Pirelli has won the 2013 Volkswagen Group Award, the coveted prize that the international carmaker awards to its best suppliers.

The Italian firm has been named ‘Global Champion’ by Volkswagen, which underscores Pirelli as a strong and committed reliable partner supporting the Volkswagen Group.

The Volkswagen Group also underlined Pirelli’s “firm commitment, competitiveness and ability to innovate, with the development of self-sealing technology underlining the company’s technical know-how and ability to rise to future challenges.”

The prize was given to Pirelli at a recent ceremony in Dresden, Germany, by the Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn and Dr. Francisco Javier Garcia Sanz, Board Member of Volkswagen AG, who is responsible for procurement.

This latest recognition is the result of a multi-year partnership, in which Pirelli supplies six million Ultra High Performance (UHP) tyres per year to the Volkswagen Group and works with it on bespoke solutions tailored to individual models, which has also become a reference in the aftermarket.

Pirelli has currently more than 200 homologations for the Volkswagen Group, in sizes that range from 15 to 21 inches. Another 250 homologations are currently under development, many of which will go into production within the next few years.

The long list of models currently equipped by Pirelli include prestige cars such as the Porsche Carrera, Boxster, Cayenne and Panamera, as well as the Lamborghini Aventador and Gallardo, the Bentley Continental GT and Flying Spur as well as the Audi A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Q3, Q7, RS5, RS6 and TT, plus the Volkswagen Tiguan, Touareg, Phaeton and Golf.

The partnership between Pirelli and the Volkswagen Group is not just limited to the European market but also covers other territories such as Latin America, Mexico and China. Pirelli and the Volkswagen Group are also engaged in joint business development in Russia and the United States.