Last June 5, 2018, the contract signing between ROPALI and Lambretta comes into fruition, launching the brand officially into the Philippines, with top executives of ROPALI representing the corporation and Michael Fulton, International Sales Manager of LAMBRETTA, flying into the country on behalf of the Italian brand.
Aldous Rex Alingog, General Manager of ROPALI Group of Companies announced, “It is an honor to be able to work with Lambretta, a globally recognized, authentic and historically renowned Italian scooter icon.”
Ariane Alingog, ROPALI President further exclaims, “Today, ROPALI makes history in the Philippines-again, with our contract signing with LAMBRETTA. As the country’s leading motorcycle and scooter retailer, we intend to imprint LAMBRETTA into the consciousness of our enthusiast-customers, as we fully intend for our market to embrace LAMBRETTA, the scooter acknowledged worldwide as a cult classic.”
With a retail chain numbering over 124 stores ready to roll out the brand, ROPALI is revved up to conquer the Philippine market with LAMBRETTA. Aldous Alingog states that ROPALI will initially market the new V Special Range, in 3 engine sizes: the 50cc, 125cc and 200cc, expected to arrive by June 23.
History of Lambretta
Italian born and bred since World War II, Lambretta bloodlines run thick with the true essence of Italian fashion and style, packed into the iconic scooter brand. The name Lambretta comes from Lambrate, the suburb of Milan where it all began in the Innocenti factory. Lambretta the brand name came from a mythical water spirit that was associated with the local river, which runs adjacent to the former factory.
Lambretta became a scooter icon right from the get go. First adopted as an affordable form of transportation in the 1950s, due to low running costs at a time and when manufacturing was in its recovery stage from the war. In the early 1960s, Lambretta Series 3 was embraced by the youth of the decade as part of the Modernist culture, earning the nick name the Mods.
As times changed, people’s wealth increased, small cars became more affordable, resulting in the demand for scooters to fall. Innocenti struggled through this period where it ended up closing its doors in 1972. The Lambretta scooters continued to live on by being manufactured under license in a number of countries and under different brand names.
Lambretta ’s comeback in 2017
Today Lambretta has been re-released by Lambretta GmbH made up of a joint venture of Lambretta Consortium in Switzerland and Austrian KSR Group who have come together to develop the new Lambretta V – Special range. The new range consisting of six models was released at the EICMA Milan Motorcycle Expo in November 2017 .
The new models have been specially designed by Austrian company KISKA, a highly regarded and world – renowned motorcycle design company that has done work with KTM, Husqvarna, CF MOTO and now Lambretta.
KISKA went back to the roots of the brand to incorporate a modern interpretation whilst keeping true to Lambretta’s key heritage styling and features. Steel body, interchangeable side panels, iconic Lambretta ‘fixed’ front fender, aluminum highlights, modern LED lights, Bluetooth connectivity and the use of iconic brand trademarks: the new V – Special range was born.
Inspired by the aeronautical industry , interchangeable double layer side panels are a key feature on the new models. Customers will be able to select a range of different side panel styles, shapes and colours to mix and match and create their very own personal scooter, a unique feature for the brand. The range will initially have three engine sizes 50cc, 125cc and 200cc: subsequently, there are plans to expand to a larger capacity 400cc in 2018 as well as an electric variant. Also, the company is also looking at reintroducing the iconic GP and SX classic Lambretta models at a later date.
ROPALI: FULLY GEARED TO BRING LAMBRETTA TO THE COUNTRY
For the last 40 years, ROPALI has dominated the motorcycling landscape of the country, with retail and lifestyle stores established in key areas of the Philippines. Their stores cater to motorcycle and scooter riders of varied, singular tastes, special wants and lifestyle preferences.
ROPALI Classics, with its showroom in Escriva Drive, Pasig, attracts motorcycling aficionados daily, including celebrities that are very much into the sport, showcasing as it does, a wide range of high-end motorcycle brands such as Kymco, Royal Enfield, KTM and CPI, along with Ural Motorcycles from Russia. The Lambretta V – Special models are anticipated to arrive in the Philippines by the end of June, an arrival that has the country’s bikers waiting with keen excitement for the brand to hog the roads, country lanes, fairways and highways of the country.
In attendance during the contract signing were Ms. Ma. Ceres Allam, ROPALI Chief Revenue Officer, Ms. Ariane A. Alingog, ROPALI President and Mr. Michael Fulton, International Sales Manager, Lambretta, Ms. Eden Cabrera, Senior Marketing Manager ROPALI, along with other key executives of ROPALI, plus other VIP guests and media friends.
ROPALI rolls out three engine models of Lambretta V Special in a press conference slated for June 25, 2018.
