Vespa

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1 Definition
2 History
3 Links
4 Further Reading
5 Bibliography
6 Further Images

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Definition

The Vespa is a style of motor scooter.

1969, Vespa advert

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History

The Vespa [1] was first manufactured in Pontedera, Italy in 1946 by a company called Piaggio & Co. Piaggio opened their factory in Pontedera in 1921. The factory was originally built for aeronautical production. During World War II Piaggio specialised in making parts for P 108 four engine aircrafts. Unfortunately the factory was destroyed by allied bombers. Whilst the factory was being rebuilt, Enrico Piaggio, the company owner, became concerned about the state of Italy’s roads due to their destruction after World War II and decided to focus the company’s attention on the general public’s mobility needs.

Corradino D’Ascanio was Piaggio’s aeronautical designer. He was hired to devise a simple, sturdy and economical vehicle that was also comfortable and elegant [2]. The result of this commission was the Vespa. The vehicle was inspired by D’Ascanio’s love of aeroplanes. D’Ascanio was given the job of designing a vehicle that would be easy for both men and women to drive and would be able to carry a passenger. The Vespa was a two-wheeled vehicle with a steel frame that protected the rider from dirt and debris. It was built on a spar frame, with a handle bar gear change, the engine mounted directly on to the rear wheel. The clever pass-through leg area design was devised for all users. The pillion seat at the rear of the vehicle also doubled up as a storage compartment. Additional storage was situated in the front of the vehicle’s glove compartment. The fuel cap was located underneath the seat, saving on costs for an extra fuel cap and metal work needed to smooth down the frame [3]. The name Vespa means ‘wasp’. When Piaggio first saw D’Ascanio’s design he said ‘Sembra una Vespa’ translating to ‘it looks like a Wasp’ [4].

1958, Picturegoer front cover showing Debbie Reynolds on a Vespa

Piaggio applied for a patent for Vespa in April 1946. The application stated that the vehicle was a ‘model of a practical nature’. The patent was approved by December of the same year [3]. By the end of 1949, thirty five thousand units were produced. Within ten years of this one million had been produced and by the mid 1950’s, Vespa had factories in Germany, the UK, France, Belgium, Spain and Italy. In 1952, Vespa’s biggest promotion came when Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck rode one in the film ‘Roman Holiday’. After this sales soared. Other famous riders included James Dean, Marlon Brando, Dean Martin and Lucia Bose. Vespa clubs became popular and in 1952, the worldwide Vespa Club had gained fifty thousand members [3]. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, the Vespa had become a symbol of the revolutionary ides of the time. The vehicle’s advertising campaigns quoted slogans like ‘He Who Vespa’s eats the apple’ [2]. The Mod youth revolution saw a massive rise in the popularity of the Vespa, making it the biggest selling item at the time in the global market. The appeal for Mods was mainly fashion based. The design of the Vespa meant that Mods didn’t have to wear leathers (like the Rockers) to protect them from weather conditions and oily motorbike parts. Mods often customised their Vespa’s with accessories such as lights and mascots. These fashions were dramatised by the film Quadrophenia in 1979 [3].

The Piaggio Museum [5] is in Vespa’s home town of Pontedera in Italy. It is a permanent exhibition of Vespa’s including one that was customised by Salvador Dali in 1962 [3]. Another artist who used the Vespa in his art work is Turner Prize nominee Gary Hume. Hume created the Art Vespa in 1998. He used brown, pink, green and yellow on the bodywork. His inspiration came from his memories of the Vespa while once on holiday in Rome [6].

Today’s Vespa models include the ET2 and the ET4. The vehicle is not just a scooter; it is one of the great icons of Italian style and elegance with more than sixteen million units produced. Vespa is labelled as being a vehicle with an irreplaceable icon of Italian style. It is a means of transport that has become synonymous with freedom [2].

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