Piaggio scooter sales grow 15 per cent in 2016

Piaggio has announced a 15 per cent growth in scooter sales in India in 2016. The company sold 39,600 scooters in the last year as opposed to the 28,300 scooters it had managed in 2015.

Piaggio recorded this growth despite the announcement of demonetisation in the last quarter of 2016. While major two-wheeler manufacturers witnessed a slump, the Piaggio group managed to record growth during this period. As its scooters are marketed as lifestyle products, the cash crunch didn’t have a major impact on Piaggio sales. Globally, the group recorded a six per cent jump in scooter sales in 2016.

While the Vespa scooters still are the biggest contributors to the overall sales, the Aprilia SR 150 has also played a major role in helping the Italian group attain this. The Aprilia SR 150 singlehandedly outsold the entire Vespa range of scooters in the last quarter of 2016, thanks to its unique appeal and lucrative price tag. Last month, the company launched a peppier version of the scooter christened Aprilia SR 150 Race for those looking for better off-the-mark performance.