|
 eveloped on the base of the 2005 Vespa
LX, the LX-60 has been conceived as a tribute to the 1960s Vespas.
 The 1960s: a legendary decade
that witnessed the social and cultural revolution that shaped
contemporary society, marked by the emergence of youth for whom
the Vespa symbolised individual mobility and freedom.
As on the Vespa GT-60, the changes concern the accessory parts
to the metal body, recently renewed on the LX series.
The headlamp remains in its original position on the handlebar,
like the 1960s scooters from which the Vespa LX-60 is derived,
but in a slimmer, more minimalist version to emphasise the unfaired
handlebar and make the front of the vehicle a more lightweight
look.
The analogue instrumentation is placed in a chrome-plated frame
while the unique graphics resemble those in vogue in the 1960s.
The 'naked' handlebar is a metal tube ending in fine leather
handles, also used on the saddle that separates the rider and
passenger seats as on the early models.
Background
The Vespa of 1946 was already a masterpiece. In a few years'
time, the name of this unique, innovative product would come
to symbolize Europe's post-war reconstruction. Over the decades,
the Vespa would become an icon of youth culture, a means for
women to mark their independence and an emblem of Italian style
and design worldwide.
 The Vespa was a product of technical
genius in the aeronautics sector, where design was indissolubly
linked to function.
Over the years, the Vespa's design and technical evolution have
left the original stylistic and mechanical bases untouched. Now,
60 years on, the Vespa continues to be an innovative product
and a perfect example of industrial design in terms of its concept,
shape and production technology.
The passing decades have turned the Vespa's strong concept, expressive
styling and unequalled success worldwide into a legend featured
in countless films, photographs, advertising campaigns and art
and design exhibitions.
As the Vespa prepares to turn 60 in 2006, Piaggio presents two
striking show bikes at the Milan show: the Vespa GT-60 and Vespa
LX-60.
Through a clever re-interpretation of some of the typical design
and technical elements of the past, particularly the 1950s and
1960s, these prototypes evoke the romance of the past in timeless
Vespa fashion.
 The Vespa GT-60 and Vespa LX-60
are a tribute to this legendary product, the result of purely
Italian creativity and design.
 Piaggio/Carsten Berg, Scooter
Press
|
