Despite its general simplicity and its purchase price of 55,000 liras (equivalent to a few hundred dollars in 1946, although exchange rates fluctuated wildly after the war), the Vespa still looked good. The red seat, which looks like a giant bicycle saddle, and the grips are as pleasant to the touch as a reminder that this is not dad's proletarian Vespa. Easier to navigate the narrow streets of New York than by car and less demanding than by bicycle, the motorcycle, at least in its less luxurious forms, has the potential to become the best means of personal urban transportation in a densely populated city. Piaggio declined to disclose Vespa's current sales volume, but the company said it would produce 3,600 units of the 946 for markets around the world the world.
While Vespa Australia couldn't confirm how many units will be available in Australia, it did indicate that some, if not most, are already sold. With its narrow side mirrors, the Vespa could cover even the smallest spaces as easily as a bicycle. Although it was impossible to check the maximum speed of the Vespa in so much traffic, Piaggio, the manufacturer of the Vespa, states that the 946 can reach 58 kilometers per hour. This Vespa won't win any endurance races, but its 150 cubic centimeter, 4-stroke air-cooled engine accelerates smoothly and without the noise normally associated with travel on a motorcycle.
For the lucky few who manage to get hold of one of the Vespa 946 Christian Dior models, it is almost certain that they will have a future collector's item in their hands. Thanks to the collaboration between the iconic Italian brand Vepsa and the luxurious Parisian fashion house Dior, the most expensive Vespa scooter in the company's recent history has been created. The original Vespa emerged just after World War II to meet the needs of a war-torn Italian population in need of affordable transportation. As Piaggio stopped manufacturing planes for the war, its factory had been the victim of an Allied bombing campaign, so it turned to scooters.
The company's first scooter entered the market in 1946 and featured an elegantly shaped, one-piece steel body and a 98 cubic centimeter engine. Despite its high price, it's still just a scooter, but for those with the means, it's not a bad way to get around. The popularity of the Vespa grew even more thanks to Audrey Hepburn, who in 1953 ran over pedestrians and street vendors at “A Party in Rome””.
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