2009 Vespa S 50

New 50cc four-stroke powerplant delivers a sporty punch of good, clean fun

NEW YORK, November 19, 2008 – Italian manufacturer Piaggio, renowned for
revolutionary ideas in personal transportation, announces the debut of the
2009 Vespa S 50.  This all-new addition to the company’s iconic scooter
portfolio blends all the premium Vespa product benefits, such as Italian
styling and the unique single-steel chassis, with a newly engineered
four-stroke, four-valve SOHC engine.  To develop the most powerful 50cc
four-stroke available today, Vespa engineers minimized weight and maximized
the power curve, creating a performance character that to-date has been
exclusively associated with two-stroke technology.  The new engine variant
not only gives the Vespa S 50 a distinct performance edge in the 50cc
category, but offers all the environmental benefits of modern four-stroke
design.

Clean, Lean, and Ready to Twist and Go

All Vespa scooters retailed in the North American market have been equipped
with fuel-efficient, clean-running four-stroke engines since 2001, but the
new Vespa S 50 engine pushes the weight, power and efficiency equation to a
new benchmark.  Handily out-accelerating every other scooter in the 50cc
category, including two-stroke equipped competitors, the Vespa S 50 is the
scooter to own when performance, not size, matters.  To boost output even
more, engineers shaved weight wherever possible, including lightening the
valve clearance adjustment mechanism for reduced inertia and improved
rocker/valve action.  The result is higher engine speeds and more power.  At
the same time, the four-valve head improves air/fuel flow, which means
optimized combustion, reduced fuel consumption and lower than ever
emissions.

Like all Vespas, the S 50 features a ‘twist and go’ continuously variable
transmission (CVT) which transforms all that improved horsepower into smooth
and easy acceleration and riding from start to finish.

Original Vespa Lines, Progressive Features

When you are the original, it’s easy to continue classic family lines.  The
Vespa S 50 has the same pedigree as the first Vespa prototype built by
Piaggio in 1946, with all the core values that have defined the brand ever
since: eco-friendly engineering, elegance, passion, individualism, and
integrity.

The Vespa’s high-strength steel body acts as the scooter’s structural frame,
a chassis design solution unique in the world of scooter production.  In
addition to superior strength, the frame is exceptionally rigid, resulting
in excellent road holding and precision control.  The scooter’s low center
of gravity also makes riding it supremely simple.

Equipped with an advanced front disc/rear drum brake system, the Vespa S 50
offers confident stopping power.  The advanced mixed-type braking system
includes a front 7.8″ diameter disc with hydraulic linkage and a dual
opposed piston hydraulic caliper.  The back has a 4.3″ diameter drum with
mechanical linkage. The 11” front and 10” rear wheels with light alloy rims
add to the Vespa S 50’s excellent stability.  A wide arc front halogen
headlight ensures great visibility at all times.

The 2008 Vespa S 50 has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of
$3,199.  Available colors include Dragon Red, Shiny Black, Taormina Orange
and Montebianco.  For more information on the Vespa S 50 and the entire
Vespa model line visit www.vespausa.com.