2014 Piaggio Mp3 500

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(from Piaggio Press Release) NEW PIAGGIO MP3 500

PIAGGIO MP3, THE FIRST SCOOTER IN THE WORLD WITH DUAL FRONT WHEEL, HAS REVOLUTIONIZED CITY MOBILITY AND WITH 150,000 VEHICLES SOLD, IT IS THE UNDISPUTED MARKET LEADER.

ON THE BASIS OF THIS SUCCESS, NOW THE PIAGGIO MP3 500 INTRODUCES THE NEXT STAGE OF EVOLUTION. GREATER SAFETY VIA ABS AND ASR TRACTION CONTROL, MORE COMFORT FOR RIDER AND PASSENGER, GREATER SPACE WITH A BRAND NEW STYLE, THE UTMOST TECHNOLOGY ON BOARD AND A NEW HIGH-PERFORMANCE ENGINE WITH REDUCED CONSUMPTION.

YOU CAN RIDE PIAGGIO MP3 500 WITH AN ORDINARY DRIVING LICENCE.

In 2006, with Mp3, Piaggio invented a new form of transport by developing and spreading throughout the world a 3-wheel scooter. The first in the world, Piaggio Mp3 combined the comfort and safety of a car with the practicality, simplicity and fun of a scooter or motor cycle.

Piaggio Mp3 introduced new levels of safety, enjoyment and comfort for riders driving alone or in two. All these features were impossible on conventional 2-wheeled scooters.

Now Piaggio Mp3, the market leader with 150,000 vehicles sold throughout the world, has evolved still further. Only the manufacturer behind one revolution in city transport can hope to exceed itself with another one.

In 2006 Piaggio brought the future to today inventing a new form of transport. With Mp3, Piaggio reinvented city transport. Piaggio Mp3 is the world's first 3-wheel scooter, the concrete response to the demand for easy-to-handle, extremely safe city vehicles to get about in the city or reach the city centre from the ever growing suburbs. The two front wheels and the exclusive patented suspension system joining them combine the safety of a car with the simplicity and practicality of a scooter and the fun of a motor cycle with dynamic riding when turning. Therefore Piaggio Mp3 is able to satisfy a truly global demand: from drivers looking for a more practical yet safe alternative to the experienced motorcyclist able to appreciate the advantages and technical features of a vehicle that has, on its own, created a new market segment of which it is the undisputed leader.

With 150,000 vehicles sold and peaks in Europe's largest cities, Piaggio has now taken a revolutionary concept one step further, presenting the new Piaggio Mp3 500, the flagship of the full range of 3-wheel vehicles supplied by the Piaggio Group.

Piaggio Mp3 500, available with two sets of equipment Sport and Business has been restyled and upgraded technically, introducing new and excellent levels of safety and technology, with improved construction quality and an exclusive design. More comfort for the rider and passenger, more space on-board and an improved load capacity, more fun with dynamic riding and extra practicality in daily use.

The new Piaggio Mp3 500 - a vehicle able to meet all transport needs, in the city and outside it - can be ridden with an ordinary driving licence. The new Mp3 is ideal for drivers and riders looking for protection and safety but who don't want to give up simplicity and fun.

New frame, new body, new functions

Piaggio Mp3 500 is a completely new vehicle. The Piaggio Mp3 frame has been redesigned with the dual objective of provising, on the one hand, excellent stability and precision and, on the other, a wider range of uses. The new architecture meets these two important requirements, creating the best Piaggio Mp3 ever built in terms of dynamic qualities, safety standards and comfort for rider and passenger. The new space available improves the ergonomics and optimizes the use of the space under seat for loads.

The careful complete restyling adds more comfort on-board. The seat has become sumptuous: flat and comfortable for two people to sit on, an improvement on the earlier generation of the Piaggio Mp3. with ergonomic benefits, starting from the position of the legs, more extended and relaxed. In particular the new triangulation handlebars-saddle-footplate is larger, making riding easier and improving vehicle control. And it's not only the rider who benefits. Conceived as an alternative to the car, the new generation Piaggio Mp3 also provides additional passenger comfort: with increased space, and a more relaxed sitting position, plus the advantages of a pull-out footplate. The large compartment under the seat, fitted with 12 volt plug, courtesy light and mat, has been redesigned for additional uses, due to the regular, almost rectangular shape, without indentations or partitions, so every square centimetre can be used, for example to store two full-face helmets or a laptop holder. As before the seat opens electrically with power-assisted shock absorber for smooth, safe opening. Il flat streamlined tail for an easily assembled box (just one of the many accessories available), further increasing the already exceptional load capacity of the new Piaggio Mp3.

New safety. The first 3-wheeler with ABS and ASR

Piaggio Mp3 has been the first 3-wheeled scooter. Today, the new Piaggio Mp3 is the first three-wheeler in the world with ABS brake system integrated with ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) traction control.

The ASR system is an electronic traction control device regulating the driving wheel slippage. The ASR can be switched off simply and it guarantees safety by preventing the slippage of the rear wheel on slippery or wet roads and uneven surfaces, for excellent rear tyre grip and roadholding in all conditions. The Piaggio Group is the first manufacturer to use rear wheel traction control for a scooter, in-house developed technology, based on racing experience and subsequently adapted and built into city vehicles.

The ABS system maximizes active safety preventing wheel blockage under braking and providing full control of the vehicle at all times. Developed specifically for the Piaggio Mp3, it uses a Continental control unit and three channels controlling the three wheels individually modulating only the braking force to prevent grip loss. The new version of the Piaggio Mp3 uses disc brakes on all three wheels, but the diameter of the front discs has been increased from 240 to 258 mm, helping to increase power and effectiveness, and reducing the braking distance. Greater safety and a smoother ride are provided by new larger front wheels with diameter up from 12 to 13 inches.

This is the resounding success due to the Mp3 exclusive Piaggio dual independent tilting front wheel technology, thanks to the four bar linkage suspension which the leading Group in Europe designed and developed before any other manufacturer in the world to ensure maximum riding pleasure in complete safety. This is il the original project patented by Piaggio, with a roll mechanism comprising four aluminium alloy arms, fitted on four hinges on the central sleeve and two side sleeves connected to the arms by pins and ball bearings. Inside the side sleeves, the righthand and lefthand steering tube rotates in a classic single-arm set-up.

The blocking mechanism of the front suspension, a distinguishing feature of the 3-wheel Italian scooter, transforms the balance of the Piaggio Mp3 from dynamic to static. Start up the Piaggio Mp3 and it stays in balance on the three wheels without the need for a stand (fitted nonetheless). To resume normal operation accelerate or use the dedicated pushbutton. This means you never need to put your foot in the ground and you can park the Piaggio Mp3 anywhere, easily and without effort.

New style

The new Piaggio Mp3 has been given a completely new look, now more modern and elegant with evident hints of a motor car and a car-style refined finish and high perceived quality. The Style Centre of the Piaggio Group has completely redesigned the distinctive features, modernizing them and making them even more individualistic. The front shield recalls the original model but has a totally new form. The new smoke-grey windshield provides more protection and can be adjusted to three different heights. The headlights and indicators are new with high efficiency daytime lights with 7 LEDs, adapted from the auto industry and modernizing the look of the front of the scooter. The wheel rims, now with diameter of 13”, have a new elegant design with 5 dual spokes: reminiscent of saloon cars and luxury autos.

The handlebars are new as is the complete set of modern instruments in two conventional round panels and amulti-purpose digital panel with data on fuel consumption (average and current), average and maximum speed, fuel gauge, travel time, ambient temperature and ice alarm. The instrument panel also includes a clock, dual mapping of the engine CPU, total and trip counter and battery voltage reader. The 11 lights on the instrument panel display the functioning of the headlights, dipped headlights, indicators, reserve fuel, oil pressure, warning (injection), immobilizer, ABS, ASR and four emergency lights. At the centre, under the display, an array of 4 further gauges shows: roll lock warning, engine shut-down, no roll and hand brake. Pushbuttons under the handlebars are to open the saddle and switch off the ASR.

Also completely new is the central portion of the tunnel and counter-shield now with two anti-impact pads the colour of the saddle in front of the rider's knees. Complete with pull-out hook for bags. The compartment above the instruments now has a drawer and USB connection, ideal for recharging a smartphone and other devices.

The rear zone of the Piaggio Mp3 is very different from the earlier model, with a new body. The line was inspired by the latest generation of Piaggio GT maxiscooters. The tail is more streamlined and dynamic, elegantly truncated, highlighting the sports character of the Piaggio Mp3, reflected in its exceptional roadholding and tilt while turning. The surface finish is now smoother, reinforcing the streamlined look of the vehicle, which has a highly dynamic appearance. The tail stop and position lights incorporate LED technology. The parcel holder and passenger handle, in aluminium, complete the line of the new, super comfortable saddle.

New engine with top technology

Since its launch the Piaggio Mp3 has always provided top motoring performance in absolute safety through its exclusive dual front-wheel technology. A combination of 3-wheeler and high-performance engine which gives the Piaggio Mp3 its undisguised sports character and cornering fun nipping through city streets and sweeping round country roads.

The 500cc engine - the sturdy and reliable top-of-the-range for high-performance scooters - is a true evolution of the species where it comes to “half litres”.
The new 4-valve 500 engine, liquid-cooled and with electronic fuel injection, is the most powerful in its class, and is now fitted with a multimap “Ride-by-Wire” electronic acceleration system which improves the power supply and hence the rideability of the Piaggio Mp3, allowing the rider to choose between optimum performance and fuel saving by changing the engine mapping via a pushbutton on the handlebar. The smoothness of the engine at low revs is greatly improved.

This is due to the new single-shaft timing system which now uses roller tappets and optimizes the timing diagram to reduce mechanical noise and improve reliability. The intake line has been entirely redesigned for an optimum air/fuel ratio (filling coefficient). The new duct improves the torque at low revs, guaranteeing an exceptionally smooth ride at all revs, and reducing fuel consumption. The exhaust plant has been completely overhauled to reduce noise and make the sound more harmonic. The new setting of the CVT gearbox also helps to reduce fuel consumption and mechanical noise, ensuring smoother starts through a more gradual clutch.

PIAGGIO MULTIMEDIA PLATFORM connected at all times by smartphone

The sophisticated Piaggio Multimedia Platform, available from among the many dedicated accessories for the Piaggio Mp3, illustrated in the catalogue, connects your smartphone to the on-board electronic system, turning it into a multi-purpose instrument, a computer able to display simultaneously data such as speed, revs, engine power and torque in real time, as well as acceleration in a straight line, tilt in cornering, average and current fuel consumption, average speed and battery voltage among a host of other functions. A smartphone connected with the Piaggio Multimedia Platform can also be used to display maps and routes or to find the location, for example, of petrol stations or support services. The tyre status control function (only available for Mp3 500 euipped with the ABS/ASR) synergically exploits the vehicle's sensors and the iPhone to monitor tyre wear and air, warning the user before any potentially critical situations arise; the function of general analysis shows the overall vehicle status.

Two versions different characters, same safety

As before, the Piaggio Mp3 is available in Business and Sport versions, with dedicated equipment and colour schemes.

Piaggio Mp3 500 Business – sober and elegant

The Business version, elegant and city-friendly, characterized by a “Business”plate on the rear part of the tail, distinguishes itself through some prestige details, such as the chrome-plated exhaust pipe, the new brown saddle with dual lining, dedicated rear-view mirrors and the finish in gunmetal grey of the central tunnel, the handlebars and the passenger handles. The elegance of Piaggio Mp3 500 Business is highlighted by the two chrome-plated versions available: Bianco Iceberg (White) and Nero Universo (Black).

Piaggio Mp3 500 Sport – sporting and dynamic

The Sport version of Piaggio Mp3 500 is distinguished by the “Sport”plate on the rear of the tail and the numerous items with shiny black finish, such as the protection of the end of the exhaust pipe, the passenger handles, the handlebars and moulding of the central tunnel. The black saddle of the Sport version has a lining in two different materials.

There are three dedicated colour schemes for the Sport version of the new Piaggio Mp3 500: Nero Carbonio (Black), Argento Cometa (Silver) and Blu Laguna (Navy Blue).

A COMPLETE RANGE OF ACCESSORIES

The range of accessories for the new Mp3 is based on a precise design philosophy: to provide the maximum on-board comfort and maximum functionality in daily use, to make the life of the commuter easier with the Piaggio three-wheel scooter.

The large rear trunk, which can be unhooked rapidly, with 50 litre capacity, can house two full-face helmets. The upper shield is painted the same colour as the vehicle and has a comfortable backrest to make the passenger's ride more enjoyable.

For daily use and in all environmental conditions, the windshield accessory, in high quality anti-chip material, guarantees optimum protection from the air and weather. A great deal of care is put into aesthetics, with rods with the same finish as other vehicle details.

In addition the leg-covering fabric, an increasingly important accessory for commuters whatever the season and irrespective of the weather conditions, was designed to provide maximum warmth and protection against the rain on the new Mp3. The fabric is designed for the vehicle and for perfect safety, and is stable even at high speeds. The rider is also protected by a further function of the new Piaggio Mp3: thermal and waterproof protection for the hands, the Tunnel Bag, placed simply behind the countershield, electronic anti-theft systems and the Comfort Gel saddle, which has gel inserts under the lining to provide maximum comfort to the rider and passenger.

The on-board technology is enhanced by the accessories. Piaggio MP3 can be fitted with the Piaggio Multimedia Platform, to enable dialogue between your smartphone and the vehicle. Piaggio Multimedia Platform is able to manage a huge amount of information relating to the vehicle, useful for the journey.

With the new Mp3 a new range of helmets is available, with hi-tech design, providing safety, comfort and maximum protection. Helmets in the PJ line are new and include interesting technical and stylistic features, with innovative head design and exclusive side fastening and a large, protective visor.

The breathable interior fittings can be removed and washed. The PJ range of helmets has two configurations: PJ with dual visor (normal and sunscreen) and PJ1 with recessed sunscreen visor.