I have to admit that this new Vespa 946 is a marvel of design if not utility. And with a price tag in the United States of nearly $11K I have to wonder who will buy them. Still, Piaggio does a fine job of building the Vespa mystique with this ad…
Exploring life on a Vespa Scooter and Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.
Looks pretty snazzy but $11K! Not going to happen…
Who will buy them? People in 7k Italian suits, who drive on cobblestone roads with no other traffic horizon to horizon, etc. People in a dream world in other words 🙂
But oooooh what a pretty it is.
Reminds me of some of the nicer (and much less expensive) urban chic bicycles floating around out there.
What fun!
Always amusing to see motor vehicle ads showing wide open roads, no traffic and of course, great weather….real life is a bit different.
I’m sorry. I’m from the school of “Beauty is as Beauty does”. The new Piaggio Fly 150 has the same 3 valve engine for a scant 3k. For 11K the 946 will be an expensive collectors item.
RichardM: You really have to wonder what the marketing plan is for the 946 with that price point. A scooter for the masses is definitely not a goal.
Chris Underwood: It is a nice dream isn’t it!
Charlie6: (Dom) Yeah, it may not be realistic but there are times when imagination needs to take over. I found the nice clothes harder to understand…
kz1000st: It definitely isn’t an icon of practicality. It’s probably akin to Leica cameras — made for collectors and not photographers. Hard to imagine the 946 as a daily commuter machine…
Who’ll buy a 946 for $11K? Not me. If I was gonna spend that much on a scooter (which will NEVER happen), I’d buy a BMW scooter (even thought its drive train is made by KYMCO). I’ve owned 5 scooters (so far), and the most expensive one – by far – cost a whopping $2700.
The enthusiastic and lover, the ones who have practically one of every model will buy them.
I have a friend selling his 1969, full custom, 50S to gather money for the 946.
Like him, there will be a few more and Piaggio knows that. This won’t be for the masses.
Holy cannoli! I see what you mean by Vespa’s marketing video. It’s for high fashion, status conscious social climbers(?) or people that identify with their scooter (most of us do that to some extent. Sigh). I have to have one because no one else will. You buy your status here. It will sell on that idea. The new Ferrari. An $11,000 scooter. This reflects what Italy knows best – sex or sensuousness in products. And I have to tell you I buy into it. I’d buy that scooter if I had the money. It’s not the hit in the groin like the Ducati Panigali but almost.
This is the most beautiful scooter Vespa have ever offered, and shows what can be done when the common sensibility of the moment is brushed aside with timeless design. But, 125cc? Scale it up to a big body, enlarge the engine to 400-500cc, THEN charge 11K, and you got something worth buying. Vespa may be the Ferrari of scoots, but to truly get there, the performance has to match the looks
Fred: Definitely hard to get my head around the price. Far more economical choices for riders like us!
W: Maybe saving and scratching to get enough money together to buy a 946 is part of the thrill!
Paul: You know you’ll buy one. You’ll find it on eBay and trade a centrifuge and flow cytometer for one…
anonymous: I’ve heard talk of getting bigger engines into the Vespa chasis. I suspect they don’t want to amp up the body size, at least not for the relatively few American buyers who would buy such a thing. They’re content with the bigger market in Europe and Asia who feel performance with a 150cc engine is more than adequate.
I won’t wait for the 100 cubic inch Vespa!
11k? Pfftt! That’s just ridonkulous. I’m sorry. Very slick video. And they are obviously catering to a select demo…but I find it so pretentious.
I like Vespa, I own few, I like 946 and ordered one. She should be delivered in 1.5-2 months. Don’t focus on 125-150 cc, don’t make ridiculous statements like “it is Piaggio Fly with 10k added to the price tag.” It’s the same if you say “why do they charge so much for Audi 3 because it’s just a golf with four rings and leather seats”. One ready to buy BMW scooter, or Burgmann for the same money. You like Burgmann and willing to pay 11000, I like 946 and willing to pay 11000. Where is the controversy? We both are going to buy a scooter of our dream which fulfill our desire and will match our (different)needs. Don’t be surprised, think- you see it every day: a professional would spend $50000 on luxury car , a hard working coal miner would get a pick up truck with mods for the same money.
Hi I have a 946 and I thinks its worth every penny. You may not I don`t care. I did`nt buy it as a practical form of transport if that was my aim I would buy a Honda cub as they are brilliant at what they`re for. How many prototype cars do you see at shows and people say ” why don`t they make them like that” well Piaggio have and they get slated for it. It is a hand built scooter and when you see it in the flesh you can appreciate it even more. Piaggio won`t care about all the bleating about it not this or that as it was never meant to be just a practical form of transport for the masses as they already have plenty of scooters in their line up that fit this bill.
In Indonesia Vespa 946 series has sold out already… http://oto.detik.com/read/2013/10/23/183058/2393762/1208/lebih-mahal-dari-mobil-lcgc-vespa-946-ludes-terjual
Vespa 946 – for the man who has everything . . . except a mortgage.
I love mine.