New Financing Option for Piaggio/Vespa Scooters

From Piaggio USA:

VESPA AND PIAGGIO PARTNER WITH FREEDOMROAD FINANCIAL TO OFFER RETAIL FINANCING
New partnership offers zero down payment, low rates and up to 60 month terms on all new Piaggio and Vespa motor scooters.

November 23, 2010—Piaggio Group Americas and FreedomRoad Financial are pleased to announce an official partnership that will provide retail financing for Piaggio and Vespa scooters in the United States.

“We are looking forward to partnering with a well respected company like FreedomRoad Financial to offer our customers great finance rates so they can more easily afford the Vespa or Piaggio scooter they have been wanting” said Rick Panettieri, Piaggio Group Americas director of product management. “We have been working with Freedom Road Financial for many months now and are expanding the number of brands and models that can be financed with them. We have been pleased with our relationship so far with Moto Guzzi and are looking forward to expanding that to cover the Vespa and Piaggio brands. The longer term loans will provide our customers with good credit the opportunity to have even lower monthly payments.”

FreedomRoad Financial is focused on providing powersports financing nationwide through its network and is known for its commonsense approach to retail lending and high personal service.

“Vespa and Piaggio are iconic brands with economical environmentally friendly products, passionate customers and dealers, and we are thrilled that they have chosen us as their retail financing partner,” stated Tom Collins, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of FreedomRoad Financial, “We look forward to establishing solid relationships with their dealers and being a contributor in helping them grow their sales in this country.”

For more information about Piaggio please visit www.PiaggioUSA.com and for more information about Vespa please visit www.VespaUSA.com.

About The Piaggio Group:
Established in 1884 by Rinaldo Piaggio and based in Pontedera in Pisa, Italy, the Piaggio Group is one of the world’s top manufacturers of two-wheel motor vehicles. With more than 7,000 employees, an annual production of more than 610,000 vehicles in 2009, five R&D centers, seven production facilities in Europe and Asia and operations in more than 50 countries – the Piaggio Group has a consolidated leadership in the European two-wheeler market. The company produces scooters, motorcycles and mopeds in the 50cc to 1,200cc displacement range, marketed under the Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Derbi, Aprilia, Scarabeo and Moto Guzzi brands. The Group also manufactures three- and four-wheel light transportation vehicles for the Ape, Porter and Quargo ranges.

Piaggo Cuts Management Positions

Dealer News ran a news item about Piaggio cutting management positions:

Reduced unit sales of scooters in 2009 forced Piaggio USA to cut several top level managers in its sales operation and flatten out its sales staff, says Paolo Timoni, president and CEO of Piaggio’s US operations.
Noting that industry-wide U.S. scooter sales were down about 65 percent last year, Timoni says that steps had to be taken to balance revenue and costs. “We don’t expect 2010 sales to go back to 2008 numbers,” he says. So, it was cut either sales or dealer services.
“Given our priorities for 2010 and 2011,” Timoni says, “ we concluded it was a priority for us to maintain our service capabilities (to dealers) as much as possible, because we think this is what dealers need. Probably, we could get with a smaller sales organization, since there wouldn’t be that much sales, right? Therefore, we basically reduced the size of our sales organization.”

The position of vice president of sales and marketing has been eliminated and the former head of sales and marketing, Gary Pietruszewski, has been let go. The marketing management functions now will be handled by three managers, who report to Timoni. “It’s a much flatter management structure,” he says.

Melissa MacCall is responsible for marketing, Internet activities, promotions and co-marketing activities. Karen Andrews is brand manager for Piaggio and Vespa, and Rick Panettieri is brand manager for Aprilia and Moto Guzzi.
At the same, the number of regional sales directors was cut from three to two, and three regional sales directors were dropped, reducing the number of sales directors from 10 to seven.

“We have great opportunity here,” says Timoni. “You notice we didn’t touch our service organization. We thought that would be the best investment we could make now, and we hope dealers appreciate that basically all the infrastructure and organization to support and service them has been untouched. That’s our strategy.”
No other changes are planned for the time being. “That’s all there is,” says Timoni.

The motorsports industry is hurting like so many other industries, and Piaggio products are higher on the price spectrum. It seems unlikely that the slump will turn around soon.

CSC Out- --> Piaggio In

Piaggio announced that they are no longer using Canadian Scooter Corporation as a middleman, and is now going direct to dealers in the Great White North.

NEW YORK, Nov. 10, 2009 Piaggio & C. S.p.A. (Piaggio Italy), the builder of such leading scooters and motorcycles as Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, and Derbi, announces that it has terminated its exclusive distribution agreement with Canadian Scooter Corporation (CSC). The company is preparing to launch new business operations in the Canadian market allowing dealers to enjoy a direct relationship with a company of the Piaggio Group. Confirming Piaggio Group's commitment to the Canadian market, Piaggio Italy has called upon Piaggio Group Americas, Inc. (PGA), to develop and support a Canadian dealer network equipped to increase market share and provide the finest product support in the industry.

Read the entire press release here.

Vespa Hybrid Reaching Fruition

Earlier this week, Piaggio announced their Hybrid MP3 which uses dual electric and combustion power plants:

The Piaggio MP3 Hybrid incorporates a “parallel” hybrid drive in which a combustion engine and an electric motor are mechanically and electronically linked and simultaneously supply power to the wheel

The MP3 Hybrid uses lithium ion batteries, and is said to be "the first vehicle in the world to combine plug-in charging from the mains with lithium ion batteries." It is supposed to take 3 hours to fully charge the batteries, wit 85% achieved at 2 hours.

The press release compares the CO2 emissions + fuel consumption among other forms of transport:

Small gas engine car: 180 g/km CO2; 13.2 km/l fuel
Large gas engine car: 270 g/km CO2; 6.9 km/l fuel
Small diesel engine car: 150 g/km CO2; 17.7 kn/l fuel
Mid-size gas engine scooter: 90 g/km CO2; 26.0 km/l fuel
MP3 Hybrid: 0 g/km CO2 (emissions in electric mode) 40 g/km CO2 (combined mode); 60 km/l fuel

Some specs:
124cc 4-stroke gas engine
Hybrid powertrain power: 11 kW (15 CV) at 8,500 rpm
Hybrid powertrain torque: 16 Nm at 3K rpm
Electric motor: Synchronous brushless permanent magnet motor
Electric motor power: 2.6 kW (3.5 CV)
Electric motor torque: 15 Nm
Cooling: Air
Battery charge modes: During braking and deceleration on the move, and from the mains (battery charger integrated in on-board electronics)


The bike should be available for US buyers in early 2010 andd could cost about $10K.
Images courtesy of Piaggio.

Blog entry soundtrack: "I Wanna Be Adored" by Stone Roses

Free to good home: Vespa for 12 months

I thought I had posted this already, but realized that it languished in my draft folder. Well, better late than never!

Piaggio Group Americas Announces Industry-First Risk-Free 12-Month Test Ride

NEW YORK, June 1, 2009 – Piaggio Group Americas, Inc., the importer of Vespa, Piaggio, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi scooters and motorcycles, has an offer that you just can’t refuse. If you’ve been tempted to join America’s rapidly growing scooter community but your plans have been on idle because you’re not sure whether you were born to ride, the time to discover your inner scooteristi is right now. Effective today, Piaggio invites consumers on a risk-free 12 Month Test Ride, an industry-first program that offers qualified buyers the opportunity to experience all the fun, savings and environmental benefits of select Piaggio, Aprilia and Vespa scooters without a long-term commitment. The 12 Month Test Ride offer includes the option to return the scooter to participating dealers after 365 days of ownership if the buyer decides that the two-wheel lifestyle just isn’t right for them after all.

The Piaggio scooters included in the 12 Month Test Ride are the Piaggio FLY 50, Piaggio FLY 150, Piaggio BV Tourer 250 and the Piaggio MP3 250. You can also choose from the Vespa S 50, Vespa LX 150, Vespa GTS 300 Super or the Aprilia Sportcity 50, Aprilia Sportcity 125, Aprilia Scarabeo 100 and Aprilia Scarabeo 200.

"It’s our mission to remove any roadblocks keeping even more Americans from discovering just how much money and time they can save, and how much fun they can have, by adding two wheels to their garage,” said Paolo Timoni, President and CEO, Piaggio Group Americas. “The economic, environmental and lifestyle benefits of scooters are proven on a daily basis in major markets around the globe, and we think this hassle-free introduction to scooter ownership is a risk-free way for U.S. consumers to take a trial membership in our American scooter nation.”

Timoni believes that newcomers to the scooter lifestyle will quickly be convinced to make two wheels a permanent addition to their personal transportation fleets. Existing scooter owners already know that life on two wheels delivers fun and thrills. Practical benefits such as an average 70 mpg fuel economy and an average ownership and operating cost savings of $6,000 per year provide even more incentive to ride. With the majority of American households still owning two, three or more vehicles, swapping just one set of four wheels for two is an immediate solution to rev up personal savings while throttling back on foreign oil dependence, urban congestion
and carbon dioxide emissions.

The 12 Month Test Ride is open to buyers who qualify for a 36-month closed-end finance term, exclusively offered through Piaggio Group America’s partner Sheffield Financial. To take advantage of the offer, the purchase
must be completed by July 31, 2009. The risk-free return guarantee requires the completion of 12 scheduled loan payments and excludes upfront license, vehicle preparation, freight and tax fees as well as a 10% down payment based on the vehicle’s manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

For more details about the 12 Month Test Your Ride, please visit
www.PiaggioUSA.com

Blog entry soundtrack: "Careful" by Hot Chip Those limeys rock! :-)

Get a Vespa/Piaggio Scooter For "Nothing"...

During the month of March Piaggio/Vespa Dealers are offering some great incentives to buy a scooter. Their "$0 down, $0 payments, 0% interest" promotion is run through a finance company, but here's the fine print:

$0 Down/ $0 payments/ 0% Interest
Offer valid at participating dealers on purchases of new & unused 2007, 2008 and 2009 Piaggio & Vespa models when you use your Sheffield Card between 3/1/09 and 4/30/09. Minimum Amount Financed $1,500; Maximum Amount Financed $40,000. See dealer for details and program dates. No payments required and 0% APR FOR 6 MONTHS. Thereafter, MONTHLY PAYMENTS of 3% of the original loan balance plus any additional charges, for approximately 47 months at the Standard Rate. As of 3/1/09, the Standard Rate is 17.99%, which may vary monthly. For accounts not current, the promotion is canceled, and regular Minimum Monthly Payments of 3% of the original loan balance plus any additional charges, and a Default Rate of 23.99% APR will apply. Minimum Monthly Finance Charge is $1.50. Certain rules apply to the allocation of payments and Finance Charges on your promotional purchase if you make more than one purchase on your Sheffield Card. Call 1-888-438-8837 or review your cardholder agreement for information. Financing is subject to credit approval; not all applicants will qualify for credit. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Offer subject to change without notice.

Might be a good way to get on a new bike, or an old-stock bike that just didn't move. For more info, visit your local Piaggio or Vespa dealer.

Piaggio Confirms Plug-In Hybrid for 2010

The FOX Car Report snagged an interview with Paolo Timoni where he confirmed that Piaggio plans to next year sell a plug-in hybrid based on the MP3.

According to Piaggio, the three-wheel scooter will travel several miles on battery power alone, and get up to 141 miles per gallon overall, which would make it one of the most fuel efficient vehicles ever made. Timoni misspoke during the interview when he said it would go 40 miles on battery alone, a Piaggio spokesperson saying that final specifications won't be known until the scooter is officially homologated for sale. Previous statements from the company regarding the European version have pointed toward an all-ele[c]tric range of about 12 miles.

The parallel hybrid design combines a 125cc engine and an electric motor in a similar way to the powertrain in the Toyota Prius, and should be capable of accelerating the scooter from 0-60 mph in about 5 seconds. It can be charged from a standard 110 volt electrical outlet, and uses a combination of regenerative braking and several adjustable hybrid modes to charge the battery on the move, balancing performance and efficiency to the tastes of the rider.

Watch the video interview and imagine what Timoni is thinking about fielding all of these rudimentary questions. It's as if scooters were entirely new and not sold int his country for 50+ years... ;-)

Vespa Rentals coming to LA, SF, Vegas & Orlando.

This in the news:

EagleRider to include Vespa scooters in rental line-up.
from Powersports Business:


EagleRider added Piaggio and Vespa scooters to its motorcycle rental line-up that already includes Harley-Davidson, Honda and BMW motorcycles, reported EagleRider.

Beginning Oct. 11, EagleRider will start renting Piaggio and Vespa scooters at its Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco locations. Beginning Oct. 15, EagleRider’s Orlando location will carry the scooters.

“Strong Vespa Scooters sales growth in 2008 coupled with increasing gas prices makes the addition of the Vespa line-up a necessary choice,” Chris McIntyre, president of EagleRider, said in the release. “Vespa is a world famous lifestyle brand that will be a great complement to our prestigious rental fleet of Harley-Davidson, Honda and BMW motorcycles.”

The PX is Dead...Long Live the PX!!!

UK's the Telegraph ran an article about how Piaggio will now only make automatic scooters. It is also covered by Sportique's Cassandra Schoon here.

Oh PX, we'll miss you dearly!

When I first got a chance to ride an automatic scooter, I felt like a cat riding a boat; out of my element. It was a ET2 and I hated it. I would never own an automatic car, so why would I consider an automatic scooter? But now, after riding dozens of them I have come to appreciate them (especially on a steep San Francisco hill...), but never will my love for a shifting scooter wane. They have taken away my pleasant two-stroke exhaust and now my shifting?

I'll stop shifting when they pry my P200 and VBB out of my cold dead hands...

Piaggio to Open Vietnamese Plant

According to reports all over the Internet, Piaggio is set to build a manufacturing plant near Hanoi. The $25-30M investment is a strategic move in order to avoid the costs of transport, duty and other fees on imported scooters. According to the Thanh Nien News Vespas cost around four times that of most motorcycles.

The factory will have a capacity of producing 100,000 models a year, but is said to have a goal of 50,000 annually by its fifth year. With numbers such as that, I wonder how much of Piaggio's manufacturing may be transferred there? According to a press release in 2006, Piaggio reported production numbers for their plant in Pontadera, "production volumes in 2004 were just over 50,000, approximately 87,000 in 2005, and more than 100,000 in 2006." With numbers such as that, the Vietnamese plant could produce enough for multiple countries. The Vietnamese scooters will likely be distributed throughout surrounding Asian countries, but the nagging question remains: Is Italian production of Piaggio doomed?

News from Piaggio Dealer Meeting...

The Vespa LXS in Action.

Piaggio USA just had their dealer meeting and here are some highlights:

The LXS is finally on its way. It will have an MSRP of $4,099, it will be available in black, white or red. Unfortunately, the US version will not have a "touring" seat rather than the unusual and cool solo seat on European models. Luckily, the solo seat will be an accessory option.

The MP3 will now be available in 400- and the 500cc version (which is a rebadged Gilera Fuoco 500). Preliminary pricing places them at $8,200 and $8,600, respectively. The most obvious difference between the 400 and the original 250 (besides the engine) is the reduced storage under the seat. The concession is that the 400 now gets an accessory plug. Our sources that test rode both bikes say, "the 400 is marginally faster off the line with just a tad more power towards the top of the throttle. The 500 is significantly faster and stronger."

As for Aprilia, they are releasing a Scarabeo 200. Its MSRP will be around $3,800 and it has an appealing, re-designed headset. Otherwise, the bike retains its unique Scarabeo shape. It is reportedly, "a really nice ride."

The more rugged, rear end of the MP3 (a rebadged Fuoco)

New International Vespa Lifestyle Store

Piaggio has launched an online shopping destination for the Vespa brand. Vespa Shopping is a one-stop shop for Vespa fans, offering the lifestyle items that one sees in boutiques. Clothing, accessories, die-cast models, Vespa Technica books, and crazy-cool stuff such as the clock that looks light a fenderlight and a thermometer that is shaped like a speedo.

Since this is an international site, the prices are in Euros, which puts US buyers at a disadvantage because of the poor exchange rate. Yet, the site gives a good starting point for collectors. I'd suggest looking at it for ideas and then contacting your local Vespa dealer to see if they can get you the item at a better price.

Scoot! Magazine Isue #40 Now Available

I've been so busy working on the next issue that I completely forgot to mention that the Summer issue is now available. We've brought back the Scooter Art issue and have some cool submissions from all over the world. We've also got our review of the Piaggio MP3. Find out what we think about this eye-catching three wheeler. Our "Ladies Love Cool Scoots" article will introduce you to all-female scooter clubs from around the US along with some tips on starting your own club. We've also got the scoop on Grammy Award-winning rock group Audio Adrenaline and their recent tour which included a fleet of Honda Ruckuses. Have you seen the Gymboree "When in Rome" baby clothes line? Check it out in the Scooter Collector. There's a lot more in this issue, so check it out at the Scoot! webiste.

Classico Moto Italia May 4-6, San Jose

I used to be a member of Vespa Club Los Gatos one of the oldest continuing scooter clubs in the US. But with work, a magazine and other obligations, I figured I had better bow out rather than be a slacker member. Next month, they will host their Classico Moto Italia rally which is an appreciation of vintage Vespas. While many of the members ride newer scooters, the event is a time to bring out the old show bikes and have a good time. It is a traditional rally with the rides and day show as the main events. If you have a sweet restoration or a classy custom this is the place to show it.

Club founder, Rolf Soltau is a US scootering legend. After years of scootering, he was picked by Piaggio USA to be their training mechanic. Scooterists from all over the USA kow him from his touring for Piaggio. Also, you may have seen his numerous appearances in Scoot! sinc ehe was once the owner of the oldest known Vespa in the USA and also probably the oldest person to complete the scooter Canonball Run (2007). He's a real firecracker, and can party with scoterist 1/3 his age. If you're in the area and can make it to the rally, be sure to meet him as you won't find another scooterist like him.

Scoot! will be at the rally and I'm looking forward to meeting up with old friends. If you're there, stop by to say hello!

Summer issue in production

Our Summer issue, due out May 15th, is in production. It's going to be a fun issue. We're spotlighting Scooter Art with a range of artists that use scooters as their inspiration or as their canvas. We even have two artfully exectued scooters for our Readers Ride to go along with the theme. We're also focusing on women's scooter clubs. I interviewed folks from several clubs and included some great advice on starting your own all-female club.

Also, this issue features reviews of the Piaggio MP3 and Argo AR150. Josh and Mike had a blast on the MP3 and have lots to say about it!

If you haven't heard (since we haven't really publicized it)we're planning on publishing 5 issues this year, with further plans to go 6 issues next year. Those with current subscriptions will get the additional issue. It's very exciting and will give us a chance to get out more news in a timely manner and to whittle down the time between issues. I often hear from readers that can't get enough and dislike the long gaps between our quarterly issues.