Aprilia’s SR160 scooter is more performance than practical, more nifty than thrifty. Introduced as the SR150 in 2016, the Aprilia scooter suits younger riders with its modern, European design, single-seat, and agile handling. In 2020, the Italian marque updated the nimble scooter to meet India’s BS6 emissions standards and increased the capacity to 160cc.
The resulting SR160 amped up the performance with 10.8 horsepower and 8.5 lb-ft of torque. Now, it seems like Aprilia will upgrade the package around that BS6-compliant, air-cooled single in the upcoming model year. Many speculate that the new SR160 will break cover during India's Festive season, which is a four-month period beginning in August.
The Indian press suspects that Aprilia will update the scooter’s fascia with LED headlights. The cockpit is also rumored to gain a new instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity, which would be a drastic upgrade over the current analog speedometer, odometer, and trip meter. A new switchgear could further boost the user interface, while updated graphics would only improve on the SR160’s styling. While the Aprilia scooter is known for its sporty nature, the brand could also add extra utility spaces in the future.
Of course, the updates come at a cost, and many believe that the SR160’s price tag will increase along with the revisions. The scooter currently retails for ₹106,000 ($1,418 USD), which is considered expensive for a single-seat model in India. Despite the possible price hike, Piaggio India Chairman Diego Graffi remains optimistic about Aprilia’s prospects in the region.
"Vespa and Aprilia have shown significant growth in 2021 versus previous years and in the last quarter, both our brands have shown a growth of 25% over the same quarter in 2019 and 94% in the low base quarter of 2020,” said Graffi.
Yes, the SR160 is more potent than pragmatic, but that won’t stop Aprilia from evolving the platform to suit the Indian customer’s needs.
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Sources: Express Drivers, Drive Spark