CarBrandLogos archive · Lambretta · 1951

LambrettaModel D

Two versions, one open and one panelled, and the panelled one won decisively.

Photo: piero tasso · CC BY-SA 3.0

The story

A defining chapter in Lambretta history.

Explore the ideas, engineering and context that shaped the Lambretta Model D, then continue into its specifications and place in the marque's lineage.

Origins

The Model D replaced the C in 1951 with a lighter, revised frame and, importantly, a wider engine range. The 125D used a 123cc air-cooled two-stroke single; from 1954 the 150D added a 148cc version for buyers who wanted to carry a passenger or climb a hill without dropping to second. Both kept the three-speed handlebar twist-grip change and Innocenti's shaft final drive, which ran cleaner than the chains used by most competitors and required almost no maintenance.

Lambretta LD 125 · Antramir · CC BY-SA 3.0

Design and engineering

As with the C, the D was sold in two forms. The open-frame D showed its mechanicals; the LD covered them with pressed steel panels and full legshields. The LD was heavier and slower but quieter, cleaner and better looking, and it comfortably outsold the open version. By the end of the D's run in 1956 it was clear which direction the market wanted, and Innocenti's subsequent models were all fully enclosed.

In production

The D and LD sold across Europe and were built under licence in several countries, including India, where the tooling eventually fed a domestic scooter industry that outlived Innocenti itself. The Model E succeeded it, and the LI series that followed in 1958 took the enclosed layout to its mature form.

At a glance

The facts that define it.

Produced

1951–1956

Engine

125D: 123 cc Air-cooled engine

Technical specification

The Model D, in detail.

Production: 125D: 1951-1956; 150D: 1954-1956
Class: Scooter
Engine: 125D: 123 cc Air-cooled engine; direct air-cooled, Two-stroke engine; two-stroke Single-cylinder engine; single-cylinder; 150D: 148 cc Air-cooled engine; direct air-cooled, Two-stroke engine; two-stroke Single-cylinder e
Transmission: 3-speed handlebar twistgrip, Shaft drive
Manufacturer: Lambretta

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