Car and Motorcycle

VESPA 946 UNVEILED IN NEW YORK CITY

VESPA 946 UNVEILED IN NEW YORK CITY

   Vespa’s new 946 started its American adventure in a grand way at the Bulgari flagship store on 5th Avenue in New York City, accompanied by none other than Piaggio CEO and president Roberto Colaninno.

Originally revealed to the media in the form of the ultra-sophisticated Quarantasei concept, the 946 went into production earlier this year, with 3600 units giving life to the “Ricordo Italiano Collection,” available in either Montebianco (white) or Nero Lucido (black).

Under the elegant aluminum bodywork is a state-of-the-art scooter with an air-cooled, SOHC, three-valve, 125cc single-cylinder engine, ABS, and traction control. MSRP is $9,946. The 2014 collection will have a different name and its own unique graphics and finishes.

Colaninno said that during the first nine months of this year, Vespa set an all-time sales record, having retailed 146,000 units, an increase of 21.3 percent over the same period in 2012. That remarkable number confirms that Vespa remains an icon among scooters, with timeless styling and daily functionality.

Colaninno also announced that Piaggio would unveil the new Primavera model at next month’s EICMA show in Milan. The National American Italian Foundation later presented him with the NIAF Special Achievement Award in International Business at its gala event in Washington, D.C.