Manufacturer | Lambretta |
---|---|
Production | January 1969 – April 1971 |
Predecessor | SX Range |
Successor | None |
Class | Scooter |
Engine | 125 cc (7.6 cu in), 150 cc (9.2 cu in) or 200 cc (12 cu in), two-stroke, single |
Bore / stroke | 52 mm × 58 mm (2.0 in × 2.3 in) (125cc) 57 mm × 58 mm (2.2 in × 2.3 in) (150cc) 66 mm × 58 mm (2.6 in × 2.3 in) (200cc) |
Ignition type | Electronic (late models) |
Transmission | 4-Speed manual, chain drive [1] |
Frame type | Tubular |
Suspension | Front: sprung trailing links Rear: Shock absorber |
Brakes | Front: drum (125cc & 150cc), disc (200cc) Rear: drum |
Tyres | 3.50*10 |
Dimensions | L: 1,800 mm (71 in) W: 680 mm (27 in) H: 1,012 mm (39.8 in) |
Fuel capacity | 8.1 L (1.8 imp gal; 2.1 US gal) |
The Lambretta GP/DL range was the final range of classic Lambrettas to be produced before Innocenti was sold to British Leyland Motor Corporation in 1971. The range was called the DL in most countries, but was called the GP (standing for Grand Prix) in Britain and some other countries. This was to associate the scooters with Formula One which was extremely popular and successful in the late 1960s. [2]
The GP/DL range was designed by Bertone that was also acclaimed for designing several vehicles for Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Fiat.
The GP/DL range was offered with three different engine sizes: 125cc, 150cc, and 200cc. The three versions were visually very similar in appearance, and were much more sporty looking in comparison to the Series 3 range which they replaced. The 200cc version was fitted with an internal disc brake and had improved front suspension due to additional front dampers being fitted. In April 1971, Italian production of GP/DL Lambrettas ended with the closure of the Innocenti factory in Milan. [3] The Indian Government purchased the production rights and the tooling from Innocenti and continued production of GP/DL scooters under the Scooters India Ltd (SIL) brand until 1996, with only minor cosmetic changes, eg addition of indicators, made. However, the quality of these SIL produced Lambrettas never matched that of the Innocenti produced machines principally due to the lack of quality control procedures at the SIL factory and the degradation over time of the original press and form tools. As of 2017, limited spares for the GP/DL range are still manufactured by SIL; SIL makes complete engines/engine cases for the GP/DL 150/200. The production of body panels and frames has been discontinued by SIL. However, third party/non-OE body panels, cosmetic items, electrical items are still available in large quantities and qualities throughout India. As of 2017, there is a wide and increasing range of spares and performance upgrades available from various Italian and U.K. aftermarket providers, including more robust engine cases, larger capacity cylinder kits, a twin-cylinder 275cc engine, carburettors, exhaust systems, 5-speed gearboxes and hydraulic disc brakes and suspension systems.
The range was designed by Bertone and was made shorter with a rectangular headset and slimmer leg shields. It also had black trim and a new shaped mudguard to make the GP/DL look more sporting. Despite the revised styling, the new model still shared many inter-changeable parts with the earlier series III scooters. An ink splat was used as the logo for the DL, because it was reported that Bertone once threw down his ink pen in frustration of his designs not being appreciated – the resultant ink pattern being used as the logo, but in the United Kingdom the GP used a checkered flag. [4] The GP Electronic was designed between Innocenti and Ducati and came with an electronic ignition. However, only approximately 200 were produced before production ceased. [5] The GP came in turquoise, white, orange, red and yellow-ochre paint colours with panel colours either matching or red or blue in contrast. [5]
Vespa is an Italian luxury brand of scooters and mopeds manufactured by Piaggio. The name means wasp in Italian. The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A. of Pontedera, Italy to a full line of scooters and one of seven companies today owned by Piaggio.
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Innocenti was an Italian machinery works, originally established by Ferdinando Innocenti in 1933 in Lambrate, a neighborhood on the eastern outskirts of Milan. Over the years, they produced Lambretta scooters as well as a range of automobiles, mainly of British Leyland origins. The brand was retired in 1996, six years after being acquired by Fiat.
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A scooter is a motorcycle with an underbone or step-through frame, a seat, a transmission that shifts without the operator having to operate a clutch lever, a platform for their feet, and with a method of operation that emphasizes comfort and fuel economy. Elements of scooter design were present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motor scooters have been made since at least 1914. More recently, scooters have evolved to include scooters exceeding 250cc classified as Maxi-scooters.
Automobile Products of India (API) was founded in 1949 at Bombay, by the British company Rootes Group, and later bought over by M. A. Chidambaram of the MAC Group from Madras. The company manufactured Lambretta scooters, API Three Wheelers under license from Innocenti of Italy and automotive ancillaries, notably clutch and braking systems. API's registered offices were earlier in Mumbai, later shifted to Chennai, in Tamil Nadu. The manufacturing facilities were located in Mumbai and Aurangabad in Maharashtra and in Ambattur, Chennai. The company has not been operational since 2002.
Lambretta is a brand motor scooters, manufactured in Milan, Italy, by Innocenti.
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The Lambretta Model B was the second production model of Lambretta scooters, produced from November 1948 to January 1950. It was similar to its predecessor, the Lambretta Model A but was refined to improve the ride. It was made because of the success of the Model A.
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The Lambretta V-Special is a scooter produced by Innocenti S.A. under the brand name Lambretta. The bike has been introduced in 3 models the V50 Special, V125 Special and the V200 Special. The V-Special began production in 2017 and is based on the SYM Fiddle.
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