LAMBRETTA MYTHS AND LEGENDS
It’s often viewed as an ugly duckling, but was the Lambretta Luna line really just too far ahead of its time?
In the spring of 1968 Innocenti launched its new range of Lambretta scooters called the Luna line. Totally different in appearance to any other Lambretta before it, the Bertone-styled machine showed the way ahead in modern design. There were to be three models, the Lui with a 50cc engine for the Italian home market and two export models, both with 75cc – the Vega and Cometa. The Cometa came with the Lubematic direct oil feed system.
The chassis at the front end was similar in design to that of the current Lambretta range where the leg shields bolted direct to a tubular frame – unlike the back which was made of pressed steel construction, similar to that of the J range which it was replacing. With its triangulated and squared off leg shields, antennae-like handle bars and for the first time a rectangular headlamp there was nothing else like it in comparison.
The engine was similar in layout to that of the J range but would feature an up and over exhaust giving considerably more ground clearance. Mechanically, everything remained the same as it was on previous Lambretta models, apart from the lubematic system on the Cometa. With a top speed of nearly 60mph there were high hopes that the Vega would continue Lambretta’s domination in the scooter market.
Lambretta Concessionaires released the Vega and Cometa in Britain in August of 1968 amid a great fanfare of expectations. Priced at £115 and launched against the backdrop of the ensuing space race, the Luna line aptly took a futuristic space age theme. With advertising slogans such as “the scooter with the space age look” or available in colours such as orbit orange or Martian red it certainly was an attempt to cash in on the current trends.
Six months since its launch, Lambretta Concessionaires realised it had a battle on its hands as sales failed to “take off”. Various promotions were tried to attract sales, the first of which was to lure in those customers who would use a hire purchase scheme to buy one. Up till that point a 33% down payment was required if buying on terms but from now on no deposit was required. This meant that the price had to rise to around £140 to cover the cost of receiving no initial outlay, but it also meant that a customer could now walk in to a shop, sign up and take away a Vega or Cometa without paying a penny. With such an incentive it came as a great shock when the scheme failed. Another six months later and with sales struggling in both Italy and Britain, Innocenti was now
With its triangulated and squared off leg shields, antennae-like handle bars and for the first time a rectangular headlamp there was nothing else like it in comparison.
under real pressure to turn things around. In one final attempt the company prepared to slash its profit margins to try and attract buyers meaning that in Britain both models would be available for around £100. Yet again this failed to attract buyers with innocent finally pulling the plug on the complete range shortly afterwards.
So why did the Luna line fail to capture the public’s imagination and what stopped people from buying it? On one hand it was slightly flimsy and suffered from vibration but nothing too excessive. In reality it was simply too different in its design to what had preceded it. Since the introduction of the LD, all Lambretta models had looked similar, even the J range. When Bertone was given the job of designing Luna line he looked at it from a totally different angle and came up with something new and radical.
It’s human nature to be sceptical about change and traditional Lambretta owners were no exception. One of the advertising slogans, “the scooter with the year 2000 look” wasn’t far wrong. The problem was this was 1968 and to most it just looked too alien, if you’ll pardon the pun.