Vespa is all set to re-enter the Indian market for the third time but this time it plans to offer the Indians iconic value. “A Vespa is a Vespa, not a scooter,” says Ravi Chopra, Piaggio India Chairman and Managing Director. The company is planning to introduce gearless scooters suited for women as well. It has recently received approval for Euro 45m loan from World Bank arm that it will utilise to manufacture scooters, LCVs and eco-friendly two-wheelers in Vietnam and India. “The ladies sit this way,” Colaninno said, demonstrating how women in India typically ride side-saddle on the back of a scooter to accommodate their floor-length saris. He also called the new model as “Indian Vespa.”
Initially Piaggio will launch a 125cc single cylinder 4-stroke scooter with electronic injection. It will have a fuel tank capacity of 8.5L and will have automatic transmission. The new product will be manufactured at its Baramati plant and will be commercially available in the Indian market by 2012.
The company's chairman Roberto Colaninno said a Vespa scooter will cost about US$800 (Rs 32,000) to produce in India, and has high hopes that with traffic growing the way it is, scooters will be the way to go and Vespa will be able to compete on price with Asian brands like Honda, Yamaha and Bajaj.
