Lambretta scooters returning to Oz

Historic Italian brand Lambretta has returned to the Aussie market with an initial three-model line-up of 50cc, 125cc and 250cc V-Special scooters.

After being manufactured under license in a number of countries and under different brand names over the last few decades, Lambretta has now been relaunched as the result of a collaboration between Lambretta Consortium in Switzerland and Austrian KSR Group.

The new range – consisting of six models overall – was released at the ECIMA motorcycle show in Milan last year.

“It is an honour to be able to work with Lambretta, a globally recognised, authentic and historically renowned Italian scooter icon,” said Lambretta Australia Brand Manger Goetz Neugebauer.

“We have an awesome team, a fantastic network and a world-class facility to successfully launch and further support the brand for many years to come.

“Not only are we focused on delivering a superior scooter, we want to give customers a superior level of service and provide a complete Lambretta experience.”

The new models have been specially designed by Austrian company Kiska, a highly regarded motorcycle design company that has done work for KTM, Husqvarna and CFMoto.

The local Lambretta range will grow from the initial aforementioned three to a larger capacity 400cc variant, and there are also plans for an electric version.

Related reading
Great read: The Lambretta bible
Lambretta scooters

Customers will be able to select a range of different side panel styles, shapes and colours to mix and match and create their very own personal scooter, a unique feature for the brand.

For the die-hard devotees, the company is also looking at reintroducing the iconic GP and SX classic Lambretta models at a later date.

Model pricing and a national dealer network are to be announced in July 2018, with the V-Special model scheduled to be launched by the end of 2018.

For more information, www.lambrettaaustralia.com.au.

History lesson
The name Lambretta comes from Lambrate, the suburb of the Milan where it all began in the Innocenti factory. Lambretta the brand name came from a mythical water spirit that was associated with the local river, which runs adjacent to the former factory.

Lambretta became a scooter cause celebre right from the get go. First adopted as an affordable form of transportation in the 1950s, due to low running costs at a time and when manufacturing was in its recovery stage from the war.

In the early 1960s Lambretta Series 3 was embraced by the youth of the decade as part of the modernist culture, earning the nickname the Mods.

As times changed, people’s wealth increased, small cars became more affordable, resulting in the demand for scooters to fall. Innocenti struggled through this period where it ended up closing its doors in 1972.

For the die-hard fans the company is also looking at reintroducing the iconic GP and SX classic Lambretta models at a later date.