Modern Vespa

So, why are they even bothering to try to market this styling exercise?

I kinda feel bad for the Pontiac Aztec. I don't disagree for a second that it was an ugly UGLY vehicle, but the intention was there. So was the function. In a way it was trying the be the modern day Wesfalia. Unfortunately design did not lend itself to function, or vice versa.

fair enough


but im not questioning the validity of its existence just the commercial point
other than creating an exclusive or luxury item ,which is fine if a little out of step with the current global economic situation.



but i am equally allowed not to like it and state why

as much as those who love it and state why ,surely thats the whole point of a forum, to give people somewhere to state their opinions..

as a business one would assume piaggio do most things to make money a profit...


thats the "point" in a business is it not?

b.t.w



those that like it are welcome to, i certainly wasn't discounting all the other opinions on this bike...just stating mine with a healthy respect for the opinions of others always, but especially when i don't agree...

You are, as long as you're not insinuating that it has no point. Clearly, it has a point, or Piaggio wouldn't bother.

Don't try to second-guess Italian logic. Mussolini made the trains run on time, and look what happened to him!

Turns out that this is a false statement as well.

http://www.snopes.com/history/govern/trains.asp

I stand corrected. Snopes made the trains run on time.

I visited the Birmingham bike show a couple of weeks ago. One of my friends made some enquiries about the 946, (he's a dark horse) I was joking around up the pub a week later... when you getting the new scoot?. June next year, ordered it in black . I'll have to scrounge a go on it and report back. (if only I had his spondulicks)

The performance of a Corvette is equal or gerater to any those cars at a fraction of the price, yet they sell enough of them to be profitable. Cachet is clearly a tangible aspect that some people will pay for.

To me the most important point of this bike is that Piaggio is doing something NEW again! The LX and GTS were nice bikes, bringing Vespa into the 20th century. Very exciting when they launched. But most changes since then from Piaggio have been incremental. Yes, a change in power plants to fuel injection, and that's exciting. But for the most part all the model year changes have been color and chrome bits added and removed. Big whoop. For those with more money than sense (and I wish I could count myself among them), that's not enough to motivate getting a new toy. Piaggio should be following the Apple model -- a radical change every couple of years so the existing customer base just "has" to ditch their crummy old mac/ipod/ipad/iphone/iwhatever and buy the new one (and I buy their old one at a discount, lol). That's what has made Apple the most successful company on the planet. And I want Piaggio to be successful and around a long time, if for no other reason than the selfish one that I want to be able to buy parts for my GTS 10 years from now...

So regardless of whether you like the looks or the price tag, you should like the fact that it's different, and in the consumer market different is good profit-wise.

-Dan

Any work of art need not win an instant and unanimous approval rating to be ultimately judged successful. The overwhelming majority of opinion was that the initial Impressionist paintings were garbage and unattractive. Time has proven the majority wrong about Impressionist painting.
To my eye, the 946 is gorgeous. It is beautifully proportioned, and evocative of the past while being completely modern. It is what it is, as true to its essence as a Bugatti Atalante, which is also no good for a run to Costco and has no cup holders. The 946 advances design and performance in its size and displacement category.
With limited production, mass appeal doesn't matter. If they can sell enough of them to break even, it will be enough.

hmmmm......very similar to the previous discussion on the closed thread.

[quote="vintage red matthew"]

"The performance of a Corvette is equal or gerater to any those cars at a fraction of the price, yet they sell enough of them to be profitable. Cachet is clearly a tangible aspect that some people will pay for"

Umm, not really,not if you like going around corners fast or accelerating in the wet.
The Corvette is ace for dropping the hammer at lights and long straights though.

The Corvette is good for what the Corvette is intended for, and thus it sells. It was never, for example. intended to be the same as a classic Brit roadster. Similarly, the Ford Thunderbird was intended to be a "personal luxury car" not a sports roadster or rival to the Corvette or Brit roadsters. Different products for different markets, just as a mini-van is not for the same market as a Smart.

If Piaggio has correctly identified a market for the 946, it will be, in Piaggio's eyes, a "success", and it's Piaggio's eyes that matter.

I stand corrected ... Oh wait! No. I am on-my-knees corrected! ***blushes***

Available here summer 2013.

Price for 946 : 8990 e

Compared to GTS 300 : 5990 e

I like the looks a lot. But why a TC and ABS. 125/150 engine does deffinately not need a TC, just adds allready high price.

I like it, the looks...

Europe says , TC and ABS must be standard

I know ABS must be standard from 2016 or something, but TC?

For what i know TC is not required standard. Did i miss the memo.

Piaggio should get their fuel pumps sorted before trying to add any electrical complexities like ABS, TC... TC on a 125, jeez.

Shine a light
How much?!!!!

As a Corvette owner I have to chime in. Have all of you seen the "new" C7? That is the seventh generation Corvette just released? Just to put things in perspective, it is a world killer in price, performance, technological advancement and LOOKS! Oh and the best part is that it still has an entry price of $50 for the base model with 450BHP and 7 speed manual gearbox. What's not to like?

I hope the mods don't remove the pics. They are pretty cool. My C6 is paling in comparison.

I want to go to there.

*drool*

My wife wants to buy Corvette. Her reason is simple :"It looks like beautiful Italian shoe."

It drives like a beautiful Italian car I love mine, but I am really digging the Vespa scene. Sadly there are quite a few a$$hole Corvette owners out there.

If it drives like the original Fiat Cinquicento - beware!

Actually, my Corvette corners like it's on rails and accelerates with an incredible throttle response. And yet, despite the "American muscle" it has a lot of refinements. Like the Vespa, we "personalize" them to be unique to our taste and performance needs. Ours has 62,000km and is not a "garage queen". We go on Vette-cations every year. Very reliable and very powerful. Nice combo.

If course it does, that's what corvette was built for ( unlike 500:) )
Nothing wrong with having Garage queen. When one of my Vespa won her first big award she became a garage queen for a reason My other machines are garage queens also. They all shiny and in immaculate condition even of they are over 40 y.o. (All original). I am that type who cherish his queens, transport them in covered trailers hauled by a luxury car with leather seats

One question about C6 corvette. Why not Stingray? C6 is not classic, is not vintage. It is available anywhere anytime. Where is the beef?

I never u der stood why they doped the Stingray name. Every Corvettw owner mods their cars it seems.

The Stingray name was just reintroduced with the C7. So far, I find the dash too electronic. Too computer.

You know which Stingray I meant, C2, of course. My Q is - why not vintage classic Corvette but mass production model which is available in any store? It's like having a Harley , just go to the store and get one. Try to do the same with 50's,60's, 70,s Vespa model. Ha ha.

Have just seen an ad from my local dealer in the UK taking orders for May delivery with a retail of £7200

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vespa-946-/321073483778?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item4ac1789002

Just got confirmation.
946 will be available in the States in 4th Quarter of this year.
No info on pricing and/ or colors yet.

Stay tuned.

Over and out.

Merry Christmas! I'm writing to Santa right now.

http://www.scooterfile.com/oems/vespa/confirmed-vespa-946-landing-in-us-late-2013/

My main concern is simple: "Do I really NEED it?"

The latest news: on sale in Benelux this May- EUR9000. Link to the today's article in Dutch. http://www.vespafans.nl/forum/topics/vespa-946-kost-9-000-euro-en-leverbaar-in-mei-2013

Now it is real.
http://www.sjvespa.com/news.asp?NewsID=230




Friday, April 19, 2013
By sj vespa

VESPA wowed the 2-wheeled world with the surprise introduction of the all-new 946 concept in Europe last November. Striking and fresh design that captured the daring essence of the original Vespa mated to the latest technology. Truly an exciting new model .. at last.

We just received word that the USA version will be arriving starting this November and now have most of the details regarding availability. The US 946 will apparently be a strictly limited edition ... this is not going to go into mass production. Likely there will be a derivative model ... similar ... but less pure coming around later.

The Real Deal .. the uncompromised 946 as pictured here (with whatever changes are required to meet US lighting regulations etc.) will be available in limited numbers.

Just how limited has not been spelled out, but Vespa says .. and we quote ...

"This is your one opportunity to order the 946, there will be no stock for unplanned units or additional orders in the fall. Please note that an order is not a guarantee of actual delivery. This is a very limited production run model and final orders will be allocated on a percentage of total order if global demand surpasses production capacity."

So, without further ado ... we open the 946 Pre-Order OPTION to all our loyal fans!

If you would like to be placed on the 946 Order list a binding deposit of $995 will be required no later than Saturday April 27.

On April 30 ... we will place our sole 2013 order and see what we can get. Hopefully we'll be able to get all the 946's we order. If so, bikes will be delivered in the order of deposits, starting in November. MSRP for the 946 is $9,946. Total price will be plus freight, set up, DMV fees, registration and sales tax.

Please note : Deposits are non-refundable in event that we secure your order confirmation. If we cannot guarantee allocation to cover your 946 order .. your deposit will be returned promptly.

2014 Vespa 946 Tech details US model
All New Steel & Aluminum Chassis
Cantilever Seat
12" Alloy Wheels with dual disc brakes with 3-Channel ABS
All new 150 cc 3-Valve Fuel injected motor 12.7 HP
Traction Control
LED Headlamp
LCD instrument Panel
Anti-Dive Front Suspension and Advanced Rear Suspension System
COLORS :
Montebianco White with Red Trim
Gloss Black with Grey Trim
MSRP $9,946 + freight, set up, DMV fees, registration and sales tax.

are there any compartments on this thing?

where would you keep glove, registration, insurance, etc?

Nope. This bike isn't about practicality. It's about aesthetics. There is a very, very, very small space under the seat:

It reminds me Smallframe again- minimal under seat storage enough for documents and , in Primavera, for a spark plug wrench and absence of a glovebox.
Thank you very much for posting these pictures. It has been important thing for me to know. Now I see that maybe maybe there is a chance I could fit My SX bag on 946 seat (https://modernvespa.com/forum/topic30126)

Optional rear rack and a bag will provide a storage space comparable (or even bigger) to PX's glove box.