Sempione: The ‘Conventional’ Tyre for 1960s Italy
“Whenever a new car is launched on the market, tyre technicians are faced with the formidable task of creating a tyre specially designed for it – in other words, the tyre that best meets its particular needs.” This is how Fatti e Notizie magazine announced the arrival of the Sempione tyre on the market. It was specially designed by Pirelli for the Fiat 1800, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 12 March 1959. This was at the height of Italy’s economic boom, when Fiat and Pirelli were at the forefront of a surge in the motorisation of transport, with utility cars coming onto the market and infrastructure operations such as the construction of the Autostrada del Sole. Pirelli adapted to the increasingly segmented automobile market by expanding its tyre catalogue. In the wake of the Stelvio, which was introduced in 1951, the company introduced new models that were given carefully selected names that reflected their technical specifications and use. Alongside the groundbreaking Cinturato – literally, “belted” – the first radial tyre with a fabric belt underneath the tread, Pirelli continued the series with conventional models named after Alpine passes: the Cisa for the Fiat 500 (1955), and the Rolle for the Fiat 600 (1955), and then the “Nuova 500” (1957). In 1959 it was the turn of the Sempione for the Fiat 1800. Pirelli created a special tyre for the 6-cylinder, 85 horsepower car which, right there in Geneva, was dubbed “the European Single Market car“, and indeed newsreels at the time claimed it could stand up to any international competition in terms of its “practicality, elegance, economy of operation and price”. The tread of the tyre featured 5 longitudinal cords with many very thin grooves “which ensure grip in all directions and superb braking performance”.
While the Pirelli Cinturato catered to sports car enthusiasts, with its outstanding grip at high speeds and when cornering on both dry and wet surfaces, the more “conventional” Sempione tyre also enjoyed immense success. Renowned for its durability and comfort, it became the go-to solution for most Italian cars, cementing its place as a staple in the automotive industry.
In 1961 the Sempione was also approved for use on the Fiat 1300/1500, 2100, and 2300, as well as on the Innocenti Austin A40 and the Ford Anglia. Its success was ensured by the gradual introduction of technical improvements, such as the “safety shoulder”, which was unveiled at the 44th Turin Motor Show in 1962. This feature, with its rounded connection between the sidewall and the tread, significantly enhanced grip during cornering, braking and acceleration. Other technical innovations included the carcass in super 2 rayon, a yarn of exceptional strength specially developed by Pirelli, and the unique structure of the bead wires. In 1965 the Sempione was used on a vast scale for the Fiat 850 and in 1967/8 the “Sempione P” campaign launched it again as “more”: more flexible, more robust, more grip, more secure, making it ever more popular. However, radial tyre technology was on its way, bringing with it the innovations from rally racing, which would launch Pirelli into the world of high performance, where it still leads the way today.
“Whenever a new car is launched on the market, tyre technicians are faced with the formidable task of creating a tyre specially designed for it – in other words, the tyre that best meets its particular needs.” This is how Fatti e Notizie magazine announced the arrival of the Sempione tyre on the market. It was specially designed by Pirelli for the Fiat 1800, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 12 March 1959. This was at the height of Italy’s economic boom, when Fiat and Pirelli were at the forefront of a surge in the motorisation of transport, with utility cars coming onto the market and infrastructure operations such as the construction of the Autostrada del Sole. Pirelli adapted to the increasingly segmented automobile market by expanding its tyre catalogue. In the wake of the Stelvio, which was introduced in 1951, the company introduced new models that were given carefully selected names that reflected their technical specifications and use. Alongside the groundbreaking Cinturato – literally, “belted” – the first radial tyre with a fabric belt underneath the tread, Pirelli continued the series with conventional models named after Alpine passes: the Cisa for the Fiat 500 (1955), and the Rolle for the Fiat 600 (1955), and then the “Nuova 500” (1957). In 1959 it was the turn of the Sempione for the Fiat 1800. Pirelli created a special tyre for the 6-cylinder, 85 horsepower car which, right there in Geneva, was dubbed “the European Single Market car“, and indeed newsreels at the time claimed it could stand up to any international competition in terms of its “practicality, elegance, economy of operation and price”. The tread of the tyre featured 5 longitudinal cords with many very thin grooves “which ensure grip in all directions and superb braking performance”.
While the Pirelli Cinturato catered to sports car enthusiasts, with its outstanding grip at high speeds and when cornering on both dry and wet surfaces, the more “conventional” Sempione tyre also enjoyed immense success. Renowned for its durability and comfort, it became the go-to solution for most Italian cars, cementing its place as a staple in the automotive industry.
In 1961 the Sempione was also approved for use on the Fiat 1300/1500, 2100, and 2300, as well as on the Innocenti Austin A40 and the Ford Anglia. Its success was ensured by the gradual introduction of technical improvements, such as the “safety shoulder”, which was unveiled at the 44th Turin Motor Show in 1962. This feature, with its rounded connection between the sidewall and the tread, significantly enhanced grip during cornering, braking and acceleration. Other technical innovations included the carcass in super 2 rayon, a yarn of exceptional strength specially developed by Pirelli, and the unique structure of the bead wires. In 1965 the Sempione was used on a vast scale for the Fiat 850 and in 1967/8 the “Sempione P” campaign launched it again as “more”: more flexible, more robust, more grip, more secure, making it ever more popular. However, radial tyre technology was on its way, bringing with it the innovations from rally racing, which would launch Pirelli into the world of high performance, where it still leads the way today.
