Piaggio showcased the Vespa Sport (Vespa S) automatic scooter at the recently concluded 2014 Auto Expo, with an impending launch later in the year. The Italian company will now launch the model much earlier on the 4th of March in the country. The scooter has been dispatched to the dealers and the bookings have already begun. The Vespa Sport has been priced at Rs. 71,414 (ex-showroom, Pune) and deliveries will begin almost immediately. The Vespa Sport is priced at Rs. 4000/- more than the VX model and sits on the top of Piaggio’s scooter lineup in the country. This puts the on-road price of the Vespa Sport in Mumbai close to Rs. 85,000/-.
The Vespa Sport gets distinguishable differences in exterior design to set it apart from the LX and VX models. The round headlight design is now replaced with a square shaped headlamp unit. The square shaped design continues on the wing mirrors as well. The front looks more mature and has a more muscular appearance. The rear retains the Italian styling seen on the other models; the tail light however is positioned higher on the Sport. The analogue instrument cluster gets a retro touch, while the glove box is an exposed one. Adding sport to the Vespa S is the front suspension coil painted in red, while the 3-spoke alloy wheels from the VX get black powder coating.
The Vespa Sport shares its powertrain with the Vespa VX. Powering the Sport is a 125cc, 3-valve, single-cylinder, four-stroke engine that produces 10.06 HP of power and 10.06 Nm of torque, mated to a CVT transmission. The front uses single-sided hydraulic suspension, while the rear gets a monoshock setup. The Sport has been designed on a monocoque chassis. You also get tubeless tyres and front disc brake as standard.
If the Vespa LX or VX were too cute to your liking, the S model emerges as the most macho of the lot. Piaggio will be offering the Sport in four body colours namely white, matte black, bright orange and red. The company also claims to have improved the seat comfort on the scooter. Post the launch of the Vespa Sport next week, the Italian two-wheeler manufacturer will set out to launch the flagship 946 scooter that will be brought to India via the CBU route. We were the first to report about the company’s plans to bring this Rs. 2 lakh scooter to the country.
