Vespa turned 70 and Piaggio celebrated it in style

2016 has been quite an eventful year with too many things happening. One such milestone in the automotive industry that made this year what it is has been Vespa's 70th anniversary. Since the first 98cc model rolled out of the Pontedera works in Italy in 1946, Piaggio has seen this iconic scooter come a long way, selling more than 18 million units and earning legions of fans worldwide. 

To commemorate the anniversary, Piaggio Group had lined up a series of celebrations spread across the year. As part of that, three models in Vespa's international lineup - the classic and timeless PX, the sleek and nimble Primavera and the powerful and sporty GTS - are being offered in limited 'Settantesimo' editions. Settantesimo is Italian for seventieth, in case you're wondering.

Offered in two exclusive colours, Azzurro 70 (Blue) and Grigio 70 (Silver), the 70th Anniversary editions offer an added dose of style in true Vespa fashion on what are arguably stylish packages already. A dark brown leather seat with beige piping, contrasting 'dust grey' wheels and a chrome luggage carrier are the highlights of these special editions. Of course, prominent 'Vespa 70' logos are embossed on the seat as well as the inside of the front fairing to let people know this isn't a regular Vespa. That's not all, a 'retro' leather bag that matches the seat's colour and stitching pattern can be had to carry your stuff along. Talk about attention to detail!

We also like the way Vespa has spread these 70th Anniversary editions across its lineup to suit different tastes and preferences. 

For the power-craving crowd, there is the GTS 300 70th Anniversary edition. With a 300cc engine that delivers 22 horsepower and 22.3 Nm of torque, the GTS is the fastest and the most powerful Vespa out there. Amongst other features, this flagship Vespa gets front and rear disc brakes, Antilock Braking System (ABS), Anti-Skid Regulator (ASR), LED Daytime Running Lights and USB port.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Primavera 70th Anniversary edition targets the beginners and the young urban riders alike with engine options from as low as 50cc all the way up to 150cc. It was with the original Primavera of 1968 Vespa grew into a truly global phenomenon and we are glad this modern iteration is part of these celebrations.

How could the timeless PX not be a part of anything Vespa? With a design that has hardly changed over three decades, it is remarkable that the PX is still relevant and capable enough to pull in crowds. To top it all, the PX continues to be the only Vespa to still offer the four-speed twist-grip manual gear change that our dads were so in love with.

We have saved the best for last. You and me can be a part of these celebrations too, right here in India. When Vespa launched the 946 Emporio Armani limited edition, they also launched the VXL150 70th Anniversary edition in the country. Priced at ₹96,500 ex-showroom Pune, the anniversary edition is powered by a 150cc engine that churns out 11.4 horsepower and 11.5 Nm of torque.

What are you waiting for then? Go, grab a slice of automotive history before they are all sold out.

Empty your wallets and your bank accounts, the Vespa 946 Emporio Armani is now in India!

What happens when iconic Italian flair meets the ultimate in Italian fashion? The result is the Vespa 946 Emporio Armani. As the name suggests, this special edition scooter is an ode to the original 1946 Vespa with styling inputs from Giorgio Armani, the famous Italian fashion house.

Designed to commemorate 140 years of existence of the Piaggio Group and 40th anniversary of the Giorgio Armani foundation, the Vespa 946 Emporio Armani is truly one-of-a-kind. Indians got a first glimpse of the scooter at the 2016 Auto Expo in New Delhi with Piaggio officially launching it earlier this week. The price? That's a whopping ₹12.04 Lakhs, ex-showroom Pune. Your eyes are perfectly fine. This scooter costs 12 Lakh Rupees!

The regular Vespa 946 sports retro-modern styling that mimics the original 1946 Vespa. The Emporio Armani edition takes it to the next level. Wearing a unique matte black paint job and bespoke alloy wheels, the 946 Emporio Armani's feature list include full LED lighting, Anti-lock Braking, Anti-slip Regulator traction control system, front and rear disc brakes, LCD instrument cluster and leather-wrapped handlebars. The words Emporio Armani are prominently placed on both sides while Armani's eagle logo is stuck on top of the headlight.

Just look at it, complete with that unconventional seat and the beautiful leather bag fitted on to the carrier. If this isn't a fashion statement, what else is? We could keep staring at it all day!

Unfortunately, the 946 does not have the go to match its show. The single cylinder 125cc engine is shared with the regular Vespas and generates 11.7 horsepower and 10.3 Nm of torque mated to an automatic transmission. While the engine is adequate enough for everyday riding, it just doesn't make you feel 'special' after paying what Vespa is asking for this scooter. Think of it, Vespa is charging us 1 Lakh Rupees for every horsepower!

But that's the whole point. See this as a scooter and it makes no sense to plonk your hard-earned money to buy one. But, look at the 946 Emporio Armani as a style statement - a sort of expensive piece of sculpture that could move around - and it suddenly makes sense for those with deep pockets to have one at their disposal.

As for the rest, go rob a bank in the vicinity. Even that won't guarantee enough funds to buy one of these!