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Vespa, the Brand's History and Range: learn about Vespa's history from 1946 to the present and relive the brand's highlights on the site.
The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A. of Pontedera, Italy to a full line of scooters and one of seven companies today owned by Piaggio. [1]
- Origins
- The First Attempt
- The Vespa Comes to Life
- Into The Movies
- The Vespa 98
- 1950 Vespa Montlhery
- 1955 Vespa GS
- Onto Four Wheels
- 1967 Vespa 125 Primavera
- 1956 Vespa Troupes Aéro Portées
Piaggio was formed in 1882as a heavy engineering company, producing railway locomotives and rolling stock, before moving into the military sector, building submarines and airplanes under license from other manufacturers. By 1940, Piaggio was manufacturing trains, nautical fittings, aircraft engines, airplanes, trucks, trams, and buses. During the w...
Even before the war had ended, Piaggio engineers were working on a design for a scooter, which featured bodywork that fully enclosed the mechanical elements and its small wheels. The resulting ‘Paperino MP5’ (‘Paperino’ is Italian for Donald Duck, MP5 is ‘Moto Piaggio No.5’) was distinctive, but didn’t find favor with Enrico Piaggio. He contracted ...
D’Ascanio’s design placed the engine in a unit with the rear wheel, eliminating the need for a chain and the oil and dirt associated with that method of drive. The frame was a single spar that ran from the headstock to the rear in a large ‘U’ shape, leaving a space for the rider’s legs and featuring a stress-bearing panel at the front that protecte...
Sales climbed ever faster from the introduction in 1947: 2,500 in the first year, 10,000 in the second, 20,000 in year three, and 60,000 in year four. But, the real marketing coup came when the Vespa was featured in the 1952 movie Roman Holiday, with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn riding through Rome on one. Sales shot up to 100,000 as a result an...
The very first Vespa model, powered by a 98cc two-stroke single-cylinder engine. Gears were changed via the left-hand twistgrip, operating the gearbox via rods. Sales were slow at first, but soon picked up when Vespa introduced payment by installments. Back then, as it is now, racing was an important marketing tool and Vespa produced the 98 Corsa C...
Just as racing was important, so was record-breaking in the early post-war years. Streamlining and light weight were prerequisites for this activity, and the Vespa Montlhéry was the result; featuring an alloy frame and streamlined (but very ugly) bodywork. Vespa spent 10 consecutive hours setting 17 world records with the machine including 1 hour (...
The model is beloved by British Mods! The 150 GS was seen as the sports model of the line-up, and it was hoped it would compete with small and light motorcycles currently in production. In production from ’55 to ’61, the engine produced eight horsepower, had a four-speed gearbox for the first time, and the wheels were enlarged to 10-inches. In six ...
Corradino D’Ascanio, designer of the very first Vespa, hated motorcycles and always wanted to design a car. In 1957, he got his chance and the Vespa 400 was introduced. It was powered by a 393cc two-stroke engine that made 14 horsepower and over 30,000 copies were built. However, the arrival of the Austin Mini in 1959 effectively killed the market ...
The model that many people associate with the Vespa name, largely because it has been produced for the longest time, through the 1970s, ‘80s, and 90s, and is still being produced today in PX form. It was made ever more practical with the extended wheelbase that made it easy to carry a pillion, while the performance of the two-stroke 125cc engine wa...
How can we leave out one of the most bizarre Vespas ever produced? In the mid-1950s, the French Ministry of Defense requested a Vespa converted for military use and the T.A.P. was born. Based on a 150cc Vespa model, the T.A.P. was equipped with a 75mm M20 recoilless rifle that was capable of firing armor-piercing rounds that could penetrate up to 1...
- Motorcycle Writer
The Vespa story begins in 1946, when the Piaggio company introduced the first model in response to the need for affordable transportation. The scooter’s name, which means “wasp” in Italian, perfectly encapsulates its distinctive shape.
The Vespa was introduced by Piaggio to the post world war 2 Italian market. The 98cc scooter was actually invented by Corradino D’Ascanio. Later this same year the 125cc Vespa model was also introduced.
Jun 11, 2021 · Read MCN's history of the Vespa - the world's first scooter, which was designed by an Italian aeronautical engineer who hated motorbikes.
Vespa has established itself... Retrace Vespa's 75 years of history, from 1946 to the present day, from the debut of the legendary Vespa 98 to the special 75th anniversary edition.
