TheScooterScoop

Vintage Lambretta to be back as a 3-wheeler- The Times of India: “NEW DELHI: Remember Lambretta, the good old retro-styled scooter that ruled the Indian roads till about three decades ago? This once-iconic brand is all set to stage a comeback on the Indian roads, albeit in a new avatar – as a three-wheeler.

The state-owned Scooters India – which owns the Lambretta brand – is planning to revive the brand and use it for a new range of stylish and modern three-wheelers. ‘Lambretta still enjoys a good brand equity and we plan to re-introduce the brand in India with our new range of three-wheelers that’s currently under development,’ Scooters India Ltd (SIL) CMD PK Datta told the Times of India.

The new Lambretta three-wheelers, he said, will be a more stylish vehicle that will be designed to meet the stringent emission norms of the future. ‘We are developing this vehicle. We have set up a new paint shop, which will now help us introduce company-fabricated vehicles in the market.

The new Lambretta will also be produced from this unit,”Datta said.

But the firm, he said, has no plans to drive back into the two-wheeler market – its one-time stronghold. “There’s too much competition in the segment. Besides, even the three-wheeler market is growing now and we intend to concentrate our resources on increasing our share in this market,” he added.

SIL had withdrawn Lambretta scooters due to sagging sales. It has then leased the brand – which it had purchased from erstwhile Italian partner Innocenti – to apparel manufacturers and merchandisers across the globe.

Today, the company earns a royalty of close to Rs 3 crore a year from the brand, which is sported on watches, T-shirts and other fashion accessories.

When Innocenti closed down operations, the psu purchased all machines, design, drawings and copyrights. Included in the deal were the drawings, designs, copyrights for Lambretta, Lambro and Lambrittini brands for which SIL now owns the world rights.
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It’s great that they are coming out with a new product, but it just seems wrong that they are pimpin’ out the Lambretta name for watches, t-shirts, etc. AND THEY AREN’T EVEN REVIVING THE 2-WHEELED LAMMY THAT MADE THE NAME FAMOUS! Blah… Capitolism at its finest.