MP3, Metropolis: the three-wheeler war will take place

Piaggio’s MP3 500 LT reigns supreme in the three-wheel scooter market in France, but Peugeot has finally pulled out its claws! By releasing its Metropolis 400, the Lion brand intends to bite its Italian opponent… The fight has begun.

The official launch of the Metropolis in Peugeot Scooters dealerships took place on May 2 (read our). However, according to the French brand, many customers went to their dealership and – more importantly – signed an order form….

"Debut with fanfare for the new Metropolis", exult Peugeot officials who report that "since the opening of orders on May 2, the French 3-wheeler already has more than 1,100 reservations! By comparison, the best selling of the the month of May in France amounted to 642 units ".

After checking (on Site, read our), it turns out that the bestseller in question, the Xmax 125, has achieved 602 registrations. "It doesn’t matter", retorts the Peugeot press manager rightly, "the trend is definitely there".

We especially remember that in May, the target of the Metropolis, the MP3 500 LT registered in 590 copies, was easily familiar with the two references of the French market of the "motorcycle" – you know, these two-wheeled vehicles of more than 50 cc – what are the Yamaha Xmax therefore, and its big brother Tmax 530 (548 immats).

In June, moreover – on Tuesday the 18th to be exact -, the general manager of Piaggio France Federico Musi hand delivered "to Anne Le Berre-Vos, emergency doctor, 41 years old, the keys of the 60,000th MP3 purchased in France!"

Piaggio’s French subsidiary took the opportunity to paint a brief portrait of its client, "a two-wheeler for pleasure, but also for the exercise of her profession which requires speed of action and safety. Rider in her youth, then on a Piaggio X9, then in Yourban, and now in MP3 500LT ".

We are therefore far from the image that many bikers – the real ones, the tough ones! – are MP3 users: brainless inexperienced motorists let loose on the handlebars of their 500 cc in traffic-between-the-lines after seven hours of training on a small 125…

In addition, Piaggio took advantage of this new sale to "celebrate the success story of the MP3 launched in 2007, which is the best-selling scooter in France since 2009! A vehicle concept that provides the most undeniable in terms of stability and safety" … but who would deserve the addition of an ABS to be completely sure !

Asked about the launch of competitor Metropolis, Piaggio France told Site that "for the moment, it has no impact (negative or positive) on our MP3 sales". Serene, the Italians of Pontedera? There is something, since they lead largely to the score against the Frenchman of Mandeure: 60,000 registrations with 1,100 reservations !

The first deliveries of Metropolis have started this week and "the official handing over of the keys will take place tomorrow in Paris, Marseille, Nice and Perpignan", warns Frederic Bart, media and events manager at Peugeot Scooters.

"We are targeting 30% of the three-wheeler market at the end of 2012", indicates our interlocutor, "or about 3000 units, depending on the evolution of the market". Let it be said: the three-wheeler war is declared !

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