EICMA 2012 - Vespa 946
Piaggio used EICMA to show the world the future design direction of it iconic scooter brand Vespa. It's a tricky job to develop a new version of a design as iconic as the Vespas but the Italians seem to have done a good job of it. The 946 is the very definition of retro cool and at first glance you wouldn't mistake it for anything but a Vespa. A closer look however reveals modern features like the very smart cantilevered seat and the sleek lines and curves. This is the first time a Vespa is constructed out of aluminum instead of the usual steel in order to save weight and bump up efficiency.
The scooter also gets a horizontally mounted shock absorber with four settings of adjustability. The scoot uses modern LED lighting and an LCD display as well as features ABS and traction control. The scooter is powered by a fuel injected 3 valve 125cc single cylinder engine that makes 11.4PS at 8250rpm and promises a 30 per cent increase in efficiency over the old model. The 946 will go on sale in late 2013 or early 2014 .
