A CLASSIC RETURNS
Ask anyone to name a motor scooter and it won’t be long before Lambretta is mentioned. Considering the last Italian-built machine left the factory in 1971, that’s quite a statement, more so when one considers that for an entire generation, Lambretta is a
It’s the type of ‘brand identity’ that’s cat-nip to marketing gurus and it should come as no surprise that over the years several attempts have been made to relaunch the Lambretta in two-wheeled form. Does anyone remember the Lambretta Pato? No? I thought not, and that’s because the brand has been robustly defended. Unfortunately, a complicated chain of ownership meant that it wasn’t really clear whose job it was to defend the name, never mind who owned the rights to use it.
Undeterred by decades of legal wrangling, a consortium led by Dutchman Walter Scheffrahn was determined to bring the Lambretta back from extinction. As Walter explained, their intention was always intended to be more than one of badge engineering. “Lambretta is an iconic name,” he began. “As a child my brother was injured in an accident and a neighbour took him to hospital on his Lambretta. If it hadn’t been for that scooter he would have died. Every family has a Lambretta story to tell; it’s more than a name and deserves to be respected. With the V Special I believe we’ve managed to reflect that history, whilst creating a scooter for modern road conditions.”
After a long and no doubt costly legal battle, the consortium has now secured rights to brand its machines as Lambretta, but has it been worth the effort?
The problem with relaunching a classic is that there’s no evolutionary process to fall back on. Put a modern Vespa next to its 1970s equivalent, strip away the marketing claims and it’s difficult for an enthusiast, never mind a ‘normal person’, to spot the family resemblance. When creating the V Special, the design team made a conscious effort not to try and replicate the past. Instead they imagined what Lambretta would have produced today.
In some respects their vision was compromised from the outset as it’s one of the industry’s worstkept secrets that the V Special’s underpinnings owe much to the SYM Fiddle. In my opinion that decision owes far more to common sense than to taking a short cut. Firstly the Fiddle is a proven design with massive spares availability, and secondly adopting the Fiddle’s
mechanicals reduces development costs considerably. For styling the team turned to Austrian design house KISKA, who as designers to KTM clearly aren’t a company bound by convention. Having sought the advice of Lambretta enthusiasts there are enough design cues to satisfy, although there’s an irony in that the frame is a Vespa-style semi-monocoque construction. Side on, the V Special’s shorter than its ancestors, but there's little doubt that its shorter dimensions are more suited to modern city riding.
The overall impression is of a well-thought-out machine that has lots of nice detail touches. The new owner receives keys in a neat presentation pack and the speedo greets the rider with a cheery ‘Hello’ message. The paint finish is excellent. In fact, other manufacturers could take note of the machine’s overall level of finish. Underseat stowage must be amongst the largest in its class, but it’s a matter of try before you buy to see if your full face helmet is narrow enough to squeeze in.
For those seeking something more individual there are a range of options. These include choosing between Lambretta’s trademark ‘fixed’ mudguard or a more modern ‘flex’ version. A full range of accessories is available and special editions such as the Pirelli ‘black’ have already been produced.
Although it's also available in 50 and 125cc versions, my test ride was on the 200cc version (actually a rather optimistically badged 169cc unit). I think this was a bad move; ‘175’ would be closer to the truth and would sit well with Lambretta’s heritage variants, thus managing expectations in terms of performance. I’ve previously ridden the 125cc variant and there’s no doubt that the 200 is a leap forward in performance, but there’s disappointment ahead for anyone transitioning from a 200cc two-stroke.
Fortunately, other comparisons with the V Special’s two-stroke cousins are more favourable. The engine and ride are incredibly smooth – indeed, there’s almost no vibration. Even for a tall rider the seating position is comfortable, even though the seat may look slim. Weather during the test ride could best be described as appalling, but the V Special took things in its stride. Cornering was predictable with the machine unerringly holding its line, and braking was assured. In fact, the V Special offers an incredibly refined ride. I ride classic scooters a lot and can honestly say that I’d be happy taking the V Special on an extended trip. What I wouldn’t buy it for is screaming round country lanes on a weekend – it’s just not that kind of machine. If that sounds like a negative comment, it isn’t meant to be. For the rider who wants a comfortable, reliable ride with the cachet of a historic name the V Special is a worthy contender. About the only criticism I can level is that the mirrors are useless for anyone other than the very slightly built.
Although enthusiasts don’t want to hear it, had Innocenti stayed in business, a four-stroke auto made in a Far Eastern factory is probably what they’d have been offering today. Looking at the overall package, it’s fair to say that the V Special’s design team haven’t only succeeded in resurrecting a brand, they’ve also managed to create a Lambretta that’s fit for the 21st century.
Finally it looks like the Lambretta is back in our showrooms to stay.