New Vespa Primavera and Sprint revealed
ICONIC scooter brand Vespa reasserts its presence in the Philippines with the simultaneous launch of two updated classic nameplates.
The Primavera (P185,000), touted as “one of the most spectacular commercial successes” in the brand’s history, marks its 50th year with updates even as it
continues to boast familiar attributes, namely: “young, innovative, technologically avant-garde, agile and dynamic, and environmentally friendly.”
Key changes in style and features include bigger wheels (12-inch aluminum alloys, the largest in Vespa history) with a revamped fivespoke design. In a release, MotoItalia Philippines (authorized local dealer and service provider) said this feature promise heightened stability, safety, and “holding” on all surfaces and road conditions. Additionally, the Primavera now features LED lighting technology on both headlights and rear lamps.
The new version also gets a unique “tie” design on its front and chrome crest on the front mudguard. Powering it is Vespa’s 150cc, latest-generation four-stroke engine with three valves per cylinder. The system delivers 12.7hp at 7,750rpm and 12.8Nm at 6,500rpm.
Primavera (owners also have a range of customization options. The top box — painted in the same color as the bike — accommodates a full-face helmet, and can be complemented with a backrest. A chrome-plated base upon which the top box is mounted may be used as a luggage rack. The anti-chip methacrylate windscreen can also be customized with the Vespa logo. A top fairing (available as transparent or tinted) can also be fitted; same with chrome-plated front and rear luggage racks, and front side and rear chrome mudguards. An internal top box bag, side stand, outdoor cover, and indoor cover, and rubber matting complete the additional accessories. Theft-thwarting features are also available.
Meanwhile, hailed as the “youngest and sportiest Vespa,” the Sprint (P205,000) has its beginnings in the 1960s as a new batch of these two wheelers which “invaded European roads.” Small, quick, agile, and modern, the Sprint is conceived to appeal to a more youthful set of riders. It directly descends from models such as the SS 90 or the Primavera ET3, and motivated by a four-stroke, three-valve electronic-injection engine. The 155cc power plant generates up to 12.7hp and 12.8Nm.
Platformed on a light body made entirely of steel, the Sprint is equipped with a rectangular headlight and boasts dynamic styling. Like the Primavera, this Vespa now has 12-inch wheels, and swaps its old lighting system with LEDs for both the headlight and rear assembly, and earns a similar “tie” feature on its front to indicate it as a new model.
A similar top box can swallow a full-face helmet, and may be finished with a backrest enveloped by the same material as the seat. A chrome-plated base where the top box is mounted similarly doubles as a luggage rack. The new Sprint also sports a methacrylate windscreen customized with the Vespa logo. It can likewise be fitted with a top fairing, chrome-plated front and rear luggage racks, front side and rear chrome mudguards, internal top box bag, side stand, and indoor and outdoor vehicle covers. Theftproof features are also offered.
MotoItalia Philippines head Willy Tee Ten expressed elation over the sales performance of Vespa in the country, which he maintained can also be explained as a reaction to skyrocketing fuel prices and congestion in our thoroughfares. “We never expected Vespa to grow this big... Today, we have 17 dealerships and we’re not going anywhere but up,” he said during the launch event last week held at the Bonifacio Global City showroom of Vespa in Taguig City.
Added MotoItalia Philippines group GM Miguelito Jose, “Vespa has always been keen on detail, performance, and service — driving generations of young people for over 70 years. One of the most important models is this long story is certainly the Vespa Primavera. On the other hand, we have the Sprint, which is the ideal Vespa for anyone who wants to ride around town in style and on something dynamic.”