In 2023, if you’re familiar with Vespa, chances are good that you know at least a little bit of how the company started. Post-WWII, everyday Italian people needed a convenient, affordable way to get around, so Piaggio came up with one. While the company and designer Corradino D’Ascanio certainly couldn’t have known what a style icon they were creating at the time, that’s still exactly what they did.
Necessity, in this case, was the mother of invention—but just because you need function doesn’t mean that you can’t also have a form that’s extremely appealing to the eye. Over the decades, Piaggio has taken these strengths and improved various components in keeping with the times. Its devotion to style and a certain timelessness is clear, but it’s also not afraid to modernize.
Take, for example, the TFT display that’s been showing up on various Vespa models in the past few years. In Japan, the latest version of the Vespa Sprint S 150 now comes with a full-color, 4.3-inch TFT dash. You could previously get it on the Justin Bieber x Vespa Sprint collab, but now it’s also available in two stunning new matte colors for 2023—with no specific pop star allegiance necessary. It also features smartphone connectivity using the Vespa Mia app.
Gallery: Vespa Sprint S with TFT 150 - Japan
Engine Specifications
The Vespa Sprint S 150 with TFT is powered by an air-cooled, 155cc single-cylinder engine that makes a claimed 12.9 horsepower at 7,750 rpm, alongside 12.8 newton-meters (or 9.4 pound-feet) of torque at 6,500 rpm. It’s mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), as are most twist-and-go scooters on the market in 2023.
Brakes and Dimensions
It features a single disc brake up front, along with a drum brake in the rear, and rolls on a pair of 12-inch alloy scooter wheels that vary in color depending on which color scoot you choose. Seat height is 790mm, or just a hair over 31 inches. Wheelbase is 1,334mm, or about 52.5 inches. Total vehicle weight is 131 kilograms, or just under 289 pounds.
Colors and Pricing
For 2023, the Vespa Sprint S 150 with TFT comes in two colorways for the Japanese market: Bronze Antico or Black Opaco. Both feature a gorgeous matte finish, and both feature contrasting details that really set off the main color nicely. The Bronze Antico scoot has black details, including black alloy wheels. Choose the matte black scoot, and you get bronze details instead—including bronze alloy wheels. Both feature a special seat with diamond-pattern stitching to take the style level up another notch.
MSRP starts at ¥ 638,000, or about $4,452, including Japan’s 10-percent consumption tax. As always, for the most up-to-date information regarding pricing and availability, your best bet is to reach out to your local authorized Vespa dealer for applicable information in your market.
