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Vespa LX 125 to be launched in India - Dancewiththeshadows.com

Vespa is planning to start its third innings in India as the brand’s parent company; Piaggio is in final stages of building scooter manufacturing plant at Baramati in Maharashtra. It will reportedly launch a Vespa LX 125 as its first scooter. But why we call it the third innings?

Vespa in India

The production of Vespa scooters was first licensed by Piaggio to Bajaj Auto in 1960s. Vespa later sold as LML Vespa in partnership (from 1983) with Lohia Machinery Limited (LML) based in Kanpur. The partnership ended in 1999 after a long dispute between LML and Vespa. Hence, now, through Piaggio, the parent company’s strong market presence, Vespa is planning a strong footed third innings this time.

Vespa versus Competition

The automatic-geared scooter segment in the country is currently led by Honda (Activa) and TVS (Scooty). Further, the world’s 4^th largest two-wheeler maker, Piaggio, is taking Indian two-wheeler market seriously and will launch its entire Vespa range apart from premium sports motorcycles such as Aprilia (RSV4 Factory) and some of its other brands including Derbi, Gilera and Moto Guzzi.

Piaggio and its plans for Indian market

Piaggio unveiled two of its iconic brand two-wheeler products in India on Thursday. They were the Aprilia RSV4 Factory superbike and Vespa LX 125 scooter. Ravi Chopra, CMD of Piaggio Vehicles India told Times of India, said, “Aprilia will give Piaggio the visibility and branding in the two-wheeler market and help us showcase our technological advancement.” He added that Aprilia will be a niche product and Piaggio plans to sell the bikes through dealerships in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai.

Talking on the upcoming Barmati plant which will have an initial capacity to manufacture 150,000 units of scooter per annum at an investment of 30 million euro, Chopra said that Piaggio is gearing up for Vespa’s launch and plan is to have around 70 dealerships by the end of this year. Piaggio plans to pitch Vespa LX125 as a value-for-money offering into the market.

Interestingly, since customers are price conscious, 100% localization is the key to price the products competitively and Piaggio will do the same with its Vespa LX 125. The company has already tied up component suppliers for this, and the plans are on schedule. Hopefully, the Vespa would come in around the first quarter of next year, according to Chopra.

Piaggio Vehicles Private Limited is a fully-owned subsidiary of Piaggio, Italy. The company has 760 sales points pan-India and besides the investing for manufacturing Vespa scooters, Piaggio is also setting up a facility to manufacture diesel and petrol engines at Baramati at an investment of 60 million euros.

About Vespa

Vespa is a cult brand in European countries. The success of Vespa resulted in the formation of the Vespa World Club in 2006, bringing together 35 international Vespa clubs and 685 Italian Vespa clubs. Currently, Vespa is produced at Piaggio’s plants in Pontedera, Italy; Vinh Phuc, Vietnam and soon at Baramati from 2012 onwards. So far, over 17 million Vespas have been sold worldwide.

Vespa 125cc LX 124 scooter will be Piaggio’s re-entry vehicle into India

Piaggio, who owns the Vespa brand of scooters, is all set to make a comeback to the Indian two-wheeler market as early as 2012.

This was disclosed after the company’s board meeting held in Milan recently. The first Vespa scooter to roll out of the factory will be the Vespa LX 125, which has been specially designed for India keeping into mind the various conditions here.

Piaggio plans to start production of the Vespa LX 125 in India according to Roberto Colaninno, Director, Piaggio & C. S.p.A.

Vespa brand of scooters have always had a special place in the hearts of millions. These scooters are known for their design, grace and simplicity. In fact, it is for Vespa that scooters have become famous around the world.

Piaggio plans to set up a new facility for its range of two-wheelers which would also be supported by Piaggio’s three-wheeler commercial arm in India, Piaggio Vehicles Private Ltd.

The total investment to setup the new plant is said to be in the region of 30 million Euros and would be invested in planned phases in the year 2010 and 2011. The new Piaggio plant would have a production capacity of 1,50,000 units annually and it will be fully operational by the end of 2012 when the LX 125 is launched. According to the plan, Piaggio will plan to sell 1,10,000 scooters by 2015.

India happens to be the second largest two wheeler market in the world after China, and the Indian market has grown nearly 7% in the last five years. This would be surely interesting the Italian two wheeler giant who was earlier in the Indian market along with LML. Piaggio is already in the Indian three wheeler market, and is one of the big players here. Hence that knowledge and experience would surely help in a big way for this re-entry into the Indian two wheeler market.

So far, there is no information on the pricing on the Vespa LX 125 when the company would launch it in India.Source - 

http://www.dancewithshadows.com/autoindia/vespa-lx-125-to-be-launched-in-india/

Vespa gears up for a third trip to India - The Times of India

The iconic Vespa is set for its third innings in India as parent Piaggio is in final stages of setting up its scooter plant at Baramati in Maharashtra.

The Italian company is looking to make inroads into the fast-growing scooter market that is currently dominated by Honda and TVS. And Piaggio has big plans for the market.

After launching the 125cc Vespa LX125 next year, Piaggio plans to bring in a fuller range that would include more scooters from the Vespa range apart from motorcycles from its other brands.

Piaggio, which has seven brands of scooters, motorcycles and small commercial vehicles, started its fresh two-wheeler campaign on Thursday with the launch of its premium Aprilia range of superbikes that would come in as imports and carry hefty price tags ranging between Rs 13 lakh and Rs 18 lakh. "Aprilia will give Piaggio the visibility and branding in the two-wheeler market and help us showcase our technological advancement," Ravi Chopra, CMD of Piaggio Vehicles India, told TOI.

"Aprilia will be a niche product and we plan to sell the bikes through dealerships in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai," he added. Aprilia, a brand bought by Piaggio in 2004, was earlier slated to come to India in partnership with the Munjals of the Hero Group.

The company's Baramati plant will have an initial capacity of 150,000 units per annum at an investment of e30 million. Chopra said the capacity can be increased if required. "We are gearing up for Vespa's launch and plan to have around 70 dealerships by the end of this year. We plan to pitch it as a value-for-money offering into the market."

Chopra said the company was looking at 100% localization for Vespa. "This will enable us to be competitive," Chopra said. The company has already tied up component suppliers for this, and he said plans were on schedule. "The Vespa would come in around the first quarter of next year," he added.

The automatic transmission LX 125 carries the famed Vespa design and sports a single-cylinder four-stroke engine. The success of Vespa has resulted in the formation of the Vespa World Club in 2006, which brings together 35 international Vespa clubs and 685 Italian Vespa clubs to form a platform for the Vespa cult. Produced at Piaggio's plants in Pontedera, Italy; Vinh Phuc, Vietnam and soon at Baramati, over 17 million Vespas have been sold till 2010.

And while it makes a fresh pitch in India, the Vespa brand enjoys a long history here. Piaggio had first licensed the production of Vespa scooters to Bajaj Auto in 1960s. In 1971, however, Piaggio's licence was not renewed by the then government. The company also partnered LML Motors in 1983, which produced the P-Series scooters. But, the partnership ended in 1999 after long disputes between the partners.

Read more: Vespa gears up for a third trip to India - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Vespa-gears-up-for-a-third-trip-to-India/articleshow/7330328.cms#ixzz1C1PIIqQP

Piaggio to Launch Vespa LX125 in 2012 in India - Bikeadvice.in

According to Times of India news Piaggio, the Italian two wheelers and three wheelers manufacturing company is to enter Indian scooter market. Piaggio will launch its Vespa brand which was there in India before a decade. The company is in final stages of setting up its scooter plant at Baramati in Maharashtra. The company’s Baramati plant will have an initial capacity of 150,000 units per annum at an investment of approximately Rs. 200 crore (30 million Euro). The company can increased the capacity if required.
According to Ravi Chopra, CMD of Piaggio Vehicles India, “We are gearing up for Vespa’s launch and plan to have around 70 dealerships by the end of this year. We plan to pitch it as a value-for-money offering into the market.
The company is looking for 100% localization for Vespa LX 125. This will enable us to be competitive. The company has already tied up component suppliers plans are on schedule. The Vespa LX 125 would come in around the first quarter of next year.” It means that in the first quarter of 2012 Piaggio will launch Vespa LX 125.
This is the third time Vespa brand is going to launch in Indian market. The first Vespa scooters were launched in 1960 by Bajaj Auto in India. Bajaj Auto had acquired license from Piaggio which was last till 1971. After that Piaggio reentered in India in 1983 partnering with LML Motors in 1983 which was last till 1999.
Piaggio Vespa LX125 has four stroke 125 cc automatic transmission (CVT) engine which produces 10.7 bhp and 9.6Nm that too with retro type Vespa look. Brand Vespa is known worldwide. It has 35 international and 685 Italian clubs under the Vespa World Club. Till the date over 17 million Vespas have been sold.
Piaggio, which has seven brands of scooters, motorcycles and small commercial vehicles. It also owns Aprilia brand which it bought in the year 2004. After launching the 125cc Vespa LX125 next year, Piaggio plans to bring in a fuller range that would include more scooters from the Vespa range apart from motorcycles from its other brands.
The company’s has started its first two wheeler campaign with the launch of its premium Aprilia superbikes through CBU route will range between 13 lakhs to 18 lakhs rupees. On the launch Mr. Chopra said that Aprilia will give Piaggio the visibility and branding in the two-wheeler market and help them to showcase their technological advancement. Aprilia will be a niche product and they plan to sell the bikes through dealerships in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. Earlier the company was planning to launch its two wheelers in partnership with the Munjals of Hero group.
India world’s second biggest market of two wheelers is catching fancy of every two wheeler manufacturer in the world. Nearly 11 million two wheelers sold during the year 2010. According to an estimate market size for two wheelers will double within five years from now. Past 6 months have seen tremendous growth in scooter segment which is more than motorcycle segment. The scooter segment is largely dominated by Honda, Hero Honda and TVS. With the entry of Piaggio consumers will surely have better, reliable and value for money scooters.

This is an article from from: BikeAdvice.in - The Indian Bike Blog 

Barbie Pink Vespa Doll - Mattel - Toys "R" Us

Barbie Pink Vespa Doll - Mattel - Toys "R" Us

Product Description
Barbie zips around town on her sporty and stylish Vespa scooter in the perfect shade of pink. Doll is posable and wears fashionable city sportswear and accessories. 


Some more Toys here

Scooters for girls - Harriet Ridley

Scooters for girls

-  Harriet Ridley - From the perthshireadvertiser.co.uk

While there are plenty of Vespas built for anyone who wants to ride one, man or woman (the Vespa GTS 125 and 300 Super caught my eye in Milan), the Vespa Rosa introduced to the UK last Spring, to name just one of them, is clearly designed for girls with its very pink colour scheme. A man would, as I wrote, have to be seriously in touch with his feminine side to ride one of these. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

But apparently, I'm propagating a sexist myth here in the UK that all scooters, and Vespas in particular, are girls' bikes. I don't believe that for a second. Open any scooter brochure and it's still mostly male models riding the bikes, Vespas included - although perhaps not the Rosa. And overall in the UK, there are still far fewer women than men riding scooters.

However, the best thing about scooters is the lack of male-domination that still pervades the motorcycling world. In fact the UK's scooter boom that kicked off around 1997 has been responsible for a huge surge in girls getting on two wheels.

Scooters are so unisex that manufacturers are going as far as bringing out 'his and her' colour schemes of the same model, as the array of new bikes at this year's EICMA Milan show demonstrates.

Kymco for instance displayed the Many 50 and 100 in two colour schemes: white and incrusted with (no doubt fake) diamonds for her, and a sportier red paintjob for him.

Meanwhile on one of its models, Motom brought out the Lambretta 'Rubacuori' (that's Italian for heartbreaker) complete with pink paintjob littered in hearts and a cupid with bow and arrow for her, while a manlier pirate-style paintjob features on the 'Black' for him. Both versions are available as 50cc, 125cc or 150cc.

I guess it's unfair for the boys that the girls can ride, for instance, the red Many without attracting attention for all the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, blokes risk getting laughed at by their beered-up mates should they venture down the pub on the sparkly girly version.

But that's life. Girls wear trousers all the time; blokes only wear skirts if they're Scottish or David Beckham. Or seriously in touch with their feminine side.

There are also the less in-your-face, more tasteful colour schemes still obviously targeted to women. For instance Suzuki's white Sixteen 150 with its stylish flowery detailing. Or the Suzuki Burgman 200 with its soft curves and pearlescent colour scheme (oh I'm sorry, is this not meant to be girly?).

Don't get me wrong. Not all girls want to ride a sickly sweet pink scooter with hearts, diamonds or even the more subtle flowery detailing. Give me a sporty job such as the Aprilia Sport City, Gilera Runner or even better, the GP800 any day. Or even a cushty Suzuki Burgman 650 - have you seen the 2010 version? It looks unbelievably comfortable with its heated armchair-style seat and grips.

Even the new Burgman 400 with its fancy ABS is commuter heaven enough for me. But there's nothing wrong with women flouting their girliness should they wish to. And the option for them to do so is there.

However, the manufacturers say many of the overtly girly colour options, for instance the Piaggio Liberty Elle with its matching pink and flowery open-faced helmet and top box, won't be imported to the UK because there isn't enough demand.

I reckon this has more to do with us British girls having good taste in scooters than there not being enough of us. Still, no matter how dreadful some of these colour schemes truly are - the Scarabeo's bubble-gum pink paintjob is not really my thing (who am I kidding, I love it!) - it's encouraging to see manufacturers sit up and take note of us girls on bikes.

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!

Mumbai Holiday on a Vespa - Reuters Blogs

Think Vespa, and images of Audrey Hepburn and rides down cobble-stoned streets immediately come to mind. How about families of four riding precariously on the choked streets of Mumbai or Delhi?

Piaggio, the Italian vehicle maker that has made the Vespa since just after World War II, has made a big success of its three-wheeler auto rickshaws and commercial vehicles in India, and intends to relaunch the iconic brand here soon.

Why now, when vehicle sales are sluggish, at best? Why now, when the two-wheeler market has moved pretty much decisively to motorbikes? Why now, when a certain low-cost car is close to actually rolling into homes of a lucky 100,000?

But not so long ago, which middle-class Indian family didn’t aspire for — and wait months for — a Bajaj Chetak?

Now, despite gravity-defying motorbikes endorsed by the likes of Hrithik Roshan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, scooter sales are slowly but surely ticking up.

Sure, many of these are the gentle, gearless variety so popular with the ladies. And yes, they cannot hope to match the numbers of their more macho cousins.

But scooters are also enjoying a bit of a comeback in the west, particularly among college goers, celebs and eco-warriors, because of high fuel prices and the downturn, and a nostalgia that has revived such icons as Volkswagen’s Beetle or Fiat’s Cinquecento.

In India too, scooter sales are ticking up as Honda, Bajaj and TVS explore new, stylish and more fuel-efficient options.

Vespa — Italian for wasp, and named some say because of the high-pitched noise of its two-stroke engine or because of its shape — is no stranger to the Indian market: it was made by Piaggio and then LML in past years.

Now, Piaggio’s wholly owned subsidiary will undertake the task of wooing the Indian masses with the Italian classic.

All we need perhaps, is a scene, a la Roman Holiday or La Dolce Vita, in one of our Bollywood flicks, featuring the new Vespa, to kickstart a new generation of Vespa-lovers in India.

Who would be our own Hepburn and Peck?

Source - Reuters

Piaggio to make a come-back with its Iconic Scooters

Scooters, which almost disappeared into the dark alleys of nostalgia, are making a grand comeback. Piaggio Group, which has recently inaugurated its first manufacturing facility in Vietnam, where it will produce 125cc and 150cc Vespa LX scooters, has said that it will also be rolling out scooters in India in due course of time.

Italian auto company Piaggio, manufacturer of the iconic Vespa scooter, is to start production in India as part of plans to expand its operations. Piaggio has roughly 40% of the Indian market share for three wheelers, whereas it lags behind giant Tata Motors (TTM) with a 6% share in four-wheel light commercial vehicles market.

Piaggio Group now operates manufacturing facilities in Italy, Spain, India, China and Vietnam. In India, after calling off its joint venture with the Kanpur-based LML, Piaggio has restricted its operations in the country to light commercial vehicles. However, the Italian group is said to be considering re-launching Vespa scooters in India by 2011-12. The group said it planned to increase its turnover by 20 per cent by 2012.

Piaggio Vehicles Private Ltd. (PVPL)- is headquartered at Pune and has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Baramati, Maharashtra, where three-wheelers are currently being made. Though the company has not announced it officially, industry sources reckon that its proposed scooters would be manufactured in the premises of its existing plant.

Piaggio has already established its numero-uno position in India's 3 wheeler market in cargo as well as passenger segments. Right from the time of its launch in 1999, Piaggio has consistently delivered exceptional standards and commitment to its customers across India. The service orientation of the company has resulted in Piaggio garnering a customer base of over 700,000 satisfied customers across India.

Source - http://www.vicky.in/straightfrmtheheart/piaggio-targets-indian-scooter-market/