The appeal of the sporty ‘Vespino’ lives on in the shape of the all-new Vespa S, inspired by Vespa’s long traditions in young and dynamic scooter design. The minimalist styling of the Vespa S traces its origins back to legendary models like the 50 Special and the Vespa Primavera.
The 1970s began with man landing on the moon and went on to become a decade of extraordinary creativity, a period that revolutionised our way of life.
Fashion, design, cinema, and music, all played a part in transforming once rigid social conventions. Young people discovered a whole new awareness and became the driving force behind social change. The student protest movements that began in the late 1960s went on to shake Europe to the core.
In the cinema, films like Taxi Driver, the Godfather cycle, and the Deer Hunter set new standards. Rock music conquered the world, and grew into a host of genres. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, CSN&Y, and Genesis pioneered new sounds and laid down the sound track to a decade that began with the break-up of the Beatles.
As always, rather than merely following fashion, Vespa led the way in creating new tendencies, and explicitly appealed to the younger generation, the real protagonists of those turbulent yet fertile years.
The Vespa Special and Vespa Primavera became the icons of a generation whose aspirations and conquests were to shape the world for decades to come. Compact, nippy, dynamic, and designed for sports riding, these were the models that inspired so many young people as they burst on to an exciting social scene.
The new Vespa S reflects the same inspirational values, not only in terms of technology, confirming the unbroken link between Vespa and the younger generation.
The style of the Vespa S
Sport, dynamism and originality are the trademarks of the all-new Vespa S. With its clean, essential lines, the Vespa S is a minimalist version of the legendary seventies models, and proof that the young spirit of Vespa is still very much alive.
The handlebar fairing houses a new rectangular headlight. This, of course, is not the first time for a Vespa to feature a rectangular headlight: fans are sure to recall the amazing 50 Special, a favourite with teenagers throughout the fabulous seventies. The front shield is more impressive too, with a new, aggressive looking air intake.
Reduced in size to reveal the layout of the suspension, the new shape mudguard also features a stylish chrome trim for an even sleeker look. The small size of the mudguard leaves the wheel and light alloy rim in full view in a tribute to the performance and high-tech design of the Vespa S.
The element that has seen most change and that characterises the new design is the front shield. Its clean styling recovers the pure lines that have always been the Vespa’s trademark. The shield’s uncluttered surface is fundamental and its simplicity and minimal thickness powerful design features.
The seat is typically ‘70s in styling and is available in two versions: the ‘Sport’, fitted as standard to the Vespa S 50 to enhance its dynamic character, and the ‘Touring’, fitted to the 125 to maximise comfort and usability. Both are available as options and can be fitted to either model. The seat is upholstered in new materials and enhanced with a classy trim that emphasises its stylish shape.
The rear of the Vespa S has an all-new look with a sleek, simple look and a new tail light designed especially to enhance the dynamism of this sporty model.
With its minimalist but decisive styling, simple yet elegant design, the Vespa S features the same dynamism and freshness that made the Vespa the favourite scooter of young people in the roaring seventies.
Frame and chassis: the uniqueness of Vespa
As always, the sheet steel body acts as a structural frame, a design solution that is unique in the world of scooter production. The body is formed in an advanced industrial process. In addition to superior strength, this design also ensures exceptional rigidity, leading to excellent road holding and precision control.
The front suspension, based on a double acting hydraulic shock absorber, stands out for its aeronautical single arm design. Another distinctive feature of all Vespas, since the very first model, this technical solution has been constantly updated. The link arm on the Vespa S pivots on roller cage bearings for minimum friction.
At the rear, the suspension of the new Vespa features a double acting hydraulic shock absorber that, in the 125 version, is even adjustable in preload, offering four possible settings for perfect rider and passenger comfort under all conditions.
The 11” front wheel gives the Vespa S great stability, inspiring the rider with a feeling of confidence and control. The tyres are tubeless, size 110/70 on the front and 120/70 on the 10” rear. The braking system comprises the classic combination of disc and drum. The system features a 200 mm stainless steel front disc with a two piston caliper and a 110 mm rear drum.
The 8.6 litre fuel tank is located inside the body where it does not reduce the size of the under-seat storage compartment, and where it also allows easy access to the engine.
Engines: classical capacities
The Vespa S offers a choice of two classical engines sizes: 50 and 125 cc. These legendary engine sizes have written the history of Vespa. The light and sporty 50 cc two stroke engine is perfect for younger riders and ideal for daily use around town.
The 125 is equipped with a modern, ecological four stroke power plant, characterised by excellent performance, low running costs and full compliance with the strict Euro 3 emission control standards.
The Vespa S offers sporty performance and agility not just around town but on longer journeys too, when it offers the perfect combination of enjoyment and safety. The optimised design and quality production of all parts of the engine have reduced the amount of maintenance needed and extended the service intervals.
Like those that power the other models in the Vespa family, the engines fitted to the new Vespa S demonstrate the determination of the Piaggio Group to offer its increasingly sophisticated customers top quality products that deliver performance, reliability and safety, and that respect the environment too.
Of all the factories in the Piaggio Group, the Pontedera plant boasts one of the world’s largest and most advanced engine R&D and manufacturing facilities.
Accessories, colours.
As always Vespa stands out for the wide range of options on offer. The dedicated accessories for the Vespa S include:
- windshield
- 32 litre top box kit in matching finish
- chrome plated, tilting rear luggage rack, a Vespa classic
- 6 different graphic kits on three themes: Flowers, Europe, Sport
- new Vespa ‘Europe’ half jet helmet.
The original new Vespa S comes in a choice of three attractive colour schemes, all chosen to emphasise its sporty, lightweight design: Dragon red, Shiny black and Montebianco white.
The new Vespa museum, called ‘Collezione Vespa Mauro Pascoli” was opened last Saturday in Ravenna, at the Mir di Fornace Zarattini, in the presence of 12,000 people.
