Vespa

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

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Plot and post favorite routes, trace your ride’s roots, calculate fuel savings and uncover a world of new reasons to ride

NEW YORK, NY – November 13, 2008 - Piaggio Group Americas, Inc., importer of the iconic Vespa scooter brand, continues to accelerate ahead of the personal transportation curve with the debut of its new consumer web site, scheduled to go live Friday, November 14.  Functional, fun and fast, the new web site – just like Vespa scooters – connects with users by delivering an entertaining interactive experience, a shared sense of community and a wealth of practical reasons to ride.  Every element of the new site, from the latest product news to user-generated favorite riding routes, has been designed to educate and engage visitors while giving them plenty of fun reasons to return.

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Moto enthusiast Jay Leno surprised an appreciative audience at the 2009 national Piaggio Group Americas dealer meeting in Palm Springs, CA, introducing dealers  to 11 of the latest Vespa, Piaggio, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi products, including the all-new Vespa S 50 and Aprilia SMV 750 Dorsoduro.   A long-time and outspoken ambassador of motorcycling and a fan of the Piaggio brands, Leno took the opportunity to put on his test rider helmet.  He personally evaluated the Aprilia Mana 850 as well as the three-wheel Piaggio MP3 250 scooter, and also got the inside scoop on several future products that the Italian manufacturer previewed for attending dealers.  Leno’s video test impressions of the Aprilia and Piaggio can be found at JayLenosGarage.com, or click here for the Mana review and here for the MP3 250 review. Interested in a test ride of your own?  Log on to www.PiaggioUSA.com to find a dealer near you.

I just came across a nice online photo reference of Vintage Vespa models at VespaClub.com. It’s a complete model history from the Paperino Prototype (1946) to the most recent version of the PX200E (2001). The list is complete with model numbers in case you want to know exactly what scooter you have.

At 300cc’s, the Vespa GTS 300 is the largest displacement Vespa ever produced with performance to match. The GTS 300 Super continues a line of sporty elegance that boasts legendary models like the GS,  SS 180, 90 SS, Rally 200 and the notorious T5.

No Details yet as to a US release, but should be in the works.

The Vespa GTS 300 on YouTube

(Now, don’t take this the wrong way… I’ve never been a huge fan of modern scooters, but the GTS has piqued my interest. If we ever see these in the US, I think I may actually consider one.)