The Lambretta Tron is part of a triad of models with which the Eibar-based company intended to renew its range and try to save itself from the desperate situation in which it had lived since the end of the seventies. In this way, the former graduate in Spain of the mother house in Italy – which had closed in 1972 – sought a leap forward, especially in aesthetic matters, entrusting the designer Francisco Podadera with the creation of the lines that would focus it towards the 21st century. Unfortunately, all that did not come to fruition and in 1990 the factory of the former Lambretta Locomociones S. A – absorbed by the also Gipuzkoan Alfa a year earlier – closed its doors completely.

However, the best way to understand this whole business and design process will be to go back to the seventies. At the beginning of the decade, Lambretta Locomociones SA had experienced, like the rest of Western manufacturers, the push of Japanese competition. A competition that during the sixties had swept almost all segments, imposing itself thanks to its mix of practicality, good price and attractive design. From superbikes to small urban bikes, it seemed that no European motorcycle was free from being swept away by the Japanese bikes, both on circuits and on the streets.

Thus, Lambretta Locomociones SA undertook an intelligent strategy based on the "if you can't beat your enemy, join him." For this reason, in 1967 he signed the first agreements with Honda, materialized two years later with the first models of the brand assembled under license in the Basque Country. The Honda 50 PC/PS. At this point, during the seventies, the relationship between the dealership and the headquarters in Japan deteriorated to such an extent that it disappeared in 1979. A fact that leaves the factory in a very delicate situation, declaring the suspension of payments that same year. However, there was still a game to play.

Lambretta Tron, a design by Francisco Podadera

A graduate in aeronautical engineering and specialized in industrial design in Los Angeles, Francisco Podadera was one of the most promising creatives in the national automotive industry during the eighties. With a futuristic style very typical of the decade, his vehicles are as interesting as the Aníbal F100 or the Pegaso Solo. In addition, he always preferred to maintain his independence by not being paid exclusively by any brand.

For this reason, his creations can also be seen in the world of motorcycling, called upon in the mid-eighties by Orbar SA in order to revitalise the existence of Lambretta in Éibar with the development of a new range for which three models with a clear eighties look were prepared. The first of these was the Amiga scooter, with large fairing surfaces with a clean and geometric appearance. The second was to be a motorcar of which we have only been able to find a sketch by Podadera himself and, thirdly, a three-wheeled off-road vehicle that would be, precisely, the Lambretta Tron.

Unfortunately, all that remained in the pre-series phase. In fact, although Francisco Podadera's designs were very attractive, the mechanics that were hidden beneath them were totally continuous with the products already existing in the old range of Lambretta Locomociones SA All this due to the lack of resources in the company, which made it impossible to develop new engines from scratch.

And the situation was completely desperate, even more so since not only Lambretta faltered with the suspension of payments, but also its partner Alfa. In this way, in 1985 – and with workers from the old Éibar factory – the company Orbar SA Justo was founded in Amurrio, which commissioned the designs from Podadera after taking over the rights to the use of the Lambretta brand. However, the difficulties were so great that, in 1989, this adventure finally came to a close, leaving the Lambretta Tron and the other two designs in the lurch. Of all that, only Alfa survived, which still exists today after more than a century dedicated to the world of metallurgy.

Bike of the day: Lambretta Tron - RACER motorcycle spirit