When iconic motorcycle brands develop new motorcycles for future generations, it can be all too easy to lose sight of heritage and become overwhelmed by modern-day technology. This is especially true for brands like Lambretta, which can be considered niche, and not exactly as ubiquitous as Vespa, its fellow Italian scooter stablemate.
To design the next generation of Lambretta scooters without losing sight of what makes a Lambretta a Lambretta is surely not an easy task, so much so that Lambretta has needed the input of some fresh minds for the project. That's right, Innocenti SA, the company that now owns the Lambretta brand, has commissioned the help of design students from the European Institute of Design in Milan, Italy. The project will serve as the thesis classes of 26 students looking to acquire their diplomas in 2023.
As for the history of the brand, it's understandable that the preservation of the brand's character is important to Innocenti SA, as the Lambretta brand hasn't exactly had a smooth-sailing existence. The brand first hit the scene in 1947, until 1972 wherein its machinery and equipment were acquired by the Indian government. It wasn't until 2017 that we would once again see the brand come back to life, thanks to Innocenti SA, its current owners. Incidentally, in June, 2022, the brand celebrated its 75th anniversary with the launch of the G350 Special and X300 limited edition scooters.
What the future holds is unclear, but it appears that the goal is to develop a new line of models that honors the brand's long history while incorporating cutting-edge design and technology. More specifically, the upcoming scooter design will undoubtedly be electric, with a lot of governments hoping to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2050.
In order to do this, students from the European Institute of Design will have to work double time and determine which aspects of the scooters are to be adapted to the future, and which ones are bound for the scrap yard. On top of this, given the rapidly evolving electric mobility sector, relevance is key, and it can be all too easy to become overwhelmed with all the technology that's coming out left and right.
