Right, I don't know much about this, just found these great pics over at Basque Radical Mods blog. Eminating from the Saigon Scooter Centre, there appears to be an electric Lambretta in the offing.

Now I've blogged about electric Lambretta's before… here's one in development over at Soundspeed Scooters… but there doesn't seem to have been much movement on that lately. Then there was the EcoLa, and despite sounding like a food poisoning bug, this was a bit more promising, a Model D rigged to run on batteries. 

The Ebretta from Saigon Scooter Centre seems a different kettle of fish… a prodcut that you can actually buy. Contrary to some horror stories coming out of Vietnam, the Siagon Scooter Centre seems to have buit a good reputation for the quality of their scoots, their retsorations and their innovative products… so I'd expect the Ebretta would be quality machine. It certainly looks the part in the pictures. f you are one of those sad, misguiged people who would rather put their leg over a Vespa, it looks like they cater for you guys too; Based on a PX, they are calling it a V-tronic. But then again, if Vespa's are your thing I doubt you'd be reading this blog. 

There is always going to be a majority of classic Lambretta riders who will perfer a geared, two-stroke powered scooter. But, if you're an eco warrio Lambretta fan who's in the market for a new scooter, and aren't convinced by the syling of the LN, LS and LJ models, this might be ticking your boxes. 

Watch this space, and I'll keep you posted when I find out any more information. Rumour has it, Scootering magazine will be running a feature with full specs etc, but if I hear anything before they go to press, I'll let you know.

Saigon Scooter Centre's Facebook page

Not sure of the story behind this vid… I suspect it's a music video… and it's tagged "indonesia" so I reckon that's where it originates from. The mod/scooter scene looks pretty vibrant!

Never mind where she got the shoes… where did he get the scoot?

If you want to make your ad sexy and stylish, just add a couple of pretty girls and a Lambretta. Nerver fails. Nice Lammy, used to flog footwear.

Via the Scooterist blog. 

I posted a while ago, that in addition to the 125 and 150 LN & LS models, there looked like there was going to be a 50cc LJ model. Well, anyone that has been watching eBay will tell you, there is. Well, ctually there are two models, The LJ, which like the original LI Series 1, had it's headlight on the corncasing, and the LT which has it's headlight more conventially mounted.

I haven't got a lot of spec on these, but here's what I do have. 

Engine type: 2 stroke 
Displacement: 49cc
Cooling System: Air
Fuel System: Carburettor
Transmission: Automatic
Front Suspension: Telescopic Fork
Rear Suspension: Unit Swing Arm
Front Brake: Disc
Rear Brake: Drum
Front Tyre: 110/70-12
Rear Tyre: 120/70-12

Price is expected to be around £1899.00

Check it out, and reserve yours if you fancy one, on eBay here.

Right. First off, this clearly comes under the "That's not a Lambretta" header. But until I get round to writing a proper piece about Lambro's, this'll have to do you. I'm not sure it even comes under the category of scooter. It's actually a BSA Ariel 3.

Being a proper moped (notice the pedals you have to use to start it) It wouldn't be quick. I can't imaging that once you loaded up the 'luggage area' (that would take lttle more than your average topbox) you'd be breaking many speed limits. Even going downhill, with a tailwind in a 30mph zone. In fact, it would be one of the few vehicles on the road I would stand any chance of overtaking.

As with most items in those halycon days before the PC brigade had any say, the advertising shots featured a girl in a bikini. Although, to be brutally honest, I can't remember a time I saw a vehicle with less sex appeal!

And it's for sale. So why not get yourself a piece of British motorcyle history? The downside, The Ariel 3 is ugly, slow and impractacle. The upside, it's rare, and actually it's SO ugly, it's strangely attractive… and it's proper 1970's… right down to the baby-poo and white colour scheme. Biggest upside though is it's cheap. It's on sale on the Car&Classic website for a mere £450. So if your a hipster with a thing for the seventies… like three wheel but can't quite scrape together the cash for a Bond Bug, you may be able to bag yourself a bargain.

Not sure of the provenance of this fine piece of footage, if you follow this link it will take you to Peter Janovick's YouTube page, but it looks to me like it's been taped off the telly at some point in the late '90's. If it was, it passed me by on it's original airing… and the late 90's has itself become a bit of history I suppose. God I feel old sometimes!

Anyway, if you know a bit about Lammies, it's an interesing 26 minutes, and if you've stumbled across this website somehow without knowing about Mr Innocenti's fine creations, it's virtually essential viewing. 

Well it's 2012, and I'm a bit pissed off. Where are the flying cars we were promised on Tomorrows World? Instead 2012 cars are pretty much like 1960's cars, except with air con, ABS, an lots less personality.

Then there were the hoverboards from "Back to the Future" …although I was never good enough on a regular skateboard to make having a hoverboard part of my wishlist. A hover scooter though… hmm… that's a different kettle of fish… wouldn't mind one of those. Mind you, I don't think I'd fancy owning the one in the Pathe movie… it's more "back to the drawing board" than "Back to the future"!

Credits:

Video via: Visordown Flying cars from: Plus4Chan Hover scooters via: RideTheMachine

I came across this movie on Da Nguyen's "The Scooterist" site, a fine blog which comes out of Vietnam. Nicely shot, it's clearly a promo for the premium harrington (and other stuff) brand Baracuta, though the promotioanl element is fairly subtle… just the riders standing around in various pastel shade harringtons around the 1minute 10 mark! Nice selection of Lammies on display… although I must admit I lost interst a little during teh surfing segment… not quite my bag! I'm all for packing as much fun into a weekend as possible, but I must be getting a bit old, but a ride down to Woolacombe, a spot of surfing, a bit of Northern in the evening and a ride home the same day would probably be too much for my old bones!

Nice movie by Polymath Films, good soundtrack too.

 

 

I know, I know, it's been a while. And back I come, not with a Lambretta post at all, but another microcar. What can I say, I love 'em. Messerschmitt's and Isetta's particualrly. And like the Smite that I have written about previously, the concept I'm posting about today has obvious DNA of one of those originals, but this time the Isetta.

It's the work of Tony Weichselbraun, a recent graduate of the University of Applied Arts in Viennna, the eSetta was part of his Diploma, I can't put it any better than the man himself, so here's what he says about it on his coroflot page:

"The eSetta is an urban electric vehicle indended as a car sharing platform. It is inductively charged at sharing hubs, thereby eliminating the unfound fear of limited range through empty batteries. Its design is inspired by the legendary BMW Isetta. The front door slides and rotates, allowing passengers to enter and exit the vehicle via sidewalk. By giving the car a highly recognizable and friendly appearance, I intended to reinforce the positive aspects of car sharing."

Well, I certainly think he's pulled off freindly… it's got more than a hint of puppy dog about it… I'd almost expect a wagging tail!, and while I always prefered the 3 wheeled variant of the original Isetta, four works pretty good here, I can see that it uses the available cabin space better. Tiny wheels though! So, would I choose this (in the unlikely event of it ever going into production), or my pevious favoutrite, the Smite? A bit of an accademic question, as neither look like they'll be on sale any time soon. But if they both were, lets just say it would be a close run thing.

Tenuos Lambretta link? (apart from the "etta" suffix), this kind reminds me of the way the Fido electric scooter concept kinda looked like a model D, as I poster way back. 

Came across this the other day, on a brand identity website (that's my day job). I'm not against the extending of the Lambretta brand, and coffee seems to me to be a better fit than, say, underpants (though others may disagree!). I do object when it's not done properly however… like here.

Using a classic Italian scooter brand to sell classic Italian coffee doesn't seem such a bad idea.

It looks like there may be Lambretta cafés (or Caffés… two f's?) appearing soon, going head to head with the likes of Starbucks, Café Nero and Coffee Republic… it's a crowded, some would say saturated market… but I wish them well. As long as they do it properly of course.

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