THE new Vespa LX is the latest chapter in the six-decade story of Vespa's design repertoire and represents the new generation of a truly unique legacy. A timelessly elegant design and compact steel body are the hallmarks of Vespa that make it stand out from the throng of urban traffic.

Ever since it first appeared in 1946, the Vespa (Italian for 'wasp') has remained faithful to its heritage whilst consistently appealing to changing generations as the stylish way to get around town. Since its conception it has sold nearly 17 million units. Initially a means of personal transport and freedom in post-war Europe, the Vespa has become a style icon and symbol of Italian design. The Vespa LX, the 139th model in almost 60 years, takes its place alongside the Vespa Granturismo and displays a successful blend of classic Vespa style, modern design and twist-and-go ease of use.

The classic Vespa outline is more sharply drawn than on the popular Vespa ET, which the LX replaces, and the round headlamp and rear-view mirrors in chrome-plated steel are a style statement straight out of Vespa history. The all-steel body sets the Vespa LX apart from any other scooter produced today and offers unmatchable rigidity and steering precision.

The big, easy-to-read instrument panel features a speedometer, fuel gauge and digital clock as well as a turning-signal indicator, low and high beam and oil level indicator. The wide front shield offers excellent rider protection and the indicators are bigger for better visibility.

Vespa has added a unique feature to the LX model - an 11inch front wheel with a new five-spoke design in aluminium alloy for greater stability and pinpoint steering. The front suspension with its dual effect hydraulic shock absorber has an aircraft-derived single-sided trailing arm, a feature that has marked every Vespa since 1946. The single arm uses roller bearings to reduce wear and tear. At the rear the new Vespa LX has a dual effect hydraulic single shock absorber. Spring pre-load is adjustable to four positions on the 125 version so that the rider and passenger can modify ride set-up for maximum comfort.

The large, flat footrest panel, which makes for very comfortable riding, links the front to the rear, running all the way to the geometrically shaped cowls. The well shaped, wide saddle is made to comfortably host both rider and passenger, while the chrome-plated handgrip is a stylish addition to the Vespa as well as being functional for the pillion rider. A saddle height of merely 775 mm on the 50cc model and 785 mm on the 125cc Vespa LX gives riders of any height perfect control of the vehicle.

The Vespa LX also utilises storage space to the rider's advantage. The under-seat compartment holds a full-faced helmet, and is accessed through the seat-opening button on the left side of the saddle. There is a bag hook on the front of the saddle to rest bags on the footrest panel and the inside of the front shield has a glove compartment in the same colour as the bodywork to hold a mobile phone, gloves, sunglasses or other small objects.

A central stand and side stand offer a choice for convenience. Simple and easy to use, the side stand is ideal for when you need to leave the Vespa LX on quick stops while the central stand gives greater stability when parking for longer periods. The Vespa LX engine range is designed and produced entirely in-house at Piaggio and is made to suit the varying needs of town riding, guaranteeing sparkling performance and agile manoeuvring in urban traffic as well as a safe mid-range ride.

The Vespa LX has three different engines - a powerful 50cc two-stroke and 50cc four-stroke, as well as a 125cc four-stroke, on which an anti-theft LED is standard. All the LX engines meet the recent Euro 2 emissions norms, as a result of the avant-garde overall engine design project as well as the use of catalytic converters and the SAS system. The 50cc four-stroke offers the advantage of low running costs boasting 45km to a litre. An exciting array of colours have always contributed to the appeal of Ves

pa and the new LX is no exception, with colour choices that enhance its modern design, compact shape and classic overtones: Dragon Red joins five metallic finishes in Graphite Black, Excalibur Grey, Diamond White, Aurora Blue and Daring Plum.

The Vespa LX is now available in UK dealerships nationwide. The Vespa LX2 50cc costs £1799 OTR, Vespa LX4 50cc costs £1899 OTR, and the Vespa LX4 125cc costs £2399 OTR. For more information about any of thr Vespa models or hoe to find your nearest Vespa dealers, call FREEPHONE 0800 20 30 10 quoting FP195 or vist www.uk.vespa.com