Timelessly elegant design and a compact steel body are the hallmarks of an exceptionally snappy new Vespa that stands out in the hurly burly of urban traffic.

Ever since it first appeared in 1946, the Vespa has escaped stereotyping of any kind. The Vespa started the scooter phenomenon and went on to sell nearly 17 million units in five continents. Its design and technical features have been regularly updated over the years, but two things about the Vespa have never changed - its inimitable style, and how easy it is to ride.

The Vespa has been the vehicle of choice for entire generations of young people, and in all these decades it has never gone out of fashion.

Initially a means of personal transport and freedom in post-war Europe, the Vespa has ended up being a style icon, a worldwide symbol of Italian design. The Vespa has never stopped evolving, while retaining the elegant simplicity that has always set it apart.

The Vespa LX is the 139th Vespa in almost 60 years. It is the sublime heir of a truly unique legacy, a designer scooter for those who want a stylish, avant-garde scooter for town use.

The new Vespa LX replaces the Vespa ET launched in 1996, a smash success with over 460,000 units produced.

Design

On the LX, the unmistakable Vespa outline is more sharply drawn. Vibrant, angular design, utterly modern yet timelessly elegant, marks a compact yet protective steel body. The result is an eye-catching Vespa that slaloms its way with ease through the hurly burly of urban traffic.

The Vespa LX retains the features that have made the Vespa one of the world's best-known vehicles - stylish design, absolute comfort, solidity, optimal performance in town use and twist-and-go ease of use. The all-steel body sets the Vespa LX apart from any other scooter produced today. The advantage of the welded steel body is that it offers unmatchable rigidity and steering precision.

The Vespa LX takes its place alongside the Vespa Granturismo. Like the Granturismo, it is a successful blend of classic Vespa style and sharp-edged modern design.

The round headlamp recalls vintage Vespas and echoes the Vespa Granturismo's design. The rear-view mirrors in chrome-plated steel are a style element straight out of Vespa history. The big, easy-to-read instrument panel features a speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge and digital clock as well as a turn signal indicator, low and high beam and oil level indicator (engine oil for the four stroke versions and fuel-oil mixture for the 50cc two stroke). The anti-theft LED is standard on the 125 and 150cc. The front shield is wide and offers excellent protection. The turn signal indicators with a stylish plastic cover are different from those on the ET: they are bigger for better visibility, with a more angular shape. The square front mudguard goes well with the new front shield shape, wrapping the 11" wheel rim, which has an elegant new five-spoke design in aluminium alloy.

The inside of the front shield has a glove compartment in the same colour as the bodywork to hold a mobile phone, gloves, sunglasses or other small objects. The under-seat storage area holds a full-face helmet.

Clever proportion is a Vespa trademark. The large, flat footrest panel, which makes for very comfortable riding, links the front to the rear, running all the way to the geometrically shaped cowls. This is another detail that recalls earlier Vespas. The cowls bear the classic Vespa logo and the model name and slope down to the indicators built into the bodywork. The overall design of the rear is more sharply traced and more typically 'Vespa' than the ET series. The tail end is blunter, emphasising the solidity of the all-steel scooter. It holds a 1970s-Vespa-style tail lamp.

The well-shaped wide saddle is made to comfortably host both rider and passenger. The passenger can use the chrome-plated handgrip that is functional as well as stylish. Saddle height of merely 775 mm (785 mm on the 125 and 150cc) gives riders of any height perfect control of the vehicle. The seat-opening button is handily located on the left side of the saddle, commonly used when getting off the scooter. There is a bag hook on the front of the saddle to rest a rucksack or bags of shopping on the footrest panel.

The Vespa LX has both a central stand and a side stand. Simple to use, with a spring that snaps it back into position for extra safety, the side stand is ideal when you need to leave the scooter idling on quick stops.

The monocoque steel load-bearing structure is a feature unique to the Vespa. The LX uses avant-garde technology to keep the Vespa steel body tradition alive.

Besides overall solidity, the steel structure gives the scooter exceptional rigidity for precise handling and steering.

The front suspension with its dual effect hydraulic shock absorber has an aircraft-derived single-sided trailing arm, a feature that has marked every Vespa since 1946. On the Vespa LX the single arm uses roller bearings to reduce wear and tear.

At the rear the new Vespa has a suspension with a dual effect hydraulic single shock absorber. Spring pre-load is adjustable to four positions on the 125 and 150cc versions so that the rider and passenger can modify ride set-up for maximum comfort.

The wheel rims have an elegant new five-spoke design. For the first time the front wheel diameter goes up to 11", enhancing stability and the feeling of a safer ride. The tubeless tyres are 110/70 on the front wheel and 120/70 on the 10" rear wheel.

The brakes are a classic disk-drum combination. The hydraulic front disc brake in stainless steel has a 200 mm diameter and a calliper with two opposed pistons for quick, precise braking, backed up by the strong, easily modulated mechanical rear drum.

The 8.6 litre fuel tank fits into the body without reducing the under seat space and allows easy, tool-free access to the engine area.

Engines

The Vespa LX engine range, designed and produced entirely in-house at Piaggio, is made to suit the varying needs of riders in town use.

The four engines in the Vespa LX range meet the recent Euro 2 emissions norms more than satisfactorily as a result of the avant-garde overall engine design project as well as the use of catalytic converters and the SAS system.

Equipped with extremely modern engines from 50 to 150cc in two and four stroke versions, the Vespa LX guarantees sparkling performance and agile manoeuvring in town traffic as well as a safe, entertaining mid-range ride. The use of optimized engine parts reduces both the amount of maintenance work and the need for servicing.

The 50cc 2 stroke Hi-Per2 Is meant mainly for younger users who want a simple but powerful engine. Flexible running makes it ideal for stop-and-start use in town.

The Hi-Per4, a 50cc 4 stroke, offers the advantage of low running costs as it does 45 km to a litre, and is destined for adult users who want a modern 4 stroke without giving up on 50cc ease of use.

The 125cc is a classic Vespa displacement and the first 125cc Vespa goes back to 1948 - the famous model used in the cult film Roman Holiday. Forty-seven years later, the Vespa LX 125 uses an advanced Leader (Low Emission Advanced Engine Range) series 125cc engine. With power output of 10.3 bhp, the engine takes the Vespa LX to a speed of 91 km/h, offering the reserve power needed to slip through town traffic with the greatest of ease.

The150cc tops the new Vespa LX engine range. Power output of 11.7 bhp and top speed of 95 km/h make it possible to handle mid-range trips safely while offering a cost-effective 37 km to the litre.

All the engines on the new LX and the other Vespa models are the result of the challenge the Piaggio Group has set itself: offering customers performance, reliability and safety as well as the knowledge of riding a vehicle with minimal impact on the environment.

The Pontedera plant is the Piaggio Group's major research and development centre in the engine sector and is internationally recognised for excellence.

Colours and accessories

The colours of the Vespa have always contributed to its appeal. The new LX is no exception, with colour choices that enhance its modern design, compact shape and classic overtones.

The metallic colours are Graphite Black, Excalibur Grey, Diamond White, Dawn Blue and Daring Plum. The vibrant Dragon Red is available in a pastel version.

The range of accessories, designed to allow each Vespa LX rider to personalise his or her own vehicle, highlights the scooter's functional aspects and stylishness.

• Top case: Stylish and roomy (32 litres), its design harmonises with the shape and the colour of the vehicle. The Vespa logo in bas-relief made directly from the die is a unique element.
• Windscreen: This winter-protection accessory is made of methacrylic polymer. Its clean-cut yet enveloping shape also protects the rider's hands and makes the scooter comfortable to use in any kind of weather.
• Rear rack: Made of chrome-plated steel, it echoes the design of the passenger handgrip to which it is fixed. It has a flip-down function to make it easy to transport bulky objects.
• Front rack: A classic Vespa accessory, this chrome-plated tube immediately recalls the history of the many adventurers who have travelled far and wide on a Vespa.
• Side bumper: This chrome-plated tube protects the body from shocks and is another design feature evocative of Vespa history.
• Leg cover: Makes it possible to use the Vespa LX in the winter months. A patented magnetic system makes it possible to fix the cover quickly and easily, but only on a Vespa.
• Vespa Soft Touch Helmet: The name of this new Vespa helmet comes from its opaque tint and a special treatment that makes the paint soft to the touch. Soft Touch is a light demi-jet in two different sizes of thermoplastic for total safety and comfort. The helmet features an exclusive new transparent visor in unbreakable ploycarbon and a Vespa logo on the left side. The helmet has a high-quality hypoallergenic liner. Above all, it is a 'designer' helmet made to measure for Vespa riders who want their helmet to be stylish as well as offer protection. The helmet is available in five opaque shades with leather trim: black on black, dark grey on dark grey, white and red, light grey and red, and sky blue and pale blue.
• The list of accessories also includes a vehicle cover, an electronic anti-theft device, a soft bag for top case storage, a footrest mat and handlebar covers.