USA: Vespa 946 debuts in the heart of New York.
The classic Italian Vespa scooter, redesigned for this times, debuted in Manhattan,New York.
From today the Vespa 946 is sold in the United States at a price of $ 9,946, the Vespa 946 in the 2013 edition belongs to a limited batch of 3,600 units for all markets worldwide, the production of which in the Pontedera factory will terminate with the month of November. This is an extraordinary confirmation of the continuous growth of the Vespa brand: starting in 2004, when overall sales reached 58,000 units, in 2006 they totalled 100,000, 122,000 in 2009 and 165,000 Vespa's produced in 2012, a record about to be broken in 2013.
“2013 is an extraordinary year for Vespa” affirmed Roberto Colaninno, Chairman and CEO of the Piaggio Group, during the presentation yesterday in New York. “An exclusive and elite product such as the 946 will in fact be joined, in just a few days, by the launch at EICMA in Milan of a completely new model which, due to its stylistic content, we have decided to baptise with a legendary name, among the most significant in the history of the world's most famous scooter: Vespa Primavera”.
“The offer of new models, each time faithful to the first design of the Vespa but at the same time innovative from a stylistic and technological point of view, and the development of new industrial and commercial initiatives worldwide represent the key to the growing success of this exceptional brand over recent years," added the Piaggio Group Chairman and CEO.
Piaggio realizes that the 946 is known for its stability, which exceeds that of the great GTS, while its lightness and wide steering angle make it very agile, a quality he shares with the small LX. The seat is an important design element. With hinges placed on an aluminum support, leaves the air back. The upholstery is made from a fabric waterproof.
In terms of security, has disc brakes assisted by an antilock system. It also incorporates the innovative ASR traction control, which prevents the front wheel slip slightly adherent surfaces.
Techno(eco)logical milestones
Vespa Quarantasei (forty-six, the name refers to the year in which the first Vespa was manufactured) opens a window to the future in technology as well.
The beating heart of the Vespa Quarantasei is an extremely modern engine which unveils the development lines of motoring in the new future, characterised by low fuel consumption and decreased gas and sound emissions.
The single cylinder 125 cc 4 stroke, 3 valve, air cooled engine with electronic injection represents Piaggio Group's state of the art technology in scooter engines.
The new engine has been designed, developed and manufactured entirely in Pontedera, Piaggio's largest plant, which is one of the most advanced engine development and production centres in the world. This engine is born from the challenge that the Piaggio Group has taken on: to provide an increasingly more evolved customer with a product that guarantees performance, reliability and safety while also leading the field in respect for the environment.
An extremely modern engine.
The innovative 3 valve timing which characterises the Vespa Quarantasei engine allows optimisation of the load motion in the cylinder both in terms of tumble and swirl as well as optimal positioning of the spark plug, increasing combustion performance and at the same time guaranteeing optimum cooling of the parts inside the head.
For all of the bodies in motion bearings have been used in order to keep internal friction to a minimum: the timing rockers have a roller, all to the advantage of reducing noise and increasing mechanical efficiency, the camshaft is on bearings as well as the entire final drive.
The cooling system was carefully analysed, even through thermal fluid-dynamic simulations, in order to further improve performance, thereby obtaining significant reduction in terms of absorbed power and acoustics.
The injection system is state of the art for functionality and rideability, with automatic idle control and closed-loop titre management with a lambda probe. The three dimensional maps of advance, titre and injection timing are managed by a new generation control unit. Together with the trivalent catalytic converter, compliance with the Euro3 standard is more than guaranteed, even in anticipation of future standards which will be increasingly restrictive in terms of containment of polluting emissions.
Vespa 946 makes its debut in the United States and animates the glamour heart of New York.
The essence of the design gives shape and personality to even the most frigid of functions. Vespa 946 is the expression, in purity, of the style which for millions of travellers and enthusiasts has been synonymous with freedom of movement and expression.
Almost 70 years, in less than 2 minutes:
