Since 1946, 19 million Vespas have been produced.
Vespa, the iconic Italian scooter, celebrates 75 years since the first patent was presented by Piaggio on 23 April 1946.
One of the flagship brands of Made in Italy, Vespa's birthday coincides with the goal of reaching 19 million scooters produced, with vehicles sold in 83 countries around the world.
The Vespas have been produced continuously since 1946 at the Piaggio factory in Pontedera, near Pisa, in Tuscany.
The history of the Vespa dates back to the end of the Second World War, after the Piaggio plant that produced bomber aircraft in Pontedera was demolished by bombing.
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Enrico Piaggio, son of Piaggio founder Rinaldo Piaggio, has decided to leave the aeronautical sector to respond to Italy's urgent need for a modern and economical means of transport for the masses.
The first prototype, officially known as MP5 and unofficially known as Donald Duck, displeased Piaggio who hired aeronautical engineer Corradino D'Ascanio to redesign the scooter into what became known as the MP6 model.
D'Ascanio mounted the engine, enclosed, next to the rear wheel, in an elegant design characterized by a flat floor, for foot protection, and a prominent front, which protects from the wind.
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Piaggio, seeing the MP6 for the first time, would have exclaimed: "It looks like a wasp!" (“It's like a wasp!”), Effectively naming his new scooter on the spot.
Over the decades the Vespa has become known as the symbol of “La Dolce Vita” and has been associated with youth and pop culture around the world.
The scooter gained worldwide fame after starring in the classic Hollywood Holiday Roman Holiday of 1953, when Audrey Hepburn rode on a Vespa driven by Gregory Peck.
An Italian success story, Vespa shows no signs of slowing down, with production steadily increasing since 2004, when 58,000 scooters were produced, to surpass 200,000 new vehicles in 2018.
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In addition to Pontedera, which serves the European and Western markets, there are two other Vespa production sites: Vinh Phuc, in Vietnam, which serves the local market and the Far East; and the Baramati plant in India, where Vespas are produced for the Indian and Nepalese markets.
To celebrate the milestone anniversary, the Italian company has released a 75th special edition series, including the Primavera and GTS models, featuring a metallic yellow livery - a color in vogue in the 1940s - with a "75" on the panel.
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