The Vespa line of motor-scooters was first manufactured by Piaggio & Co. SpA of Pontedera, Italy in 1946. The Piaggio company was founded by Rinaldo Piaggio in 1884, started out manufacturing locomotives and railway carriages, but by WWII Piaggio was one of Italy's leading suppliers of fighter aircraft.
During the allied bombing campaign against Italy's military industrial infrastructure, Piaggio's Pontedera factory was completely destroyed. In the post-war reconstruction period of the mid 1940s, Rinaldo Piaggio's son Enrico decided that the Piaggio firm would abandon the aeronautical field, and instead manufacture inexpensive transportation that was needed to help rebuild Italy's devastated economy.
The Vespa (Wasp)
The task of designing a new cheap mode of transportation was assigned to Corradino D'Ascanio, an aeronautical engineer for Agusta Aviation company.
1947 Vespa 98
D'Ascanio's design requirements were simple: to create a two wheeled vehicle that was affordable, accessible to a broad range of drivers - both male and female - utilizing a 'step-through' design.
1957 Vespa Super Cruisaire 125
Piaggio's creation was called the "Vespa," meaning "Wasp" in Italian. The Vespa name was coined by Enrico Piaggio, who remarked upon first seeing it: "Sembra una vespa," or "It reminds me of a wasp." The Vespa was distinctly non-motorcycle in design and appearance, further adding to its appeal amongst women.
The Auto-Fauteuil 'Step-Through' Scooters
The "step-through" motor-scooter originated in France, with the 3hp Auto-Fauteuil, introduced in 1902. The Vespa's basic design was loosely based on the Auto-Fauteuil principle, but the primary influence came from the more contemporary '50 Series Auto-Glide' step-through motor-scooters that were produced by the Cushman Motor Works of Lincoln, Nebraska, since 1936.
E. Foster Salsbury of Oakland, California also built a step-through scooter called the "Motor Glide" starting in 1936.
1964 Vespa GS160 MK2
The first Vespa model to roll off the assembly line was the "Vespa 98," with a top speed of 75 km/h. The 98 had an external drive shaft between the rear wheel and the air-cooled 2-stroke motor. In 1948, Piaggio came out with the V1T - V15T with a 125 (124.8 cc) motor.
1958 Vespa GS150 VS4
The Vespa GS150 (Gran Sport) models VS1 was introduced in 1955, featuring a 150cc motor that produced 8 hp at 7000 rpm. The Gran Sport VS1 through VS5 are known for their graceful lines, and rounded sheet-metal work, and were built between 1955 and 1961.
Vespa Design and Construction
The Vespa was designed around a unibody chassis made from stamped sheet-metal, with cowlings that covered the engine, and a contoured lower fairing that acted as a mud guard. The engine was a single-cylinder two-stroke 'wide frame' motor. Optional accessories included front and rear racks and spare-tire 'continental' kits.
During its first ten years in production, the Vespa sold over a million units. Deciding to expand on their success in the scooter arena, Piaggio introduced the Vespa 400 automobile in 1957.
Vespa awaiting restoration at Tim Stafford's shop in San Diego
In 1959, Piaggio was purchased by Fiat SpA, owned at the time by the Agnelli family. During the 1960s, Vespa was sold under the models VBB, VBC, and VLB; which used a 4 speed manual transmission and 150 cc two-stroke engine. In 1968, Vespa discontinued its 'piston-ported' 2-stroke motor, last used on the 180 SS SuperSport.
(left) Parents on the 'Roman Holiday' Vespa 125 - Palm Springs, CA 1954,
(center & right) Roman Holiday Production Still & Poster 'fair-use' © Paramount Pictures
Our family owned the original Vespa used in the 1953 romantic comedy 'Roman Holiday' staring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. The scooter was a gift from director Billy Wilder, who was co-producer of the film with my grandfather, Don Hartman.
Vintage Vespa Models (1944 to 1980)
Vespa MP5 & MP6 Prototypes - 1944 to 1945
Vespa 98 - 1946
Vespa Corsa - 1947
Vespa 125 - 1948
Vespa GS 150 - VS1 to VS5 Gran Sport - 1955 to 1961
Vespa GS 160 - MK1 to MK2 - 1962
Vespa GT Gran Turismo & Sportique - 1962 to 1967
Vespa 125 Super & 150 Super VBC - 1965 to 1979
Vespa Sprint & Sprint Veloce VLB - 1969 to 1979
Vespa SS 180 SuperSport - 1964 to 1968
Vespa Rally - 1968 to 1972
Vespa 50 & 50 Special - 1964 to 1973
Vespa Primavera - 1968 to 1976
Vespa PX - 1980 to 1982
Vespa Today
Piaggio and Vespa successfully re-entered the US market in 2001, under the ownership of Roberto Colaninno, and the Aprilia brand was added to the scooter line.
Like the Volkswagen Beetle, or the Mini Cooper, Vespa has an immediately recognizable form that is steeped in nostalgia and romance, giving it near cult status. Vespas are exhibited at the Guggenheim in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
Today, Piaggio is a publicly traded company that is sold in the US equities market under the ticker symbol: PIAGF.
Links
Vespa USA
Vespa Club of America
Classic Vespas
Classic Vespas - Model Differences
Restored Vintage Vespa Scooters
Vespa General Engine Work
Piaggio & Vespa History
Cushman Motor Scooters
Cushman Club of America
Auto-Fauteuil
Vintage Vespa Fascination
Restored Vintage Vespas from Vietnam
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