Piaggio eyes bigger scooter space, plans to grow Vespa portfolio

Piaggio to launch super premium scooter Vespa 946 in 3 months time, priced in Rs 8-9 lakh range.

Italian two-wheeler maker Piaggio on Wednesday said it is considering launching ‘bigger’ scooters in the Indian market that will be less premium than its existing Vespa portfolio. While plans are still to materialise, the new scooters will have a separate branding than Vespa.

“Piaggio has a very strong product portfolio. We are conducting an extensive market research to establish whether there could be a market for a big-wheel scooter, which could be a 300-400 cc scooter and it will be a revolutionary concept,” Piaggio Vehicles CMD Ravi Chopra said.

Unlike Vespa, which was re-launched in India two years ago and is positioned as a premium product, the new scooters will cater to a more consumer set. The company is simultaneously looking at scaling up Vespa’s presence and product portfolio in the country.


In the pipeline are plans to launch super premium scooter Vespa 946 in three months time, priced in the Rs 8-9 lakh range. Vespa 946 will be completely built unit and will join the other three premium scooters including the Vespa S, launched on Wednesday at Rs 76,496 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

“Our mission was to create a premium space for scooters, which to an extent we have successfully managed to do. India offers a large opportunity and we are yet to leverage its full potential here. So far, we have done 80,000 scooters since the launch. Our hope is to do better in 2014, and with more products we’d add incremental volumes each year,” said Chopra.

Piaggio sold 2,001 scooters in January 2014, a decline of 50% on a year-on-year basis, while its sales in April-Jan 2014 were down 6% to 27,808 scooters on a year-on-year basis.


The overall scooter segment, however, has been seeing tremendous growth during the said period. In April-January 2014 period the segment grew 21% to 29.3 lakh scooters on a year-on-year basis. In January 2014, scooter sales was up 28% to 3.2 lakh scooters on a year-on-year basis.


Piaggio currently has just about 1% market share in the domestic market. In January 2013, the company cut scooter prices by R10,000, which it recalled two months later. The company cites the move as marketing error.

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Piaggio Launches Vespa S in India As Well

 

The Piaggio group announces the launch of the Vespa S scooter in India, complementing the existing line-up. So far, Vespa sells the LX125 and VX in India, with good prospects of growing numbers in the near future. Vesapa S will be come avaialble on March 4.

India is a huge motorcycle market and one does not need to be an industry specialist to figure out the immense business opportunities this part of the world offers to the bold. With the biggest part of the two-wheelers which roam the Indian roads being small-displacement ones, it’s easy to understand that scooters are some of the most popular choices.

Vespa S is an 125cc machine, powered by the same 4-stroke single-cylinder engine which can also be found on the LX and VX scoots. This mill is good for a peak power of just under 10 horsepower and is mated to an automatic CVT transmission making operation easy even for the new riders and ladies.

This machine brings forth a monocoque steel chassis which also keeps weight on the low side, with a single side front suspension and a monoshock in the rear, with cast wheels. The front brake is equipped with a 200mm disc, while the rear one relies on an 140mm rear drum.


The price is rumored to be around the $1,200 (€875), which represents a premium niche for the Indian scooter market, as Autocar India informs.

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New Vespa VX 125 review, test ride

Italian two wheeler major Piaggio has added a new variant of its iconic Vespa scooter, the Vespa VX. The VX gets two new colours, bright pink and turquoise green. The VX also gets revised instruments, with a black dial, an optional beige seat and an extended chrome grab handle for the pillion.

The button started Vespa VX is powered by the same four-stroke, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine displacing 125cc and breathing through 3-valves.

This engine is carburetted and maximum power remains 10.06bhp made at 7500rpm, with peak torque, 1.08kgm delivered at 6000rpm.

Power is transferred to the rear wheel via a CVT transmission. As on the earlier LX125, the VX runs smoothly, with a peppy enough feel for this segment. Acceleration is brisk, and power feeds in smoothly, with no vibes or steps in a broad power band.

The Vespa trademark monocoque rigid steel chassis and linked front suspension remain a constant. The major upgrade is a 200mm front disc brake, a sorely missed feature on the LX125. The front brake now helps the scooter stop with newfound confidence, and a nice solid feel at the lever, both of which were sorely missed on the earlier LX125. Tyres are improved too, the Vespa VX riding on MRF Nylogrip Zapper tubeless tyres, which we can confirm after this ride provide better grip. The VX also offers good ride quality, and goes round corners with adequate stability.

Vespa has tasted fair success in India to date, having struck a chord with the niche it targets. The company is averaging 4,500 scooters a month, respectable sales for a premium scooter. While prices are yet to be announced, the latest Vespa VX will be available in dealerships post 20th June, 2013, at no more than a slight premium over the LX125.

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Yamaha Ray scooter now available in a new colour

The Ray has been instrumental in increasing Yamaha’s sales and to continue with that trend it has added a new white colour to the scooter’s portfolio. To promote the Ray further, India Yamaha Motor launched a Female Riding Training Program (YFRT) in Chennai. Present at the ceremony were Masaki Asano, Deputy MD (India Yamaha Motor) and Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, who is the brand ambassador for Ray. 

The Ray has been targeted at young women and the YFRT programme is designed to help female customers learn to ride scooters and guide them in obtaining a riding license.

Speaking on the occasion,  Masaki Asano, said, “The year 2012 has been an exceptional year for us as we were able to launch our first scooter ‘Ray’. The Yamaha Ray was launched keeping in mind the young urban women who are looking for a stylish yet comfortable ride. With the Yamaha Female Riding Training Program, we want to provide training to many such young women who want to experience the joys of riding a scooter.” 

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