Founded by Rinaldo Piaggio in 1884, Piaggio initially produced locomotives and railway

carriages. During World War I the company focused on producing aircraft.

During World War II the company produced bomber aircraft, but Piaggio emerged from the
conflict with its Pontedera plant completely demolished by Allied bombing. Italy's crippled
economy and the disastrous state of the roads did not assist in the redevelopment of the
automobile markets. Enrico Piaggio, the son of Piaggio's founder Rinaldo Piaggio, decided to
leave the aeronautical field in order to address Italy's urgent need for a modern and affordable
mode of transportation. The idea was to design an inexpensive vehicle for the masses.
Aeronautical engineer Corradino D'Ascanio, responsible for the design and construction of
the first modern helicopter by Agusta, was asked by Enrico Piaggio to create a simple, robust
and affordable vehicle. The vehicle had to be easy to drive for both men and women, be able
to carry a passenger, and not get its driver's clothes dirty. In 1946 Piaggio launched the
legendary Vespa scooter (Italian for "wasp") and within ten years over a million units had
been produced. The Italian language gained a new word, "vespare", meaning to go
somewhere on a Vespa.
[edit] Development
With strong cash flow emanating from the success of the Vespa, Piaggio developed other
products, including the 1957 Vespa 400, a tiny passenger car.
In 1959, Piaggio came under the control of the Agnelli family, the owners of car maker Fiat
SpA. Resultantly, as the wider ownership of Fiat in Italian industry, in the 1964 the two
divisions (aeronautical and motorcycle) split to become two independent companies; the
aeronautical division was named IAM Rinaldo Piaggio. Today the aircraft-company Piaggio
Aero is controlled by the family of Piero Ferrari, who also still holds 10% of the famous car
maker Ferrari.
In 1969 the motorcycle company purchased Gilera.
Under new ownership
In 1959, Piaggio came under the control of the Agnelli family, the owners of car maker Fiat
SpA. Vespa thrived, until 1992, when Giovanni Alberto Agnelli became CEO, but Agnelli
was already suffering from cancer and died in 1997. In 1999 Morgan Grenfell Private Equity
acquired Piaggio, but a quickly hoped-for sale was dashed by a failed joint venture in China.
In Italy, Piaggio invested 15 million euros ($19.4 million) in a new motorcycle but dropped it
after building a prototype. By the end of 2002, the company had run up 577 million euros in
debt on revenues of 945 million euros, and booked a loss of 129 million euros.
Then came Roberto Colaninno: A lot of people told me I was crazy. Piaggio wasn't dying. It
just needed to be treated better. Piaggio's financial position was in a bad shape, but its brand
was still well known and its products were featured in many Hollywood films thanks to the
Vespa ET4. In 1995, Colaninno had pulled off Europe's then largest-ever hostile takeover
when he took control of Telecom Italia SpA. In October 2003, Colaninno made an initial
investment of 100 million euros through his holding company Immsi SpA in exchange for
just under a third of Piaggio and the mandate to run it. Chief executive Rocco Sabelli
redesigned the factory on Japanese principles, and changed it so that every Piaggio scooter
could be made on any assembly line.
Unlike the turnaround recipe applied at U.S. auto makers, Mr. Colaninno did not fire a single
worker – a move which helped seduce the company's sceptical unions. "Everyone in a
company is part of the value chain," said Colaninno. All bonuses for blue-collar workers and
management were based on the same criteria: profit margins and customer satisfaction. Air
conditioning was installed in the factory for the first time, increasing productivity. He also
gave the company's engineers, who had been idled by the company's financial crisis,
deadlines for projects. They rolled out two world firsts in 2004: a gas-electric hybrid scooter
and a sophisticated tilting scooter with two wheels in front and one in back to grip the road
better.
One of Piaggio's problems Mr. Colaninno couldn't fix from the inside was its scale. Even
though Piaggio was the European market leader, it was dwarfed by rivals Honda and
Yamaha. A year after restoring Piaggio's health, Colaninno directed Piaggio's takeover of the
Italian scooter and motorcycle manufacturer Aprilia, and with it the Aprilia-owned Moto
Guzzi, storied Italian manufacturer of motorcycles.
In 2006, Piaggio floated on the Milan Stock Exchange, becoming a Public Company.
In April 2006, the Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Development, a principal investment
company owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi, has acquired a 35 per cent of the equity of
Piaggio Aero in order to fund new jet development.[2]
[edit] Brands and models
[edit] Group brands
• Aprilia - motorcycles, scooter and mopeds
• Derbi - motorcycles, scooters, mopeds and recreational ATVs (quads)
• Gilera - motorcycles, scooters, mopeds and recreational ATVs (quads)
• Ligier - 4-wheel micro automobiles
• Moto Guzzi - motorcycles
• Piaggio - scooters, mopeds, microcars, and small commercial vehicles
• Vespa - scooters and mopeds
• Laverda - super sports motorcycles (dormant)

[edit] Piaggio models

Vespa 400 at the 2004 Paris Motor Show

• Vespa 400
• Vespa ET2 (50 cc) & ET4 (125 cc & 150 cc) 1996-2005
• Vespa LX50 (50 cc) LX125 (125 cc) LX150 (150 cc) 2006 - Replacement for
the ET series
• Vespa GT125/GT200/GTS250ie/GTS300ie Super (also known as the Grand
Turismo and Grand Turismo Sport)
• Vespa LXV125/LXV150/GTV/GT60 (special edition and limited-run
Collector's Editions of the LX125/LX150 an GTS250 models)
• Vespa PX125/150/200
• Vespa Cosa
• Vespa PK 50/80/100/125
• Vespa ET3
• Vespa Primavera
• Vespa V90 & V50
• Vespa GS150/160
• Vespa SS180
• Vespa Rally 180/200
• Vespa Sprint
• Vespa Super 125/150
• Piaggio Ape 3-wheel submicro pickups.
• Piaggio Porter 4-wheel microvans and micro-pickups, same as a Daihatsu
Hijet.
• Piaggio P180 Avanti business aircraft
• Piaggio MP3 tilting 3-wheel scooter
• FLY50/100/125/150
• Free50/90/126
• Typhoon 50 cc, 80cc, 125 cc (1995–2000)
• Sfera NSL (50 cc & 80 cc) 1991-1995
• Sfera RST (RST standing for Restyle) (50 cc 2-Stroke & 125 cc 4-Stroke)
1995 - ??
• NRG mc1-3 (50 cc) (mc standing for mark.)
• NRG Power PureJet (50 cc fuel injection, water cooling)
• NRG Power DT (air-cooled) and DD (liquid-cooled), both introduced in 2005
• Zip (50 cc 2-stroke cat, 4-stroke & 125 cc 4-stroke)
• Zip SP (50 cc 2-stroke cat, liquid-cooled)
• Liberty (50 cc 2-stroke, 125 cc & 150 cc Quattrotempi)
• Liberty S (50 cc 125 cc 200 cc)
• Skipper ST (125 cc)
• Piaggio Ciao (50 cc)
• Si (50 cc)
• Superbravo (50 cc)
• Avanti (50 cc)
 • Grillo (50 cc)
• Bravo (50 cc)
• Boxer (50 cc)
• Boxer 2 (50 cc)
• X7 125 (European market), 250
• X7 Evo (125, 300 cc) - announced 2009
• X8 125 (European market), 250, 400
• XEvo 125, 250, 400
• X9 125/250 cc Evolution - the Evolution models superseded the previous
X9 models in 2004, which were fitted with Honda engines
• X9 500 cc Evolution with features not fitted on 125/250 cc models:
hydraulic centre stand, integrated rider-to-pillion communication system,
mobile phone charger in front dash cubbyhole
• BV200/250
• BV500 - neo-classic style, automatic transmission, top-speed 100 mph
• Beverly (125 cc; 250 cc; 400 cc; 500 cc: Beverly is the Italian name for the
BV models)
• Carnaby (125 cc & 200 cc)
• Free 50 (50 cc)
• Hexagon (125 cc; 150 cc; 180 cc; 250 cc)
• T (125 cc; 150 cc)
• Zip 2000 (50 cc 4-stroke)
• Zip sp '98 (50 cc 2-stroke, liquid-cooled)
• Zip sp h2o (50 cc 2-stroke, liquid-cooled)
• Quartz (50 cc 2-stroke, liquid-cooled)
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Electric scooters

The new plug-in hybrid version of the Piaggio MP3 will be equipped with a 125 cc petrol
engine and electric motor, which offers about 141 mpg-US (1.67 L/100 km; 169 mpg-imp) and
travels 13 miles (21 km) using battery power alone. This machine could be out in 2009.[3]
Piaggio/Vespa is also developing hybrid electric scooters. There are two models in the works,
based on the popular Vespa LX 50 and the beefier Piaggio X8 125.[4]
[edit] References
a b
1. ^ Piaggio 2008 results review
2. ^ UAEinteract.com. "Mubadala acquires 35 per cent in Italian business jet
maker UAE - The Official Web Site - News". The-emirates.com.
http://www.the-
emirates.com/docs/Mubadala_acquires_35_per_cent_in_Italian_business_je
t_maker/20506.htm. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
3. ^ "Piaggio Scooters Gone Green: 141 MPG Hybrid". TreeHugger.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/11/piaggio-scooter.php. Retrieved
2009-08-10.
 4. ^ "Vespa Unveils Hybrid Scooters". TreeHugger.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/04/vespa_unveils_h.php#ch01.
Retrieved 2009-08-10.

Present situation of piegio vehical company in india

Piaggio launches cargo vehicle

Special Correspondent
KOCHI: Piaggio Vehicles Private Limited, manufacturer of transport vehicles, has launched
‘Ape Mini,' a four-wheeler cargo vehicle in the half-tonne category, in the State. The vehicle
offers a mileage of 29 km per litre, a company release said here.
Other features include a large cargo deck, high ground clearance, spacious cabin with sleek
fittings and adjustable sliding bucket seats.
The vehicle is priced at Rs.1.73 lakh.
The company controls 65 per cent of the three-wheeler cargo vehicle segment and over 33
per cent of the three-wheeler passenger market, it said.
Photo of vehical

New launch: Mr J. Narayanan (left), Head- 3w Business of Piaggio Vehicles, and Mr R. Shyam Kumar, DGM-
Sales (Tamil Nadu and Kerala), at the launch of Ape Xtra and Ape Xtra-LD in Chennai on Wednesday. —
Our Bureau
Chennai, March 12 The Pune-headquartered Piaggio Vehicle Pvt Ltd (PVPL), a 100 per cent
subsidiary of Piaggio of Italy, on Wednesday launched two new variants of its diesel driven
cargo three-wheelers — ape Xtra and ape Xtra LD. The ex-showroom prices in Tamil Nadu
are Rs 1.3 lakh and Rs 1.35 lakh respectively.
Announcing the launch at a press conference, the Head of three-wheeler business of PVPL,
Mr J. Narayanan, said the objective was to offer more space and power while retaining the
payload of 600 kg. This would help certain segment of customers to enhance their business,
he said. The ‘ape Xtra’ has improved gearbox and clutch besides additional reinforced load
carrying tray. In addition to these features the ‘ape Xtra LD’ has 180 mm longer deck and
longer wheelbase, offering more space.
Southern India accounts for about 50 per cent of the total sales for the company and it has
been selling around 1,200 three-wheelers in both cargo as well as passenger vehicles. The
company was banking on increased sales from southern region this year, especially Tamil
Nadu, he said. Towards this, it would be increasing dealership and service centres by 20 per
cent. At present, the company has 21 dealers and 50 service centres, he added.
In 2007, the company sold 1,55,840 units, growing 11 per cent over last year.
In the current year, it hopes to maintain the rate of growth and the two new variants would
help accomplish the objective, he said. The company hopes to sell about 30,000 units of new
vehicles this year.
On the sub-one tonne four-wheeler — ape truk, he said the company would be completing the
national launch by the year end. The company launched the vehicle about 8 months ago;
however, the vehicle was available with about 100 dealers against the total of 671. This was
due to non-availability of requisite infrastructure, technical compatibility and systems with
the dealerships.
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Good news for Scooter lovers! According to Times of India news Piaggio, the Italian two
wheelers and three wheelers manufacturing company is to enter Indian scooter market.
Piaggio will launch its Vespa brand which was there in India before a decade. The company
is in final stages of setting up its scooter plant at Baramati in Maharashtra. The company’s
Baramati plant will have an initial capacity of 150,000 units per annum at an investment of
approximately Rs. 200 crore (30 million Euro). The company can increased the capacity if
required.

According to Ravi Chopra, CMD of Piaggio

Vehicles India, “We are gearing up for Vespa’s launch and plan to have around 70
dealerships by the end of this year. We plan to pitch it as a value-for-money offering into the
market.
The company is looking for 100% localization for Vespa LX 125. This will enable us to be
competitive. The company has already tied up component suppliers plans are on schedule.
The Vespa LX 125 would come in around the first quarter of next year.” It means that in the
first quarter of 2012 Piaggio will launch Vespa LX 125.
This is the third time Vespa brand is going to launch in Indian market. The first Vespa
scooters were launched in 1960 by Bajaj Auto in India. Bajaj Auto had acquired license from
Piaggio which was last till 1971. After that Piaggio reentered in India in 1983 partnering with
LML Motors in 1983 which was last till 1999.
Piaggio Vespa LX125 has four stroke 125 cc automatic transmission (CVT) engine which
produces 10.7 bhp and 9.6Nm that too with retro type Vespa look. Brand Vespa is known
worldwide. It has 35 international and 685 Italian clubs under the Vespa World Club. Till the
date over 17 million Vespas have been sold.
Piaggio, which has seven brands of scooters, motorcycles and small commercial vehicles. It
also owns Aprilia brand which it bought in the year 2004. After launching the 125cc Vespa
LX125 next year, Piaggio plans to bring in a fuller range that would include more scooters
from the Vespa range apart from motorcycles from its other brands.
The company’s has started its first two wheeler campaign with the launch of its premium
Aprilia superbikes through CBU route will range between 13 lakhs to 18 lakhs rupees. On the
launch Mr. Chopra said that Aprilia will give Piaggio the visibility and branding in the two-
wheeler market and help them to showcase their technological advancement. Aprilia will be a
niche product and they plan to sell the bikes through dealerships in cities like Delhi, Mumbai,
Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. Earlier the company was planning to launch its
two wheelers in partnership with the Munjals of Hero group.
India world’s second biggest market of two wheelers is catching fancy of every two wheeler
manufacturer in the world. Nearly 11 million two wheelers sold during the year 2010.
According to an estimate market size for two wheelers will double within five years from
now. Past 6 months have seen tremendous growth in scooter segment which is more than
motorcycle segment. The scooter segment is largely dominated by Honda, Hero Honda and
TVS. With the entry of Piaggio consumers will surely have better, reliable and value for
money scooters.
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