Alpha Motors says the “Cappucino” serves up Italian elegance. Piaggio’s lawyers may have some thoughts about the recipe.
There are plenty of out there, and certainly doesn’t own the concept of putting a round headlight and some curvy bodywork on two small wheels. But every now and then, you find something that makes you squint at your screen, check the badge again, and wonder whether somebody recreated a Vespa after seeing one exactly once from across a busy parking lot.
I think the fits that description perfectly. Yes, Cappucino, with one “c.” It’s a German-market (probably made-in-China) scooter that the brand itself describes using phrases like “Italian elegance” and “classic Italian design,” which is certainly one way of explaining what we’re all looking at. The rounded front shield, bulbous rear bodywork, chrome accents, circular mirrors, and general proportions are about as subtle as ordering a cheeseburger and receiving something called a “Big Mick.”
This $2,200 Scooter Looks Like Someone Described A Vespa Over The Phone
Underneath all that Italian-adjacent styling is an extremely straightforward commuter scooter. Alpha offers the Cappucino with either a 50cc or 125cc air-cooled, fuel-injected four-stroke single, both hooked to a CVT. The little 50 makes just under 3 horsepower and tops out at about 28 miles per hour, while the 125 steps things up to 8 horsepower and a claimed 53 miles per hour. Neither is going to tear your arms off, but that’s obviously not what these things are for.
You also get 12-inch wheels, underseat storage, a glove compartment, USB charging, and some rather unexpected blue LED strips worked into the bodywork. Pricing starts at €1,899, which works out to roughly $2,200, while the 125 costs €2,099 (about $2,385). So, whatever else you want to say about the Cappucino, it’s considerably cheaper than entering an actual Vespa showroom with dangerous levels of disposable income.
This $2,200 Scooter Looks Like Someone Described A Vespa Over The Phone
This $2,200 Scooter Looks Like Someone Described A Vespa Over The Phone
Photos by: Alpha Motors
There is, however, one awkward wrinkle to all this. Piaggio recently announced that the European Union Intellectual Property Office as a trademark, recognizing that its design has become distinctive enough to identify the brand. That doesn’t automatically mean every round retro scooter in Europe is about to receive an angry letter from Italy, nor are we declaring that Alpha has infringed anything.
Still, the timing is pretty damn interesting.
The Cappucino is currently being sold in Germany, inside the European Union, while its manufacturer openly celebrates its “Italian” styling. And now Piaggio has fresh EU-level protection specifically covering the recognizable shape of one of its most famous scooters. Now, maybe that’s completely fine. Maybe everyone involved will continue happily selling scooters and drinking appropriately spelled cappuccinos.
But if Piaggio ever needed something to test how far that new trademark stretches, well, here’s a pretty interesting candidate.