1968 Innocenti Lambro 500L

Description

Developed as a more practical alternative to traditional scooters but without the cost restrictions of a full-sized car, the Italian three-wheeled scooter-based small commercial vehicle was introduced by various manufacturers in the domestic market just after World War II. The Innocenti-built Lambro ‘utility’ is basically a standard scooter from the seat forward, complete with handlebar steering and controls, with its two rear-wheels shaft driven. Over the ‘rider’ is a two-person fully-enclosed steel cab, complete with windscreen with wiper and hinged side windows! These Lambretta three-wheelers were variously bodied in different configurations including a flat bed, a utility (as here), and a van. In 1968 Lambretta introduced a replacement for its 450 model in the form of the Lambro 500L. Like the 450, the Lambro 500L had a 175cc engine and enhancements including twin headlights and, most importantly, the re-location of the engine outside of the cab. This was a vast improvement over having the driver sit on top of the engine, as with earlier models. Predictably, the Lambretta Lambro 500L was extremely popular in the domestic market with small businesses that required a light load carrier to zip through narrow Italian streets. A total of 7758 units were made between June 1967 and February 1969.