Vespas are one of the most successful models of scooter, and because of the increased congestion it is highly likely that scooters will continue to grow in popularity.

They have been around since the 1940s, however the retro image of these scooters still manages to entice people to purchase them.

The Vespa

The Vespa scooter originally had a single motor, and a steel, painted body. The body of the scooter covered the engine completely hiding the mechanical components. The Vespa had small wheels and a flat base-board for the rider’s feet and it had a complete front faring to give the rider adequate protection from bad weather. The scooter also had a rear pillion passenger seat and rear suspension.

The name Vespa was given when Piaggio heard the sound of the engine. Whilst he was listening to the sound he apparently said “sembra una vespa” which means “it resembles a wasp” (Vespa History). The Vespa was born.

History of Vespa Scooters

The Vespa scooter originated in 1946 as a single-motor scooter, the intention being that it should be a cleaner, more compact version of the motorbike. The Vespa was clean and neat and the mechanics of the Vespa were hidden well within the body of the scooter. The engine casing was placed towards the back of the scooter which made it quite comfortable to ride.

Since 1946 Piaggio has produced a wide range of scooters and they are historically one of the world’s leading scooter manufacturers. In 1947 Piaggo sold roughly 2500 Vespa scooters, however in 1950 he sold more than 60000.

Vespa Design

The Vespa design came from the Cushman scooter which was made in the USA and pre-dated world war II. The Cushman scooter were only provided in green, and they were brought into Italy for the use of the marines. D’Ascanio designed the Vespa idea based on the American Cushman scooter but he made it suitable to be used by both women and men by giving the scooter enough leg room for long skirts.

D’Ascanio brought the Vespa design to Enrico Piaggio who then make the first Vespa Scooter in 1946. Through the years Piaggio have made some changes to the Vespa scooter design. They altered the position of the headlamps and gave the scooter a more powerful engine.

Iconography of the Vespa

Vespas were style icons, being shown on cinema screens in big-screen films. Although they are quite small, they portrayed a strong image on screen, with macho men riding them. The Vespa was incredibly popular in the 1940s, and this level of popularity continued through the following six decades. Famous people such as Henry Fonda, Robert De Niro and Sarah Jessica Parker have all owned Vespa scooters.

Technological Development of the Vespa

With the fast moving pace of technological development it would be presumed that the Vespa would change, but this did not happen. The Vespa has remained constant and unchanging, which is presumably one of the factors in societies love of the Piaggio name and the Vespa scooter.