’t perform. According to Pirelli, the new tyre outperforms its predecessor, the Scorpion A/T, in almost every respect. The product is situated right in the centre of the company’s 4×4 portfolio and represents a serious attempt to please as many SUV drivers as possible.

According to Pirelli, the decision to launch such an all-rounder follows the evolution of the SUV market. While in days gone-by a 4×4 was simply a 4×4, now there are 4x4s, SUVs and CUVs. Furthermore there are five distinct SUV classifications (ranging from SUV A – mini SUVs, to SUV E – Luxury SUVs). Then there are three more classes of the increasingly popular pickup trucks. The thinking is that the varied range of 4×4 vehicles available demands an adaptable range of tyres. Take the Volkswagen Touareg for example, for a single range of models there are 12 different tyre sizes in summer, winter and all-season derivatives, which then become up to 16 different dimensions in the US in the case of the Ford F-250 and F-350, which are exclusively all-season products.

The end result is that the Pirelli Scorpion ATR is a multi-purpose tyre. It is designed to offer the driver and vehicle notable levels of mobility and manoeuvrability on loose, off road surfaces and a high degree of comfort on asphalt roads. Furthermore, SUV platform manager, Stephen Rowe, reports that the ATR is strong in cold and wet conditions and even sand. Furthermore, the new tyre is designed to be as much as 50 per cent quieter than its predecessor.

Available in 15 – 24-inch diameters and 45 – 85 series profiles, the Scorpion ATR covers vehicles from the small Suzuki Jimny to the Hummer H2 and H3, by way of the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Land Cruiser. As far as pick-ups go – sales of which continue to top the US charts – Pirelli’s latest tyre is fitted to famous names like the Mitsubishi L200 as well as other leading American models including the Dodge RAM, GMC Sierra and Ford Series F. A 20-inch version will be fitted to the Ford F-150, for many years the biggest selling vehicle in the US, as OE.

This announcement provides an interesting insight into both the development of the tyre and Pirelli’s global strategy. When the Detroit-based company wanted tyres for its F-150, Ford approached Pirelli with a view to using the ATR as OE. And as a result this product features a number of the ‘comfort characteristics’ associated with this market. For example, wear rates are said to be particularly good on the Scorpion ATR and the grip has been tuned to compensate for the high centre of gravity associated with SUVs and pick-ups.
Again this issue has a particular resonance in the US where manufacturers make sure they tread especially carefully around the word “rollover.” In order to combat the particular phenomenon, engineers down-tuned side grip in order to give the tyre a more predictable slide characteristic rather than a super-abrupt halting effect.

Pirelli’s decision to focus the Scorpion ATR’s characteristics on the needs of US drivers also suggests that the company is specifically aiming to increase market share in North America. Currently only 8 per cent of Pirelli’s sales come from North America, so by developing a tyre that is designed to appeal to US consumers, Pirelli is obviously hoping to make some headway in this enormous market without compromising its strong position in Europe.

Another tyre revolution?

Stephen Rowe reports that the most significant developments have occurred in the areas of tread and compound design. However looking at the Scorpion ATR, the first thing you notice is the strong aesthetics of the sidewall, something that the white Saharan sand highlighted on the test vehicles during the tyre’s Tunisian launch. These strong aesthetics can also be seen in the tyre’s patented tread pattern.

Interestingly, while the tread includes two longitudinal grooves, which cannot fail to aide water evacuation and therefore wet and winter performance, this does not appear to have compromised the tyre’s noise characteristics. Stephen Rowe even went as far as describing Pirelli’s new 4×4 offering as “almost silent”, pointing to a graph that shows the ATR is 4 decibels (as much as 50 per cent) quieter than the A/T at 70km/h. The Scorpion ATR’s all-round performance is also aided by the addition of numerous lateral sipes which again help in wet and winter performance but are also said to help keep the tyre relatively quiet.

According to the company, much of the construction is based on “fallout technology” originating from Pirelli’s ongoing involvement with WRC. This experience is seen as invaluable for the development of a tyre that was never designed for conquering mount Everest, but should be at home on gravel, tarmac or track surfaces. In addition the tyre’s flat footprint is said to provide even distribution and therefore aid noise suppression.

As far as the development process is concerned, engineers used the Scorpion A/T as a starting point before they began simulating the relative strengths of the tyre, benchmarking it against icompetitor’s products. Finite element analysis (FAE) led to the development of various simulations, followed by OE compatibility conversations with Ford, before eventually some prototype tyres were made and tested by Pirelli at various centres around the world. UK readers may be particularly interested to learn that the tyre was not only trialled at the well-known MIRA proving ground, but was also tested on Land Rover’s specialist wet grass track in Carlisle
Currently the Scorpion ATR is only available in H, R, S and T speed ratings. However, company representatives report that the range will be expanded to include V-rated variations in the coming months.