Piaggio India is all set to launch a special edition model of the Vespa scooter in India on October 3. The company has christened it 'Vespa RED' and is launching it in collaboration with (RED), an organisation that seeks to engage businesses and people to create awareness about HIV/AIDS. The organisation partners with the world's most iconic brands, creating special RED edition products and contributes a percentage of profits from RED-branded goods and services to the Global Fund, which supports the fight against HIV and AIDS. Apple's iPhone RED was one such product, and now we have the Vespa RED from Piaggio in India.
Also Read: Piaggio Vespa RED Launched In India At Rs. 87,000
The Vespa 946 Red retailed in the US will not come to India
Globally, Piaggio already retails the RED-branded Vespa in the US and few other markets. There the Vespa RED is based on the company's flagship 946 scooter, branded as the Vespa 946 RED. In India, the Vespa RED is likely to be based on the 150 cc and the 125 cc Vespa scooters, mainly considering the fact that, the 946, will be very expensive for the Indian market and might not generate volume. This is something that the company experienced with the now discontinued Vespa 946 Emporio Armani edition, which was launched at Rs. 12.04 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
The Vespa RED is likely to be based on the Vespa VXL 150
While more details and specifications about the new Vespa RED will be confirmed at the launch, for now, we can tell you that mechanically, there will be no change. Currently, the Vespa 150 models, which includes the VXL, SXL, and Elegante, are powered by a 150 cc air-cooled, 3-valve single cylinder engine that makes about 11 bhp and develops a torque of 11.5 Nm. On the other hand, the 125 models, which include the VXL and SXL variants, are powered by a 125 cc air-cooled, 3-valve motor that makes about 10 bhp and 10.6 Nm of torque.
On the pricing front, the Vespa range of scooters are priced between Rs. 71,058 for the standard 125 cc Vespa scooter, going up to Rs. 97,372 for the top-of-the-line Vespa Elegante (all ex-showroom, Delhi). The new Vespa RED models will come with a premium of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000, over the asking price of the model it is based upon. This particular version of the Vespa RED will be launched only in the Indian Market, and every sale of the Vespa RED will generate money to finance Global Fund grants that support the fight to end AIDS in India.
