We motoring hacks usually don’t use the term ‘cute’, but there really isn’t any other adjective that can be applied to the little Lamby – it’s as cute as a button. I held back a strong urge to go and pinch its cheeks and make gurgling noises and instead cast an admiring glance at the brilliance of the design – this scooter was well ahead of its time in terms of looks, no question about it. It was compact, it never fell apart, it was comfortable and it gave you about 45 kpl; what more could you ask for? On top of all that, it was an absolute blast to ride and I spent a good hour puttering about on it. All that was needed was a beautiful girl in a billowing skirt on the rear seat and a few fountains and cafes and I would have been back in Italy, soaking in the sunshine and grinning broadly. Nevertheless, I grinned anyway – a lot. This thing had better ride quality than most of today’s scooters and it turned in quite quickly as well, making it bucketloads of fun.
Lambrettas continued to be wildly popular all over the world, with several all-new and more powerful models such as the TV175 and the SX200 (which was capable of over 100 kph and had a disc brake) being introduced. Factories were set up in India (remember the Vijay Super and the Vijay Deluxe?), South America, Pakistan, Indonesia and other countries. The company even built a 250cc racing bike, the Moto Lambretta, which is considered one of the most beautiful racing bikes ever made. It never actually made it to the track, but it generated a huge amount of publicity for the firm, which in turn helped sales grow.
However, by the 1970s, sales of scooters began to slow down due to small cars entering the market at affordable prices and the factory was closed in 1971. A sad end, no doubt, but one that came after decades of some of the most stylish and entertaining scooters the world has ever seen.
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