Pirelli is a step backwards for Dodge and Viper!
Let's step away from the Viper for a second to see the new Jeep SRT8s delivered with Pirelli Scorpion Tires. These are a notoriously lousy tire. I had them as factory equipment on a few SUVs over the years. Lucky if I made 10,000 miles with them and they were done. Rode like crap from day one. Just complete junk and replaced as quickly as I could.
Now stepping into the new Viper, and ultra high performance tires. I have had a few wheel and tire changes on various vehicles over the years and some were delivered with brand new Pirellis on them. All four tires, were lucky if they lasted 5,000 miles and these are not Sport Cup type of tires I am comparing here. They rode great for about 1,000 miles then fell apart. This is what peope have expected from Pirelli.
Dodge's decision to switch to Pirelli has EVERYTHING to do with Fiat and their sourcing agreements and NOTHING to do with them being the best performing tire. They are good for 1,000 miles on their ultra performance tires and that is it. For Ferrari owners who don't put many miles on their cars away, they are great, but Viper owners are going to be greatly disappointed.
I just hope they did not upset Michelin too much but Michelin is already upset. No Supersport Rear Viper sizes for GEN III and IV tells you it did not go well. Michelin is deliberately not producing that much needed Rear GEN III and IV size to prove a point. Leaves us current owners in the crapper.
I am sure Ralph is just trying to do the best he can with the budgets etc. so we are losing in the tire department to gain somewhere else, but the change to Pirelli will have an affect on current Viper owners which is an issue.
Remember that it took Bob Lutz to personally take responsibility for fighting with procurement to make the switch to Michelin for the Viper as it was not Dodge/Chysler's preferred supplier either. Sorry but Bob is not there to win this one.
Right now this is the only news on the new car that I find troubling and concerning. It's not like 12 different manufacturers make that size of tire.