Overview Lambretta GP 150 (SIL )

Scooters India Ltd (S.I.L.), based in Lucknow, India, became a leading producer of Lambretta scooters after the Italian company Innocenti ceased production. The Indian government acquired the entire production facility in Italy in late 1971 and brought the production line to India, a process that was supported by the recruitment of Italian experts and staff. These experts were instrumental in setting up the plant in India and trained the local labour force in the manufacture of scooters. However, production could only be fully ramped up two years after the acquisition, with the first products destined exclusively for the Indian market. From 1976, S.I.L. began exporting its scooters, which were based on the GP series, although a Cento series model was added later. For a long time, the Lambrettas produced by S.I.L. dominated the major markets in Europe and North America, as they were the only models available.

In the 1980/81 financial year, Scooters India Ltd (SIL) reached its highest production rate with around 35,000 scooters produced. However, just a few years later, this figure dropped drastically to around 4,500 units. Against this backdrop, SIL underwent a strategic realignment in 1997 by discontinuing the production of two-wheelers and instead focussing on the production of three-wheelers, especially the "Vikram" models. This decision was taken because in the socio-economic context of the time, three-wheelers were seen as a cost-effective solution for transporting people and goods. This change marked the end of a 50-year tradition in the production of Lambretta scooters. Nevertheless, spare parts continue to be produced in India, which, together with other manufacturers, ensure that Lambrettas can still be on the roads.