Lambretta scooters we made in many different countries around the world
Italy, more than any other country, is known for its motorscooters. In the movies, a photograph of Rome, or in a story about this sunbathed country, the motorscooters is an obvious feature in the Italian way of life. The name most often mentioned when scooters are discussed is Lambretta, and the story of this marquee is a study of the post war industrialisation of Italy. The Lambretta, like many of its European brothers, is locked up and interwoven with a parent company that produces many other products in addition to its two-wheeled vehicles.

It all began in Italy with Innocenti's first scooter, the Model (M) rolled off the production line in 1947. The M went on to be known as the Model A, and from then on the success of Lambretta grew and grew. Who would have thought even today Ferdinando Innocenti and his designers idea of getting Italy mobile after the war, would continue to be a passion, way of life, and a mode of transport, even today.

At first Innocenti struggled to make it's scooter profitable, such was the attention to detail and quest for perfection, but in the early stages huge set up costs and small production volumes all added to the overall costs of the machines. As time went on, the factory became more and more modern, efficient and with each machine production volumes rose quickly making the Lambretta a profitable and viable product.
Innocenti's main market to start with was its home Italian market, but they soon looked for new markets to expand sales and the word of Lambretta. All parts of Europe soon began selling these small scooters, and then most other parts of the world also saw the Lambretta hit their shores.

Innocenti soon realised that by granting licences to manufacture scooters to various countries around the world would not only allow the Lambretta to be sold in more countries around the world, but also saw them gain royalties from such ventures without capitol outlay from the main factory itself.

Some of the countries around the world that seek licences from Innocenti were, Spain, France, Germany, India, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and more. Although some producers did market the Lambretta under differing names, such as the Serveta from Spain, the Siambretta from South America, they all share the family design that came originally from Italy.
Many of these factories continued to produce Lambrettas long after Innocenti close it doors. The Italian factory when it finally closed it's doors, was sold to the Indian Government who set up S.I.L, Scooters India Limited who continue even today to produce a version of the Lambro three wheeled Vehicle.

The last two wheeled scooters to roll of the production lines of the various factories was as follows :-

Italy - Production ceased 1972
Spain - Production ceased 1989
India - Production ceased 1998
France - Believed to be 1958
Germany - Innocenti based products ceased in 1956, but the continued for a few years under NSU Prima
South American - Not know, some factories still exist today, but making cars. The Innocenti name is still used in Brazil.

 

Accessories:

Your new Lambretta could be supplied with just about any accessories(s) you could care to think of, from side saddles for ladies to a spare wheel and carrier. Embellishers to brighten your scooter, air horns, extra lights.
Right from the first model A's when not even a second seat was standard, options and extra's could be brought to personalise your Lambretta. Even speedometers were an extra on the early machines. By the time the LD models of the mid to late fifties were being produced, the accessory market really took off, as along with the great numbers of scooter being produced, Innocenti were also marketing their machines as cheap alternatives to cars. Matching tartan seat and spare wheel covers, luggage sets, clocks, aerials, radios, windscreen, backrests, luggage racks, floorboard extensions, the list goes on as to how you could personalise your scooter.

Among some of these companies who manufacture rd accessories for Lambretta were Vigano, Cuppini, CRM, Ulma, Fiar, Fabbri, Super, Metalplast, Catasol, Biemme, REG, Caboc, Falbo, Ardor, to name but a few.