KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- The Italian two-wheeler maker is working on a new strategy for mass-market scooters.
- The Vespa brand is unlikely to be used for the new strategy.
- The new scooter is expected to carry a typical Italian design but it will be more affordable.
After tending to the premium side of things for so long, Piaggio is reportedly looking to ply its trade in the mass-market scooter segment once again. According to reports, the Italian two-wheeler maker is said to be working on a new strategy focusing on mass-market scooters, while still keeping an eye on the premium end.
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Piaggio's Focus On Mass-Market Scooters; Details
The Italian two-wheeler maker will be developing an all-new scooter which will be focused towards the mass-market commuter segment. Needless to say, Piaggio will not be using the Vespa brand for the new scooter. Instead, the upcoming scooter will be sold under a new brand altogether. Piaggio says that this scooter will still be designed to Italian standards, but with the Indian audience and the applications of an average Indian consumer in mind.
While the name and identity of the new brand remain under wraps for now, its retail and service network will be completely different from Piaggio's current set of dealers and service network, which tend to both Vespa and Aprilia under one roof. Piaggio will expand its network across Tier 2, Tier 3 cities and rural areas, as it knows it needs to be very reachable in order to penetrate deeper into the mass-market segment. There is no clear timeline for when this new scooter will arrive. However, we can expect a fresh set of teasers to be seen closer to its unveil.
In order to attract a larger customer base, Piaggio understands that the new scooter will have to cost significantly lesser than its current lineup of scooters, as its Vespa range begins from Rs 1.21 lakh (ex-showroom), which does put it out of range for a large chunk of buyers.
If you are old enough, you will remember Piaggio's previous stint in the mass-market scooter industry, when it used to sell the NV, Select II, Star and other geared scooters in partnership with LML. However, with two-stroke scooters eventually dying out, Piaggio's focus shifted to the commercial segment, and years later it entered the premium segment with the Vespa and Aprilia lineups.
Verdict
If this plan materializes, Piaggio will soon see itself back in the mass-market space, and this time there are far many more rivals than it had to face back in the 80s and 90s. It will be interesting to see which route Piaggio takes from here, given that it cannot use the Vespa name on a mass-market product.
