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IN PICS: Now, a Vespa for Rs 9 lakh!

March 10, 2014 09:59 IST
Vespa 946

You can buy 18 Honda Activas or three Maruti Altos or a Honda City for the same price...

Piaggio Vehicles, is taking luxury to a new level.

The Pune-based company is ready to launch India's most expensive scooter before June.

The scooter, which will be sold under the Vespa brand, is expected to carry a price tag of Rs 8 lakh to Rs 9 lakh.

To put the number in perspective, one can buy 18 Honda Activas or three Maruti Altos or a Honda City for the same price.

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IN PICS: Now, a Vespa for Rs 9 lakh!

March 10, 2014 09:59 IST
The Vespa 946

Branded as the Vespa 946, this automatic scooter will be so exclusive that Piaggio does not even intend to build it here.

The vehicle will be shipped from Europe and brought to India as a completely built unit to be sold in limited numbers.

The pricing puts the Vespa 946 on a par with several imported and locally assembled superbikes from Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Triumph, Harley-Davidson and Ducati.

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IN PICS: Now, a Vespa for Rs 9 lakh!

March 10, 2014 09:59 IST
The Vespa 946

With the ultra-high pricing, Piaggio is keen on pushing the premium positioning of the Vespa even higher.

Vespa scooters sell at a premium of 35 per cent compared to its rivals. The Vespa LX is priced 36 per cent higher than the Honda Activa.

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IN PICS: Now, a Vespa for Rs 9 lakh

March 10, 2014 09:59 IST
The Vespa 946

The ultra-premium positioning of the Vespa is ground-breaking in a country where scooters are seen as a utility product.

Scooter demand in India reached its peak with the geared Bajaj Chetak which disappeared after the introduction of cheaper and more fuel-efficient, Indo-Japanese bikes.

Demand made a comeback with the success of the Honda Activa, which has a waiting period of over a month.

The Honda Activa is the largest selling scooter in India with sales of around 100,000 units a month.

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IN PICS: Now, a Vespa for Rs 9 lakh!

March 10, 2014 09:59 IST
The Vespa S

Piaggio, which strengthened its position in the three-wheeler segment, expanded its presence under the brand Vespa.

The company launched yet another variant last week called Vespa S at Rs 76,495 (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

The Vespa S joins the earlier launched Vespa LX and VX.

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IN PICS: Now, a Vespa for Rs 9 lakh!

March 10, 2014 09:59 IST
The Vespa S

The Vespa S will be powered by a 125cc, three valve engine.

The scooter comes loaded with features like disc brakes, tubeless tyres, which are standard on bikes such as the Bajaj Pulsar, Honda Unicorn and alike.

The Vespa comes in a single piece steel monocoque chassis and is available in four colours.

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