Created in 1946, the Vespa is one of the world's most enduring designs and the symbol of Italian style. Initially meant to be an affordable and practical mode of transport, the Vespa also became a symbol of freedom for the young. In the 20th century, however, Vespa has emerged as a cult object, an icon of Italian design that is fun to ride, stylish and recognised all over the world.

Since its conception, Vespa has set trends rather than follow them. Small wonder then that, 58 years since the launch of the very first model, the Vespa manages to simultaneously be a style icon and a sales success worldwide.

The Vespa Granturismo, the first Vespa of the third millennium, is the latest chapter in the story of the world's best-known scooter that has given us 138 models, versions and variants (marked by different chassis codes) from 1946 to today.

Granturismo, an elegant and modern scooter, is the biggest, fastest, most powerful and most technologically advanced Vespa that Piaggio has ever produced. Its cutting-edge design is unmistakably and characteristically Vespa. With its large steel body, the Vespa Granturismo is the perfect mix of classic Vespa style and state-of-the-art technology.

Available in 125 and 200cc engine versions, this is the first-ever Vespa to have sparkling four-stroke, four-valve, liquid-cooled engines that meet the new Euro2 emissions standards, as well as 12-inch wheels and a two-disk brake system.

Design

The ultramodern lines of the steel body retain the classic styling expected of a Vespa. The pencil sketch that first shaped the Vespa's stylish profile has given way to the most sophisticated CAD systems. The Piaggio Style Centre's challenge was to renew the Vespa tradition without falling victim to nostalgia. "The fastest, most powerful and technically advanced Vespa of all time has linear, functional design. We didn't include 'retro' details because a real Vespa doesn't need them - we simply applied conceptual and stylistic continuity to retracing the shape of a unique tradition."

The Vespa Granturismo was created around the strong points that have decreed the Vespa's worldwide success: its unmistakable look, its practicality and ease of use, the legendary sturdiness of its steel body, its mechanical reliability. Very special attention was paid to comfort and riding pleasure as well as aesthetics.

Much work has been put into redesigning this classic scooter "To match the Vespa's classic shape to the new engine while enlarging wheel size, we had to redo all the proportions, both length and height-wise. Since we made the sides bigger, we had to narrow the lower part of the seat to create a proportionate side view as well as give the Granturismo the slender profile of more classic Vespas. The entire shape of the Vespa Granturismo had to be in harmony with the new wheels, the new engines and, above all, the new needs of those who use two wheelers today. This led to a marked growth in size."

The headlamp, which has always been one of the Vespa's major features and marked its design evolution, now has an absolutely unique shape and size. A contemporary version of the classic round headlamp, the new design is more elongated to make it aerodynamic and stylistically in harmony with the angle of the front shield.

The chromed frame follows the curve of the lamp so closely that frame and lamp seem to be one single element. The larger lamp size ensures perfect lighting to contribute to safe riding. The overall effect of the front of the Granturismo is stylish and clean. The wide front shield offers optimal aerodynamic rider protection and indicator lamps set flush into it add to the smooth appearance. The liquid cooling radiator is located in the hollow beneath the shield, just above the large front mudguard, which has retained its elegant lines.

The satin-aluminium chrome trim along the front shield and footrest of the Vespa Granturismo subtly emphasises the vehicle's stylish shape. The small rear rack and engine crankcase are also finished in chrome to complete the contemporary look of the bike. The rear-view mirrors are also in chromed metal, and ensure excellent visibility for the rider.

The footrest panel joins the front shield and runs flat and wide to the rear of the bike, with the rubber trim and mat on the lower part of the inside front shield that have always been elements of the Vespa's makeup.

Two retractable footrests at the rear make passenger seating more comfortable. Made of brushed aluminium, they fit discreetly into the bodywork of the bike when not in use, emphasising the up-to-date features of the Granturismo.

The rear cowls still have the classic Vespa 'curves'. One of the priorities in creating this new model was to keep this design element, which is so reminiscent of 1970s models. The rear lamp fits seamlessly into the bodywork, continuing the sinuous and stylish progression of the vehicle's lines.

The double-stitched seat is extraordinarily large and wide for ultimate rider and passenger comfort and the 790-mm seat height is ideal for riders of any stature.

The instrumentation is placed on an elegant satin-look base and includes a mileage counter with dual kph/mph readings, analogue cooling liquid temperature indicator and fuel level indicator, all of which light up blue for excellent visibility when riding at night.

Also incorporated are a digital clock, direction indicators, high beam indicator, oil level, and fuel reserve indicator. The polycarbon cover of the panel also contains a LED display for the immobiliser (the Granturismo has an anti-start mechanism with a special key as well as the usual steering wheel lock and chain ring attached to the frame). The handlebar commands are easy to access and use. For increased rider safety, the Vespa Granturismo's lights are always on at low beam.

The Vespa Granturismo 125L and 200L have both a central stand and side stand; the latter goes up automatically when not in use.

Frame and cycle parts

The Vespa Granturismo has the pressed steel monocoque chassis that has always set the Vespa apart from any other mass-produced scooter.

The advantages of this manufacturing tradition include sturdiness and high rigidity - as high as 250 per cent more than scooter with a tube frame and plastic body.

Together with the cycle parts, it guarantees excellent road holding and handling.

In front the Vespa Granturismo has the classic single-arm suspension, another "aeronautic" touch typical of the Vespa, which has always worked perfectly. This system separates the support and shock-absorbing functions, resulting in neutral braking, and has an anti-lunge effect.

At the rear the Vespa Granturismo has two spring pre-load-adjustable hydraulic shock absorbers linked to the transmission crankcase and exhaust support.

For the first time on a Vespa, the wheel rims go from 10 to 12 inches and use tubeless tyres that measure 120/70-12" in front and 130/70-12" rear. This choice was dictated by the larger size and superior performance of the Vespa Granturismo compared to preceding models. For the same reasons the braking system is radically new for a Vespa and has 220-mm hydraulic disks on the front and rear wheels.

With this configuration and its powerful, ultramodern 200 and 125cc engines, the Vespa Granturismo offers great ease, comfort and agility in everyday urban traffic but is also safe and enjoyable in mid-and-long range travel.

Under the seat is the fuel tank, whose 10-litre capacity allows long-range travel but does not restrict either under-seat space (which holds two jet helmets) or easy access to the engine once the helmet carrier has been lifted off (no tools required).

Engines

The Vespa Granturismo's engines belong to the latest family of environmentally friendly engines entirely designed, developed and produced by Piaggio. The two four-stroke engines have been developed in classic 125 and 200 displacements. Both use an advanced four-valve distribution system and are liquid cooled. The 200cc in particular places the Vespa Granturismo at the top, performance-wise, in the entire evolution of the Vespa, making it a powerful successor to models that have gone down in scooter history such as the 1955 GS 150, the 1966 90SS, the 1976 Primavera ET3 and the 1985 T5.

In fact the Vespa Granturismo 200L has a hefty 14.7 kW (20 hp) maximum power output, a figure that only much higher displacements could achieve until today. The top torque figures (17.5 Nm at 6,500 rpm) ensure that pick-up is strong starting from low rpm. This allows for exceptional agility and ease of use especially in city riding, completing an engine configuration that offers top performance, brilliant acceleration and a maximum speed touching 120 kph.

The Vespa Granturismo 125L's engine also has an excellent power output of 11 kW (15 hp), the maximum permitted for use with a car licence, and torque of 11.5 Nm.

The 125 and 200cc engines offer riding pleasure with the lowest levels of air and noise pollution. These engines are already in line with Euro 2 standards, the most advanced European legislation today for two wheeler emissions - a result of a two-way catalytic converter and secondary air system.

With one of the world's major engine research and development and manufacturing centres, Piaggio has taken up the challenge of offering increasingly sophisticated customers products that guarantee not just performance, reliability and safety but attention to the environment as well.

Target and positioning

The Vespa Granturismo widens the Vespa brand range.

Since production of the Vespa Primavera ceased the Vespa range has had only three different models, each with its own technical specifications, performance and target clientele.

The Vespa Granturismo will be the flagship of the existing range consisting of ET and PX ranges and creates a new product type between large-displacement GT scooters and traditional scooters. It is designed to cater for high expectations of performance and comfort and those who want not just a scooter but also a vehicle that represents a specific lifestyle choice.

The Vespa Granturismo's typical customer profile differs according to the engine displacement. The 125cc has a young clientele (as young as 16 in some countries, but with an average age range of 25-32), and up to 25 per cent of its riders are female. The typical Vespa Granturismo 200L customer is over 25 and predominantly male (up to 90 per cent on average in Europe). Both types of user tend to belong to the upper middle class, live in cities and want an easy ride that has character as well as speed.

Colours and accessories

The Vespa's charm is based not only on its unique design but also on the colours that emphasise its originality.

Both the 200L and 125L versions of the Vespa Granturismo come in six metallic colours that express 21st century elegance and a modern take on the "historical" Vespa colours. They are: Diamond White, Imperial Blue, Excalibur Grey, Smoky Grey, Vintage Green and Graphite Black.

Windscreen

Practical and easy to fix, the accessory windscreen gives the rider excellent protection and visibility. The anti-collision material used in its production ensures that it doesn't crack if damaged. All the metal parts of the fixings are in zinc-plated steel.

Top case

The 42-litre top case adds functionality to the Vespa Granturismo, improving its already excellent storage capacity. It holds either one full-face helmet and one demi jet or two jet helmets. Made of polypropene with fibreglass reinforcements, the top case is available in the different Vespa Granturismo colours and has a backrest in the seat colour for the passenger's comfort.

Helmets

The launch of the Vespa Granturismo also marks the launch of a new range of Vespa helmets, with three polycarbon models homologated to the ECE05 standard:

• Demi jet with top and bottom lining in the same material as the Vespa Granturismo saddle
• Elongated jet with No Fog visor and design under the lacquer that takes up the finish of the Vespa saddle
• Full-face: decorated like the elongated jet, No Fog visor.