World Cup Fever – Brazilian Lambrettas

Okay so it’s a tenuous link, but hey, we like scooters and it seems a topical time to return to some of those from southern America, okay?

We’ve visited South America before here on Scooternova, checking out a potentially rare Lambretta scooter for sale in Brazil earlier this year and visiting Colombian Lambretta factory here and again here, while looking at three wheelers here.

The number of ex-pat Italians residing in south America meant the continent proved a good export market for Milanese firm Innocenti and their Lambretta scooters, but pretty soon they realised it was far easier to licence a local factory to produce scooters than deal with shipping parts and kits over, as well as the related import duties.

Possibly their largest market for Lambrettas was in Brazil where the firm Lambretta do Brasil (or Lambretta SA) began producing D and LD models in 1955. Founded by one Paulo Pascowitch, they moved on to produced the Series 2 (probably around the time Brazil won the World Cup in 1962) and then later in the 1960s a version of the TV 175 Series 3, by which time the company name had changed to Pasco Lambretta after it’s founder.

As the 70s arrived, Innocenti in Italy closed down and with sales not going well anyway (exports were virtually non-existent, which was surprising considering the product and the local market), Pasco sold his company in 1970 (when Brazil next won the World Cup) which then became Brumana Pugliese S.A. after the two businessmen who bought it.

With nothing new from Italy, and rival products emerging from Japan, Brumana Pugliese began developing their own models. At first these were versions of the Lambretta, such as the MS (Mini Skirt, or cutdown as we know it here in Great Britain!), and then using scooter parts, mini/ monkey bikes like the Xispa (which features Lambretta engine, wheels and parts of the forks, as well as sorted pieces of tubing!).

By the late 1970s Brumana Pugliese had developed a moped known as the Ponei (pony) using a Minarelli engine, but with little else to shout about, it seems the company didn’t last long into the 1980s before finally shutting up shop.

As for Paulo Pascowitch, he lived to the ripe old age of 86, passing away in 2009.

For a little more history on scooters in Brazil, check out this website.

Oh and enjoy the 2014 World Cup!

 (**Note I have had these images on my computer for a few years now and cannot remember where I initialy found them, so I apologise for not applying credit where it is due).