• Indian-made Lambretta imported in 2016

 • Attractively renovated with an eye-catching bespoke finish

 • Invoices running to hundreds of pounds

If you want a classic scooter which you really can use every day and which will satisfy the demands of modern traffic, you’d do well to find yourself a Lambretta GP200. 

Made from 1969 to 1971, the Grand Prix series, comprising the 125, 150 and 200, was one of the last new Lambrettas introduced by Innocenti before the factory closed in 1972.

Through the 1960s, Lambrettas were gradually being made slimmer and sportier, and the delicate touch of Bertone resulted in a very sleek look for the GP200.

It also featured a rectangular headlight instead of the traditional round one, giving a much more modern appearance. Lambretta claimed the GP200 had a top speed of almost 70mph and enthusiasts agree that it’s a very rapid machine.

The GP200 story didn’t end with the closure of the Lambretta factory, though. All the factory’s tooling and the rights to the Lambretta name were bought by the Indian government. 

India’s growing economy placed it in a similar position to Italy in the 1950s, when thousands of workers wanted the benefits of private transport but couldn’t afford cars; scooters were just what they needed.

Subsequently manufactured by Scooters India Ltd (SIL), the GP200 remained in production for many decades almost entirely unchanged, retaining its classic, late 1960s Italian looks but benefitting from a strengthened frame to make it durable enough for the rough Indian roads.

Historically, Indian scooters haven’t commanded the same prices as their Italian progenitors, but with the closure of SIL in 2021, you can expect their values to start rising sharply.

 • Imported into Britain in 2016

 • Thoroughly renovated and lightly customised shortly thereafter

 • Subjected to extremely limited use

 • Acquired by the vendor, its third British owner, in October 2019

 • Paperwork file includes the current V5, MoT certificates issued in 2016 and 2017, registration documents from the DVLA and a collection of invoices for new     parts from 2016

 • Recently renovated with an appropriate 1970s colour scheme

 • Some custom touches, including the bespoke seat by Viking Motorcycle Seats

 • Tastefully accessorised with backrest and spare wheel holder

Scooterists like to stand out, and with its bright orange paint, this GP200 will get noticed. 

While there is no record of what it looked like when it left the SIL factory, the colour scheme it now wears is very faithful to the original Lambretta factory finishes, with one very bold, bright colour broken up by three thick, black stripes across the engine panel. 

The four-pointed star on the headstock is an attractive custom touch which we think suits it very nicely.

We believe the Lambretta’s paint was applied shortly after it was imported into the country, which would make it six years old, but it has survived extremely well. It has been painted to a very professional standard and, short of buying a freshly repainted example, a better one will be difficult to find. 

Over the course of time, it has picked up a few very light blemishes, and there is a cluster of small but quite deep scratches on the rear of the leg shields; otherwise, the Lambretta looks extremely clean, undeniably striking and eminently show-worthy.

The paint is complemented by the orange and black seat, which has been expertly covered by Viking Motorcycle Seats. Although we observed a few very light marks in the top panel, it remains looking more or less as new, which is hardly surprising considering the GP200 has seen so little use since being imported.

The various accessories include a spare wheel carrier, mesh guard for the headlight and handlebar weights, which reduce vibrations from the road and aid balance.

The front fork assembly and dampers have been chrome-plated (originally they were painted Fiat 690 Silver), which will help it to stand out at rallies and on show fields.

 • Understood to have had an engine rebuild shortly after being imported

 • Fitted with a reproduction Innocenti disc brake

 • Last MoTed in 2017 with no advisories

With a near-70 mph top speed, you can expect this GP200 to go well, and the vendor advises us that it goes very well, indeed. 

It should do, too, on account of the fact that it is understood to have had an engine rebuild during its renovation in 2016, since when it has only covered 655 miles.

To the best of our knowledge, the engine, carburettor, gearbox and suspension are in very good order, but it probably has better braking than it had when new. The original Innocenti GP200s were fitted with a front disc brake, but the Indian ones had to make do with more old-fashioned drums. 

This one, however, has been fitted with a reproduction Innocenti disc, so it should stop sharply. New brake shoes for the rear drum brake were purchased in 2016, and the lights all received new bulbs around the same time.

Although there is still some running-in to be done and the scooter has seen very little use since it received its last MoT in 2017, we do not envisage it giving any trouble.

Its last MoT certificate showed no advisory points, and it does not look to have suffered in any way as a result of being garaged for a few years. The vendor has ridden it a little bit lately (it became MoT-exempt in 2021) and reports that it runs like a dream.

The GP200 represents one of the quickest Lambrettas you can buy and one of the best-suited to regular use in everyday traffic. 

Indian-built examples may not be as desirable in the eyes of purists, but in some respects they’re the better machine thanks to the extra frame bracing, which makes the more robust.

We think this represents the ultimate incarnation of Lambretta’s Grand Prix series, combining the big 200cc engine with the strengthened frame and the Innocenti disc brake.

Better still is that this one has seen very little use following a thorough renovation and sports a bespoke finish which will go down very well at scootering events.

But it now because, since SIL closed its doors last year, it’s only a matter of time before values start going up sharply.


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