Scooters can be a lot of fun. Besides, they’re cheap, thrifty on gas and work well for everyday transport also. It’s a utilitarian’s dream ride. When you’re a utility-focused dude who also place a premium on style, you get a Vespa. And there’s no hotter ticket than the Vespa 946.
Based on the Italian brand’s original product, the 1946 Mp6 prototype, the luxury scooter combines the classic’s retro lines with modern design and advanced construction. Even better, it doesn’t just effectively fuse the new with the old, it combines the light weight, agile performance and tight steering angles of small body Vespas with the stability and seat space of their large body scooters into an entirely new ride.
The Vespa 946 boasts a highly distinctive appearance, highlighted by a monocoque steel body embellished with aluminum accents. It runs on a 4-stroke 125cc 3-valve air cooled engine that delivers a humble 11 hp and facilitates an impressive fuel consumption of 155mpg. Top speed is 58 mph, which should be fast enough to get riders to their destinations in time while slow enough to ensure people can recognize you’re riding a heck of an expensive scooter. Features include a full LED headlamp, 12-inch wheels, ABS braking, ASR traction control, and two color options (white with red trim and black with gray trim). Everything is assembled by hand.
Sounds like the perfect Vespa, right? Well, sure, unless you need to bring stuff. To achieve the svelte lines, the Vespa 946 has been stripped of any storage compartment. None in the front console and none under the seat, so you’ll have to strap on a backpack to bring anything along. Still, if you’re buying a scooter for style rather than utility, nothing really comes close to this lean, sleek machine. It’s available now, priced at $9,946.
