history of vespa scooters
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Vespa TimelineVespa has not only left its mark on an entire era, but it has even become the symbol of a Europe struggling to rise from the ashes of the Second World War. Piaggio emerged from the conflict with its Pontedera plant completely demolished by bombing. Italy's crippled economy and the disastrous state of the roads did not assist in the re-development of the automobile markets.
1884 Piaggio founded in Genoa by 20-year-old Rinaldo Piaggio as
a luxury 1946 Vespa (Italian for wasp) introduced by Piaggio to the post-World
War II The 98cc scooter was created at the Piaggio plant in the Tuscany town of Pontedera by visionary aeronautical engineer and inventor Corradino D'Ascanio The 125cc Vespa model introduced 1949 The company begins publishing Piaggio, a quarterly magazine
devoted to Italian Union of Vespa Riders, incorporating 30 clubs, consolidates and holds its first Congress Graziella Bontempo of Naples elected Miss Vespa 1950 Vespa begins production in Germany under licensing agreement
with 1952 100,000th Vespa sold Vespa 125 cc model beats the one-kilometer world speed record Vespa begins production in the U.K. under license to Douglas of Bristol and in France with ACMA of Paris European Vespa Club founded in Milan to bring together the clubs
of Worldwide Vespa Club membership surpasses 50,000 Worldwide Vespa service stations number more than 10,000 1953 Enrico Piaggio presents a Vespa to Pope Pius XII, who gives
it to a Italian Vespa Club membership surpasses 50,000 Movies featuring the Vespa surpass 60 in number License plates become mandatory in Italy for all vehicles over 50cc 1964 Vespino, or little Vespa, the 50cc displacement scooter, is born 1965 Sales of the Vespa exceed 3.5 million 1967 Special Alpha model created by Vespa and Alpha-Wallis for
use in spy 1968 The "Chi vespa mangia le mele" (He who Vespas eats the apple) campaign revolutionizes the advertising world 1976 Vespa Primavera 125 - ET3 is the first scooter with electronic ignition 1978 Vespa PX is born, in the three "classic" 125cc,
150cc and 200cc 1984 Piaggio marks its 100th anniversary 1988 Sales of the Vespa exceed 10 million 1989 Sfera is the first Piaggio scooter with a plastic body. Its
innovative 1996 Vespa celebrates its 50th anniversary. The new generation
Vespa is born 1996 Vespa reaches a total of 15 million sold worldwide 1997 Vespa ET2 (50cc) is launched 1998 The Vespa PX, the best selling scooter model in the world with over two million units sold since its launch, receives a re-style and a front disc brake 2000 The first Vespa boutique in the U. S. opens in Sherman Oaks, CA 2001 The Vespa is once available again for sale in the United States
with two 2002 57 Vespa boutiques are open in the United States as of November
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