New Vespa 946
 

What a cool looking scooter! No idea about displacement size but it's probalby small. Will it make it to the US?...
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/20...-is-beautiful/

Its a concept that is unlikely to ever see production in that form however the engine is in the new Vespa 125cc to 150cc available in Europe. If past behavior is anything to go by it will be here in a year or two.

Hell for Leather confirmed the thing is coming. No idea what the price will be, however.

That IS the production model, Cheryl. Piaggio is giving that info out, and they're launching it next week in Milan.

It was a concept at last years EICMA. But now it will be a production bike that will be revealed at this years show in a couple of days and it is going into production in a matter of weeks. Whenever it arrives to USA or (for me) to Australia is another matter... one thing's for sure: unless they price it completely silly, the demand will be huge!

It's a beautiful bike isn't it?
And aluminium too, I rekn that's good for about a 10-15kg weight loss.
AIR-COOLED!!!!! Onya Piaggio!
They should sell squillions of them if the price is similar to the LX range.

Well it does look like they are going into production with it which was not what folks had expected of the concept scooter. Speculation is that it will be a limited edition and that if it comes to the US it will have a whole bunch of bolt on crap required by US Department of Transportation in terms of turn signal pods front and back and be plastered with reflectors. Price is highly speculative but given the increased cost of aluminum over steel and its likely limited production the number I'm hearing bandied about is $7,000 plus. Its stylish but not practical at all and I really like my 250, a 125 or 150 won't be in my garage.

Here's the AU info http://www.scootersales.com.au/News-4677-vespa-946.aspx

It is beautiful! But a bit small for me. Taken from the text referenced above:

"The new motor is an air-cooled, fuel-injected 3-valve 4-stroke. It’s a 125 with 11.6bhp at 8,250rpm and 7.6lb/ft at 7,000rpm."

But should be great for around town or campus!

It is a production model: it will be powered by a 125cc. More pics and details here: (it's in French though)
http://www.scooter-station.com/Vespa...ant-infos.html

They'd be insane to ask $7k for it here in the USA. The LX150 is $4,599. Even if they price it as a limited-run halo model I can't see it selling for much over five grand.

Wonder if they'll be making it in China, as some of their other small scooters, in an effort to keep the price down?

Piaggio does make some of their scooters in China. Many of the smaller Aprilias are made in China. Vespa is out-sourcing many components from China.

The people who drink the Italian cool-aid hate this, are in denial and don't even want to discuss it. I find it rather amusing.

Hmm. Retro and modern at the same time. It looks good, until you see the original. It's amazing nobody can get anything right anymore. That's why I'm not ashamed to ride my Stella, it is more Vespa than a real late model Vespa is, it was inexpensive, as far as I know it does not have any Chinese parts on it, it is 100% made in India, and just like real Vespas USED to be, it is a manual shift 2 stroke.

And while the LX150 may be priced at $4599, it goes out the door for over $7K. My Stella was priced at $3500, but I got it new OTD for $3K. Something seems to be wrong with Vespa's math.

Nothing's made anywhere anymore - which is to say everything is made all over. You can probably play "find the origin" with any motor vehicle manufacturer and it'll include China and Taiwan.

That said I do think most Piaggio, Aprilia, and certainly Vespa-brand bikes do have their final assembly in Italy. This would be easy enough to check by looking up their VINs (but, again, says nothing of the origin of their content parts...)

I believe Aprilias under 200cc are assembled in China. I have seen some with a made in China sticker.

The Piaggio Fly/ Typhoon are assembled in China.

Vespa has a manufacturing plant in India for the Asian market and is doing some manufacturing in Vietnam. Vespas for the US are assembled in Italy but with parts from many other countries. But its only a matter of time......:D

Heck the wheels on my Kymco are stamped made in Italy.

http://www.sip-scootershop.com/commu...n-vietnam.aspx

http://www.bikedekho.com/bike-news/p...-baramati.html