Another concept scooter from the pen of designer Paolo Martin.
This is the Vespa Sport 200 and Martin’s drawings are dated 1984. This puts this scooter on the drawing board around the same time as the Vespa T5, and also while Piaggio were sponsoring the Pole Position trophy for the Formula 1 race series.We know Piaggio were working on liquid cooled Vespa 2-stroke engines around this time, and also with fuel injection so maybe the criteria for the Vespa Sport 200 was to accompany the 125cc Vespa T5 in the range? Who knows, other than the fact the rear spoiler probably didn’t win it any votes, even in the 1980s!
The scooter forming the base for this concept is obviously the (then) current Vespa PX EFL, although the horn cover suggests the forthcoming T5. One other detail worth noting, aside from the Pinasco like screen, is the hydraulic front disc brake. Yes folks, 14 years before Piaggio produced a Vespa PX with a front disc brake, Paolo Martin designed a concept Vespa with just such a feature. Tidy.
The drawing looks fantastic… the prototype, less so. Looks like a mix between a P range, a T5 with a bit of PK thrown in. The (Ferrari stye?) intake scoop and 80’s 911 whale tail spoiler /luggage rack are just silly. I like the flyscreen though 🙂
It’s easy to look back and be critical though. This may have been ticking all the boxes back in the 1980s. Not with me though!