Pirelli: why the marking on the sidewall matters more than the model name
One model, many versions
Pirelli builds tyres for specific cars, not just for specific sizes. So the model name alone tells you very little: a P Zero with a star on the sidewall was developed for BMW, the same P Zero with MO for Mercedes, with N0 for Porsche. The compound, the casing stiffness and sometimes even the shape of the tread blocks differ.
Our Pirelli range carries dozens of different manufacturer markings, among them MO and MO1 (Mercedes), the star (BMW), AO (Audi), N0 and N1 (Porsche), VOL (Volvo), LR (Land Rover), MGT (Maserati), AR (Alfa Romeo) and T0 (Tesla). No other brand in our catalogue covers as wide an OE range. What each marking means is explained on the tyre markings page.
The practical point is simple. If the car's factory tyres carried a marking, it is worth keeping - especially on heavy, powerful cars with adaptive suspension. If there was no marking, its absence is not a problem.
A summer centre of gravity, two winters
Pirelli here is a summer and UHP-weighted brand: there are more summer models than winter ones, and most of the range starts at R17. For winter Pirelli offers two distinct directions - the Central European Sottozero and the Nordic-oriented Ice Zero. There are few studded tyres in our Pirelli offering, so if you need studs the choice here is narrow; there is a wider range in the studded tyre section.
| Model | Season | Studs | Diameters | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P Zero | summer | - | R17-R23 | UHP, wide OE marking range |
| Scorpion Winter | winter | studless | R16-R22 | SUV winter |
| Winter Sottozero 3 | winter | studless | R16-R21 | Central European winter |
| Scorpion Zero | summer | - | R18-R23 | SUV UHP |
| P Zero Sport | summer | - | R18-R23 | UHP |
| Cinturato P7 | summer | - | R15-R21 | Everyday comfort |
| Scorpion Winter 2 | winter | studless | R18-R23 | SUV winter, latest generation |
| P Zero Winter | winter | studless | R18-R23 | UHP winter |
| Scorpion Verde | summer | - | R16-R22 | |
| Scorpion | summer | - | R16-R22 |
Two things are worth knowing separately. RunFlat versions are well represented in the Pirelli range, which matters to BMW and Mini owners whose cars have no jack from the factory. And there are many tyres here with the electric-car marking - most of the Pirelli range is suitable for electric cars too, covered further in the EV tyre section.
What the independent tests show
In winter, Pirelli's results are uneven, and that should be said plainly. In the 2025 Tekniikan Maailma and UTAC test the studded Ice Zero 2 was the best tyre in the entire test for wet braking - 34.3 metres from 80 km/h - but on ice from 50 km/h it stopped in 41.6 metres, where the best studded tyre in the test stopped in 32.3. The testers noted precise steering but oversteer that made it hard to control on ice.
Put differently: on asphalt a Pirelli winter tyre is among the best, on clear ice it is not. For Latvian conditions that means Pirelli is a logical choice for city and motorway driving, but not the first choice for ungritted rural roads.
Who Pirelli suits best
Pirelli suits powerful, heavy and premium cars, particularly where the factory tyres carried an OE marking you want to keep. It also suits drivers who spend most of the winter on cleared streets and motorway, where stability on wet asphalt matters more than grip on polished ice.
If you are looking for the cheapest option, Pirelli starts in a higher price group and the budget choice in our catalogue is in other brands. If you need a wide choice of studded tyres, that is in the Nokian and Sailun sections. For smaller, older cars on R14 and R15 wheels our Pirelli offering is thin.
All our winter tyres carry the 3PMSF marking required by CSDD since 1 October 2024. During the winter period from 1 December to 1 March the minimum tread depth is 4 mm, set by the Road Traffic Law. When exactly to change is covered in When to fit winter tyres.