From Motoblog: Piaggio plans to launch new Beverly and Carnaby models next week. The Beverly Tourer is a new version of the scooter known as the “BV” in the U.S. The new line will feature 125, 250, and 400cc versions. The Carnaby (unavailable in the U.S.) will feature new colors with 125 and 200cc engines. While we’re on the topic, I don’t think we’ve mentioned their new-ish X7, yet, by the way. It’s getting a lot of press in Europe lately.
Category: Europe
German Custom Scooter Shows (March ’08)
This past weekend Scooter-Attack hosted a custom scooter show in Saarbruecken, Germany. If you missed out on seeing the show you can catch up with a few Youtube videos. Some wild stuff was shown off and even if bling isn’t your bag, you’ve got to be impressed with the level of professionalism in the event. Another custom show is in a few weeks and hosted by Scooter-Center in Cologne.
Decimal points are your friends
A Hemscott headline reports that Italian motorcycle registrations dropped 51% in Feburary. In the following story, however, they add the decimal point where it belongs, a much-less-newsworthy 5.1%. As in January, under-50cc registrations actually increased while scooter and motorcycles declined.
Ramblo, Ramblas, Rambla, Ramblamos, Rambláis, Ramblan
Derbi unveils the Rambla 125 and 250. Now that Piaggio has broken brand precedent and released the Gilera Fuoco here as a Piaggio, maybe there’s hope for U.S. fans of distinctive Spanish scooter design.
WSJ: Suits ride scooters too
The Wall Street Journal‘s crack squad of business journalists have discovered that in Europe, even people with jobs ride scooters!
The Wall Street Journal‘s crack squad of business journalists have discovered that in Europe, even people with jobs ride scooters!
Italy looks to scrap older scooters
The Italian government has approved a plan to pay scooterists a €300 incentive to replace their old scooters with newer, less-polluting models.
Glasgow Airport police go Vectrix
Add Strathclyde Police to the short list of Vectrix riders. (Another story) (Bonus: a a review of the Vectrix from Londonbikers.com.)
Piaggio will not privatize
Ducati Motor Holding has announced plans to buy out shareholders at a 23% premium and take Ducati private. According to Forbes, this news drove up Piaggio stocks, though Piaggio asserted today that they have no intention of following Ducati’s lead. 56.5% of Piaggio shares are held by IMMSI SpA, Piaggio chairman/CEO Roberto Colaninno’s holding company.
(See comments, I originally totally mangled this story and reported that Ducati was threatening to buy out Piaggio stockholders. I blame Forbes for writing confusing sentences.)
Paris’ MP3 taxi service
Motoblog reports Parisian entrepreneurs Ludovic Dazin and Remi Flesselles have launched “Nip Bike,” a Paris taxi service using Piaggio MP3 scooters.
Brush with Vespa bandits
A first-hand account of a run-in with Sicilian “Vespa Bandits.”
Italian sales down, under-50ccs up in January
An Italian industry association reported yesterday that over-50cc new scooter registrations dropped 7.7 percent (25,896 units registered) in January, but 50cc registrations are up 9.7% (7,838 units registered). Motorcycle sales also suffered, dropping 11.9% (9601 units registered). (Forbes)
In arder t0 instal Pinasco PX/Rally performances…
P!nasco’s instrcutions on the line for perf0rmances kIt install appears to been mutiIated by bo1th machInes trans1ati0r *and* by the text recognizer soft war e. (Thanks, Matty)
“Andretti” scooters
The latest in scooter badge engineering: PSF’s Andretti Scooters.
Yes, that Andretti.Purchase Point Media Corporation, who recently bought Power Sports Factory, (who sells Chinese-made “Yamati” and “Strada” scooters) has licensed auto-racing legend Mario Andretti’s name for a line of scooters. Continue reading ““Andretti” scooters”
Piaggio steps up Asian operations, hybrids due late 2008
At a press event in Mumbai today, Piaggio announced plans to re-enter the Indian scooter market, focusing on manufacturing hybrids for the local market by 2010. The press release states that the company will be selling Vespa/Piaggio hybrids in Europe by the end of this year.
Piaggio has been producing 3- and 4-wheeled utility vehicles in India for years, but has avoided the crowded scooter market. The press release also lists new agreements with partners and suppliers, and hints at more. It also outlines their operations in China (a partnership with Zongshen Group, making Piaggios for local and world markets), Vietnam (a new factory manufacturing scooters for local markets), and Japan (a new importer/distributor).
Citroen 2cv brochures
A link stolen from my day job: Nicely-designed Citroen brochures from the ’60s.