Design Crack

17 May 2007

I’m not sure why I’m attracted to the MP3 by Piaggio. I just am. I think it has something to do with the fact that it’s a scooter with three wheels, but three wheels instead of two means that it can stand upright without assistance. I have two quick points about this machine, and then I’m done. First point is I don’t know if I’m excited or baffled by the two wheels on the front of the scooter. As far as I can tell, the two wheels are simply for balance at low speeds to stop. At high speeds, three wheels slow you down because the added wheel adds friction. When this vehicle turns, the wheels have to twist in and out to properly maintain contact with the road. Surely, all this technology was expensive to develop and for what? To add an extra wheel seems pointless when two wheels are already so perfect.

And then there is the name. The MP3. I just don’t think it’s very inspiring. It seems to me that Piaggio is hoping to get sales from the MP3 by unsuspecting music listeners clicking on the wrong search result. At least MP3 sounds better than its Italian name which is Fuoco. In Italian, Fuoco means fire, but here in the U.S. it sounds too close to the name Buttafuoco, as in “Joey Buttafuoco“. I think this fact alone would keep me away from a product named fuoco.
called fuoco in italy

Object: MP3

Designer: Piaggio

Year: 2007

URL: www.piaggiousa.com

Lust Factor: Warm