Ford, founded in 1903, has helped write the history of the car, while Pirelli (1872) is one of the oldest tyre producers in the world. But it is not only the shared longevity which convinced the American company to give Pirelli the Gold Excellence Award at the 20th Annual Excellence Award, which honours the best Ford suppliers: "Pirelli surpassed all expectations in terms of quality, delivery times, value and innovation," Ford explained. 88 companies were chosen as finalists from hundreds of suppliers: "Suppliers like Pirelli," explained Hau Thai-Tang, the executive vice-president of Ford, "are key to Ford's continued success, as we work towards our goal of becoming the world's most trusted mobility company."
The experience of Pirelli as a supplier of original equipment is demonstrated by the thousands of specific validations carried out on the tyres and the thousands of different versions developed together with manufacturers and enriched by the specialised studies of the Bicocca engineers. Almost no two P Zero tyres are the same: the technology hidden within enables them to adapt to the vehicle they are fitted to in order to best respond to the individual character of the car. Each car manufacturer also receives a catalogue of special optional features. Such as the PNCS, a sponge inside the tyre tread which cancels out noise transmitted to the cabin. Or the Seal Inside, which self-repairs punctures in the tyres, and the Run Flat technology which supports the weight of the car - even with zero pressure - and enables you to continue your journey even after getting a puncture.There's also the Colour Edition, which enables manufacturers to offer the chance for their prestige car customers to personalise their tyres, selecting from hundreds of bespoke colours. Finally, the technology which has propelled tyres into the future: Pirelli Connesso, for the spare parts market, and Cyber Car, for original equipment, both of which enable the tyres to 'speak' through sensors placed inside the tyre tread, communicating via an app in the case of Connesso and directly with the car in the case of Cyber Car.
The wide range of possibilities available to car manufacturers is one of the main reasons for Pirelli becoming the biggest car manufacturers' preferred choice for original equipment, especially in the premium and prestige markets. "Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success," as Henry Ford used to say.
