265/50 VR16 PIRELLI CINTURATO P7 F

Great News; Pirelli are still making this important tyre - 265/50 VR16 PIRELLI CINTURATO P7.

1988 Pirelli Ferrari Testarossa P7 Fitments

265/50 VR16 Tyres

There is no doubt that the tyre size 265/50 VR16 is an extremely rare and unusual tyre size. It is very much a specialist tyre. The Ferrari Testarossa up until 1986 came fitted with 415mm metric wheels. However all though the Michelin TRX tyres that were fitted to those millimetric wheels were exceptional tyres, the rarity of these millimetric tyres in period made them occasionally difficult to get hold of. As a result Ferrari also offered a 16” wheel set up as an alternative. The homologated Pirelli tyre for these 16” wheels was 265/50 VR16 Pirelli Cinturato P7 on the rear and 225/50 VR16 PIRELLI CINTURATO P7 on the front. The attraction of fitting these 16” wheels has increased now as Michelin no longer make the 280/45VR415 TRX rear tyre needed for the millimetric set up.

1988 Pirelli Ferrari 288GTO P7 Fitments

The Ferrari 288 GTO tyres, because of Ferrari’s connection with Goodyear through Formula one Grand Prix racing in the early 1980s, fitted Goodyear Gator Back Tyres. 255/50 VR16 Goodyear NCT rear and 225/50 VR16 Goodyear NCT front. However pre 1986 Pirelli made the rather special 265/50 VR16 Pirelli Cinturato P7 and 225/50 VR16 Cinturato P7. They are correct Ferrari 288 GTO tyres. If you look at this period fitment guide you will note the * where it says “ * = Pirelli tyres approved by vehicle manufacturer for original equipment."

It is worth noting that Pirelli also make the 225/50YR16 Pirelli P-Zero Directionale and 255/50 YR 16 Pirelli P-Zero Asimmetrico system set up for the later Testarossa and as a modern set of Ferrari 288GTO tyres.

265/50 R16 101Y PIRELLI CINTURATO P7

Although the Pirelli 265/50 VR16 Cinturato P7 tyres have 265/50 VR16 written on the side wall; todays modern description would be 265/50 R16 101Y. This is because; today our speed rating and load rating is more precise. When the 265/50 VR16 Cinturato P7 came out, a simple speed rating of ‘above 149 mph’ was acceptable. However today we need to know a bit more precisely. The load and speed rating of the 265/50 VR16 Cinturato P7 means it is capable of carrying (101 (825kg).

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