Piaggio's innovative MP3 three-wheeled scooter is now on sale in Australia.

The MP3, made by the same company which produces the iconic Vespa, provides safety, road grip and stability levels that no other two-wheeler can match -- especially on uneven and wet surfaces. The MP3 takes on cobblestone streets, patchy asphalt and tram tracks with the greatest of ease, and is no wider than a comparable two-wheel maxi scooter.

It's a cinch to park. An electro-hydraulic tilt-locking system means there is no need to put the vehicle on its stand, although one is provided for ease of servicing. Simply flick the lean-locking button and apply the parking brake. The system will operate at any angle, so you don't need to find a level parking area.

The MP3's three-disk braking system and exceptional road-holding capability combine to reduce braking distance by 20 percent compared to other scooters.

A large range of accessories are also available for the MP3, including a maxi windscreen and top box, which adds to the already considerable underseat storage area.

The MP3 will be available in two engine displacements: 250cc and 400cc. They both feature four-stroke, four-valve liquid-cooled engines in line with Europe's tough Euro3 emissions standards. The 250cc model is now on sale at $10,990 (plus ORC), while the 400 will go on sale in January next year, with pricing yet to be announced.

In addition, the 500cc Gilera Fuoco (Gilera is also a part of the Piaggio group), built on the same technological template as the MP3, will go on sale in November this year.

"Not since Enrico Piaggio introduced Vespa to the world in 1946 have we seen such a revolution in transport for individual mobility," said Piaggio's Brand Manager Simon Gloyne. "It has taken six decades for Australia to embrace scooters into our culture. Sure, the culture of the four-car family in the suburbs is well ingrained, but as fuel prices increase and our urban areas become more consolidated, the time continues to be right for scooters. We are not experiencing a scooter craze; we are experiencing a monumental shift in the way we think about our personal transport needs."

The Piaggio MP3 is type-approved as a standard two-wheeled motorcycle. This means licensing and registration requirements are the same as for a motorcycle.

MP3 features

• Powerful and economical 250cc fuel-injected liquid-cooled four-stroke engine
• Electric start
• Front assembly with dual independent tilting wheels providing a lean angle of up to 40 degrees
• Electro-hydraulic front suspension locking system that keeps vehicle upright without using the centrestand
• Rear and underseat lockable storage space
• Analogue dash with speedo and large clock
• Three-disc braking system
• No wider than comparable two-wheel maxi scooters
• Handbrake for parking
• Low-emission, environmentally friendly Euro 3 compliant
• Two-year unlimited kilometre warranty
  

Available Colours
Azzuro Sky - Sky Blue
Grigio Excalibur - Silver
Nero Graffite - Black Graphite
Rosso Cherry - Burgundy

About Piaggio
The Piaggio company, nestled in the Tuscan countryside between Florence and Pisa, first invented scooters in 1946 when it produced the first-ever Vespa and helped liberate a war-torn Italy. Vespa remains the iconic scooter brand with its unique metal-bodied design. Today, Piaggio continues to produce scooters under the classic Vespa brand, the sporty Gilera brand and the contemporary Piaggio brand. In Australia, PS Importers is the sole importer of this iconic and popular range

About Vespa
Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday were the first of a long series of international actors and actresses to be seen on the world's most famous scooter. In photo shoots, films and on the set, the Vespa has been a "travel companion" for names like Raquel Welch, Ursula Andress, Geraldine Chaplin, Joan Collins, Jayne Mansfield, Milla Jovovich, Charlton Heston, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Sting, Antonio Banderas, Matt Damon, Gérard Depardieu, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson.

For more information, or copies of hi-res images, please contact:

Mark Fattore
Marketing Manager
Piaggio Australia
20 Stubbs Street
Kensington, Vic 3031
Tel:+ 61 (0)3 9381 9733
Mobile: + 61 (0)417 557 204
Fax: + 61 (0)3 9381 9798
Email: mark@psimporters.com.au

www.triumphmotorcycles.com.au
www.hyosung.com.au
www.piaggio.com.au
www.vespa.com.au
www.gilera.com.au