Pirelli Launches Scorpion XTM All-Terrain Tire with gas and EV variants

[s0ysauce]

Car and Driver

Not only is this new Pirelli all-terrain tire quiet on the road, but it is also durable, athletic, and stylish. It might come on your next new truck or SUV.

Pirelli has launched a new lineup of all-terrain tires in North America called the Scorpion XTM AT.

The off-road rubber is available in two variants: one for gas-powered trucks and SUVs and the other with Pirelli's Elect technology for vehicles with plug-in hybrid and electric powertrains.

There are 21 sizes available at launch (10 standard sizes and 11 Elect sizes) with wheel diameters ranging from 17 to 20 inches for the standard tires and 18 to 22 inches for the Elect tires.
Pirelli emphasizes the Scorpion XTM AT's aggressive, high-void tread pattern. The tread block size and layout are designed to reduce road noise while maintaining good handling and off-road performance. That rigid pattern flows into the two-ply, heavy-gauge, three-piece sidewall. Pirelli calls this the claw effect, and it becomes particularly useful when driving on sand or other loose surfaces. To accomplish this continuous pattern into the shoulder, Pirelli created a new mechanism in the manufacturing process that departs from over 150 years of tiremaking tradition.

This tire gets the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) rating, meaning it has proved capable of performing in the snow. Pirelli says the XTM AT has a new compound technology that allows it to have variable transition points. The bonds within the rubber structure modulate according to temperature, meaning the tire will remain flexible whether it's hot or cold. "This is a genuine three-peak mountain snowflake," Coke says of the tire. "It's a very strong three-peak mountain snowflake."

Perhaps the biggest news is the release of the Scorpion XTM AT Elect, a tire specifically designed for battery-electric trucks and SUVs that has different priorities. Coke says the Elect has "an extremely low rolling resistance in comparison to benchmarks" and other Pirelli products. This is to maximize range and efficiency and, according to Pirelli, results in 5 percent more range versus the non-Elect tire. However, the Elect isn't any quieter than the other tire, and the trade-off for reduced rolling resistance is poorer performance in the mud, Pirelli says.

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[Riviot]

"the Elect 275/60R-20 115T is priced at $344"

 

[DuoRivian]

It may be quiet when new but I wonder what it will be like at 15k. My Pirellis has to get changed at 20k because the noise was just too much. Switched to Michelin.

 

[COdogman]

Pirelli CAN make good tires, so I wouldn’t write them off. I wouldn’t pay that price though!

They look like a more chonky version of our OEM ATs. From the description I bet these would maybe be better in snow

https://www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/car/catalog/product/scorpion-xtm-at

 

[2kwik4u]

Pirelli CAN make good tires, so I wouldn’t write them off. I wouldn’t pay that price though!

They look like a more chonky version of our OEM ATs. From the description I bet these would maybe be better in snow

https://www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/car/catalog/product/scorpion-xtm-at

My OEM Pirelli's are showing acceptable wear at 11.5k miles. I should easily get to 30k mi on this set at this rate. Which is better than others have experienced. Holy balls they're loud though.

I do agree, I don't think Pirelli makes BAD tires, I just think there are better options with more value for the price.

I REALLY REALLY liked the Continental Terrain-Contacts that I had on my Sierra. They aren't 3PMS rated, and are more of a "soft roader" style tire, but I think that's going to be my next set. We'll see how I feel in a year when I'm ready to buy though.

 

[COdogman]

My OEM Pirelli's are showing acceptable wear at 11.5k miles. I should easily get to 30k mi on this set at this rate. Which is better than others have experienced. Holy balls they're loud though.

I do agree, I don't think Pirelli makes BAD tires, I just think there are better options with more value for the price.

I REALLY REALLY liked the Continental Terrain-Contacts that I had on my Sierra. They aren't 3PMS rated, and are more of a "soft roader" style tire, but I think that's going to be my next set. We'll see how I feel in a year when I'm ready to buy though.

Agreed. I just crossed 20k miles on mine and they look pretty good. They have gotten louder over time, but it’s not unbearable. It’s so strange the different totals folks have gotten out of these tires. Some were done at barely 10k, others make it past 40k miles.

I plan to swap them out in the Fall for the Toyo Open Country AT3 EV. I don’t want to risk another winter on the Pirellis - they aren’t great on packed snow

 

[R1Thor]

Pirelli CAN make good tires, so I wouldn’t write them off. I wouldn’t pay that price though!

They look like a more chonky version of our OEM ATs. From the description I bet these would maybe be better in snow

https://www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/car/catalog/product/scorpion-xtm-at

Maybe, but I'll let others test these thoroughly before I'm sold on them.
Our experience is that the OEM AT is actually pretty terrible off-road versus literally anything else (people with Falken, Toyos, Nittos, Nokians all gaining MUCH better purchase on rocks and mud, to a very significant and notable degree). We'll likely not be replacing my wife's AT Scorpions with another set of Pirelli anything.

 

[2kwik4u]

Agreed. I just crossed 20k miles on mine and they look pretty good. They have gotten louder over time, but it’s not unbearable. It’s so strange the different totals folks have gotten out of these tires. Some were done at barely 10k, others make it past 40k miles.

I plan to swap them out in the Fall for the Toyo Open Country AT3 EV. I don’t want to risk another winter on the Pirellis - they aren’t great on packed snow

I had pretty good luck with mine this winter on packed snow. Less than 5k miles though, in general while I was dealing with that. Avatar picture there was in about 16in of fresh powder in the driveway, streets/interstates were well packed though.

Maybe it's a tread depth thing?

Unfortunately my preferred Terrain Contacts aren't 3PMS rated. Trying to decide if that's a big deal considering I live in lake effect snow country (Buffalo).

 

[2kwik4u]

Maybe, but I'll let others test these thoroughly before I'm sold on them.
Our experience is that the OEM AT is actually pretty terrible off-road versus literally anything else (people with Falken, Toyos, Nittos, Nokians all gaining MUCH better purchase on rocks and mud, to a very significant and notable degree). We'll likely not be replacing my wife's AT Scorpions with another set of Pirelli anything.

My weekend venture into the mud as compared to the other two trucks NOT on Pirellis seems to support that.

I was also the only dual motor, and the only one to go "backwards" through the mud, so that likely plays into that as well.

 

[s0ysauce]

Yeah the price on them is a little too much. This blurb got me laughing.

To accomplish this continuous pattern into the shoulder, Pirelli created a new mechanism in the manufacturing process that departs from over 150 years of tiremaking tradition. The Scorpion XTM AT also sports rock ejectors in the tread, so if you see a dirty truck on the road wearing these Pirellis, steer clear for the sake of your windshield. Ian Coke prepared us for our initial drive by advising to "leave distance between your cars. Those rock ejectors do work."

 

[SamDoe1]

$344 for a 275/60/20 with only a 115T speed rating is going to be DOA when you can get the Toyo OC EV in a bigger size and 116H for not a ton more.

 

[Singletracker]

Just took off my Blizzacks, yesterday. It seems winter has skipped town around here. The Blizzacks were puuurrrfect. The Pirellis, with less than 10K on them, are definitely not. Not only that but the wear is excessive. Can’t imagine them lasting 20K miles. Do yourself a favor and steer away from Pirellis. My experience with these and other Pirellis has not been very positive. They have all worn out way too quickly. Get some Falken Wildpeaks - great, all around tires. I‘ve had the A/T 3W’s and they checked all the boxes - good in all conditions (even snow), very quiet, and long lasting.

 

[MidnightRivian]

I just ordered a full set from Discount tire and will use the 60 day Pirelli trial to decide if I like how these tires grip and how loud they are compared to the OEM Pirelli. I plan to stick with Pirelli this time and actually get some sort of tread mile warranty.

https://www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/car/catalog/product/scorpion-xtm-at/275_65-r20

 

[zefram47]

Get some Falken Wildpeaks - great, all around tires. I‘ve had the A/T 3W’s and they checked all the boxes - good in all conditions (even snow), very quiet, and long lasting.

I had AT3Ws on my 4Runner. They *were* great, but if it's not your daily driver (i.e. you put a lot of miles on them quickly) I'd probably avoid the AT3W and I assume the newer AT4W. After 6 years they were basically hockey pucks and even though they had plenty of tread depth, they essentially had no grip in the wet. I wound up replacing them with another set of AT3W before a big off-road trip and the fresh ones were once again great. I just wouldn't run them for more than a couple years per set because where my original set was...they were unsafe on anything but a dry road.

 

[advan24r]

I just ordered a full set from Discount tire and will use the 60 day Pirelli trial to decide if I like how these tires grip and how loud they are compared to the OEM Pirelli. I plan to stick with Pirelli this time and actually get some sort of tread mile warranty.

https://www.pirelli.com/tires/en-us/car/catalog/product/scorpion-xtm-at/275_65-r20

Keep us posted! I'm also considering these or the Bridgestone Dueler Ascent. Or go w/the conservative 119 version of the Michelin Defenders

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