Pirelli showcases both old and new at the Oldtimer Grand Prix
Italian tyre firm Pirelli, which equips the majority of the world’s premium and prestige cars, was a sponsor of the Porsche Classic event at the Nurburgring’s Oldtimer Grand Prix in Germany over the weekend, which united several hundred Porsches from every era, as well as more than 1000 guests.Porsche also celebrated 40 years of the 928, which was launched in 1977 and continued in production up until 1995, with more than 61,000 units built.Pirelli supplies tyres for the 928 together with most other historic models from the
Porsche range as part of the Pirelli Collezione: state-of-the-art tyres that combine classic looks with modern technology. These are designed to enhance the driving experience of these legendary cars, without compromising on style or safety.Pirelli was present with a Collezione stand in the Porsche Classic area, while also equipping many of the cars on display: including the latest-model Porsches, as well as the classic cars.Not only were P Zero tyres in the paddock, but also on the famous Nordschleife track, with several high-profile competitors using the Italian tyres throughout more than 15 different categories and parades over the weekend. These ranged from Group B rally cars to historic GT, as well as displays of modern machinery. A number of Formula 1 cars that originally ran on Pirelli tyres back in the 1980s were additionally a highlight of the packed schedule, with the Italian firm now back in F1, 30 years later.
The well-known Oldtimer Grand Prix, which uses the legendary Nordschleife circuit, was celebrating its 45th birthday this year, with more than 60,000 spectators expected to pass through the gates. Special guests included Magnus Walker: the well-known ‘Urban Outlaw’ clothes designer and collector of classic Porsches.
Ferrari continued its 70th birthday celebrations with a parade of cars throughout its history, for which Pirelli Collezione tyres are also available, while Jaguar’s XJ220 – celebrating its 25th birthday – showcased the Pirelli Collezione tyres that have recently been created for it, using the same ‘perfect fit’ strategy as Pirelli applies to contemporary cars.
Mario Isola, Pirelli’s head of car racing, commented: “The Oldtimer Grand Prix is a fantastic celebration of motorsport heritage, and a reminder of our close links between road and track. The Pirelli Collezione in particular is produced using many of the methodologies employed in motorsport, with small production runs of high quality products designed to faithfully replicate the original tyres, while at the same time making use of modern technology.”
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