Piaggio displays complete range of products at the 2014 Auto Expo
The Piaggio Group had a full house with its Indian portfolio comprising the Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and Vespa range of scooters.
Moto Guzzi had the 1400 California Touring, V7 and V7 Racer on display. The iconic brand currently sells four of its models in India alongside Aprilia, which showcased the RSV4 APRC and Caponord 1200 with Sylvain Guintoli’s WSBK racer on display.
Piaggio had three important scooters on display — the Vespa S, Liberty and Vespa 946. Slated to be launched next in Indian markets, the Vespa S is based on the same underpinnings as the current Vespa being sold in India. While it uses the existing 125cc engine, the Vespa S has changes to styling, specifically the square headlamp, giving it a more masculine look. Premium bits include minimalistic bodywork sprinkled with chrome trim, flyscreen, disc brakes and a contoured seat. The Vespa S is expected to go on sale in the coming months being priced at a premium over the existing VX.
The Liberty has been a very successful scooter worldwide, with a million scooters sold till date. Reminiscent of the successful Bajaj M80 and the not-so-successful Kinetic K4 100, the Liberty is a large-wheeled 125cc automatic scooter which, if launched, could re-start the step-through segment and be one of the best scooters out there in terms of ride and handling. Sadly, it won’t be launched any time soon as Piaggio showcased it with a view to gauge audience response and study its feasibility for Indian markets.
The Vespa 946 is a minimalistic take on the iconic Vespa scooter design. Plans are afoot to bring the hand-built scooter to India via the CBU route by the end of 2014, which does mean that it’s pricing would go through the roof. Nevertheless, there is no taking away the fact that this is truly a beautiful design and will find takers, however few they might be.
