April 26, 2007
Art Vespa winner no chicken
By winning the Art Vespa 2007 competition, Adam Weber of TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris has shown that he’s no spring chicken when it comes to graphic design. He will soon be zipping through the city on his personalised Vespa LX, thanks to Vespa South Africa and advertising partner Guerrilla Marketing.
In the spring of 2005, Vespa South Africa and Guerrilla Marketing launched an interactive email campaign aimed at advertising agencies, inviting SA’s brightest creative minds to design a unique Art Vespa and gave participants the chance to drive home on a brand new Vespa LX.
2006 marked a record number of 183 designs entered, double that of the previous year. Due to an overwhelming request for deadline extension, Vespa and Guerrilla Marketing granted entrants a month’s extra time.
The winner, Weber, submitted more than one design, but it was his “chicken runner” Art Vespa that guaranteed him the loudest cluck of all and a Vespa LX as a prize. The design that left a smile on the judges’ faces took him two hours to complete.
Posted by Frank at 11:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Three-wheeled Piaggio rocks, rolls and scoots
There are those in our two-wheeled society who live by the philosophy that you are what you ride, and consequently no self-respecting sport-bike rider or heavy V-Twin cruiser type would dare to be caught dead on a scooter.
It's too bad if you're in that category, because scooters are gaining in popularity at a much more rapid pace than the general motorcycle audience, and rightly so. Scooters today are more technologically advanced, faster, more comfortable, more efficient in terms of fuel economy, and rank considerably higher in their "coolness quotient."
A prime example is the innovative new three-wheeler from Piaggio, the folks who also bring you Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi.
The modern three-wheeler is called the MP3. And ... although I was the object of wisecracks and other verbal abuse when riding it, I'll bet that not one of the offenders would have turned down an opportunity to take it for a spin on their favorite back country road. Not unlike the classic Morgan three-wheeler, the MP3 sports two wheels up front, but a single driving wheel out back.
The dual forward wheels are cantilevered, allowing the MP3 to bank into turns in traditional motorcycle fashion when the suspension is activated by unlocking it via a switch control on the right handlebar. Conversely, the scooter will stand on its own when the system is locked, as in "Look Ma, no kickstand." Actually, there is an easy-to-deploy center stand for added stability and security when stationary, there's even a Park brake.
Posted by Frank at 11:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Scooters a practical and attractive auto alternative
Auto Alternative, a company that specializes in Piaggio-made motor scooters, opened in September 2005 on Mary St, George Town. Recently Auto Alternative has moved to a new location, on Dorcy Drive, a move that coincided with the company being bought by the Fosters group.
The company has expanded its product range to include Suzuki automobiles, but their continued emphasis on scooters as an alternative to cars still sets it apart from other automotive dealerships.
Lee Arie, Manager at Auto Alternative, is himself an enthusiastic scooter rider, which he believes puts him in a better position to help his customers.
Mr Arie also believes that Auto Alternative can provide its customers with the kind of customer service they would expect from an automobile dealer, which includes the provision of spare parts for the scooters, a feature that Mr Arie believes is lacking in other retailers, who may offer the scooter, but no after-sales support.
“Each new Vespa, Piaggio or Gilera scooter from Auto Alternative comes with a 1-year unlimited mileage warranty and the first scheduled service,” Mr Arie added.
Posted by Frank at 11:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Rent a Vespa in Rome
Auto Europe offers a great new way to see Rome on your vacation - rent a Vespa 125 LX, a classic design based on the original Vespa motor scooter, but with the convenience of an automatic transmission and electric start.
With the Vespa, you'll average 90 miles per gallon on fuel, beat the traffic congestion, and you'll be able to go places cars can't go in Rome, including special parking spots where you can park for free.
Check out this great new rental deal from Auto Europe. Don't worry, if you don't want to ride a Vespa, they have cars, too.
Posted by Frank at 11:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Vectrix -- the electric scooter that performs like a petrol model
Every electric scooter I've seen seems to look like a child's bike and travels about five miles at a similar speed per hour. But at least it's doing something to help the environment. The Vectrix Super-Scooter is claimed to be different - in fact, it's just as good as a petrol runaround.
It's launched on April 30th, with the looks of a 'real' scooter and indeed the speed of a twist 'n' go - 0 to 50 mph in just 6.8 seconds and equivalent in power to a 400cc maxi-scooter, with a top speed of 60mph. And all without petrol, noise, emissions - or the congestion charge.
Posted by Frank at 11:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Vroom With A View
Zooming around town on her diamond white Vespa LX50, Frances Gentile has found a fun, environmentally-friendly form of alternative transportation. It makes great sense in today’s economy with gas prices soaring—and it looks really cool, too.
More than just a scooter, boasts the official Web site, the Vespa is “one of the great icons of Italian style and elegance.” Prices range from $2000 to over $6000 for a GTS 250, a renewal of the original Vespa that’s been on the market for 50 years. According to legend, the scooter was named when the president of its manufacturer Piaggio, Enrico Piaggio, exclaimed in Italian, “It reminds me of a wasp!” Vespa—wasp in both Italian and Latin-- it was.
More than 15 million units have been sold over the years with popularity spiking in the 50s and 60s. Now the company is enjoying resurgence. In the United States, 69,000 units were sold in 2002, a substantial increase since 1997 when 12,000 were sold.
Posted by Frank at 11:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
