Friday February 2, 2007 2:39 PM CST - By: Michael Kwan
The three-wheel scooter idea -- two in the front, one in the back -- is really starting to take off among automakers these days, but are they all they're cracked up to be? In the video below, you can see how the Piaggio MP3 three-wheel scooter performs as the driver zips around the crowded streets of London. And then he challenges his trusty Vespa in a time attack around the race track.
As you recall, the Piaggio MP3 is an innovative scooter that takes on a similar form to the Volkswagen GX-3 concept. Two engine choices will be available -- 125cc and 250cc -- but both versions offer improved braking and stability thanks to those twin wheels in the front. In fact, the MP3 can lean up to 40 degrees even at low speeds: a regular scooter would just tip over.
While the Piaggio MP3 is about five inches wider than a conventional scooter, making it more difficult to squeeze your way through small spaces, the improved manueverability easily makes up for it. It also gets 50 miles on the gallon. Prices start at $6600.
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