Vespa

Piaggio MP5 "Paperino", the initial Piaggio prototype

In 1944, Piaggio engineers Renzo Spolti and Vittorio Casini designed a motorcycle with bodywork fully enclosing the drivetrain and forming a tall splash guard at the front. In addition to the bodywork, the design included handlebar-mounted controls, forced air cooling, wheels of small diameter, and a tall central section that had to be straddled. Officially known as the MP5 ("Moto Piaggio no. 5"), the prototype was nicknamed "Paperino" (meaning "Donald Duck" in Italian).[2] Piaggio was displeased with the MP5, especially the tall central section. He contracted aeronautical engineer Corradino D'Ascanio, to redesign the scooter.[2] D'Ascanio, who had earlier been consulted by Ferdinando Innocenti about scooter design and manufacture, made it immediately known that he hated motorcycles, believing them to be bulky, dirty, and unreliable.[3]

D'Ascanio's MP6 prototype had its engine mounted beside the rear wheel. The wheel was driven directly from the transmission, eliminating the drive chain and the oil and dirt associated with it. The prototype had a unit spar frame with stress-bearing steel outer panels.[3] These changes allowed the MP6 to have a step-through design instead of a tall centre section like that of the MP5 Paperino. The MP6 design also included a single-sided front suspension, interchangeable front and rear wheels mounted on stub axles, and a spare wheel. Other features of the MP6 were similar to those on the Paperino, including the handlebar-mounted controls and the enclosed bodywork with the tall front splash guard.[2]

Upon seeing the MP6 for the first time, Enrico Piaggio exclaimed: "Sembra una vespa!" ("It looks like a wasp!") Piaggio effectively named his new scooter on the spot.[3][4] Vespa is both Latin and Italian for wasp—derived from the vehicle's body shape: the thicker rear part connected to the front part by a narrow waist, and the steering rod resembled antennae.

Glove box on newer Vespa PX

On 23 April 1946, at 12 o'clock in the central office for inventions, models and makes of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Florence, Piaggio e C. S.p.A. took out a patent for a "motorcycle of a rational complexity of organs and elements combined with a frame with mudguards and a casing covering the whole mechanical part".[5]

The basic patented design allowed a series of features to be deployed on the spar-frame that would later allow quick development of new models. The original Vespa featured a rear pillion seat for a passenger, or optionally a storage compartment. The original front protection "shield" was a flat piece of aero metal; later, this developed into a twin skin to allow additional storage behind the front shield, similar to the glove compartment in a car. The fuel cap was located underneath the (hinged) seat, which saved the cost of an additional lock on the fuel cap or need for additional metal work on the smooth skin.

The scooter had rigid rear suspension and small 8-inch (200 mm) wheels that allowed a compact design and plenty of room for the rider's legs. The Vespa's enclosed, horizontally mounted 98 cc two-stroke engine acted directly on the rear drive wheel through a three-speed transmission. The twistgrip-controlled gear change involved a system of rods. The early engine had no forced-air cooling, but fan blades were soon attached to the magneto-flywheel (which houses the points and generates electricity for accessories and for the engine's spark) to push air over the cylinder's cooling fins. The modern Vespa engine is still cooled this way.

The MP6 prototype had large grilles on the front and rear of the rear fender covering the engine. This was done to allow air in to cool the engine, as the prototype did not have fan cooling. A cooling fan similar to that used on the MP5 "Paperino" prototype was included in the design of the production Vespa, and the grilles were removed from the fender.[2]

In 1959 Piaggio came under the control of the Agnelli family, the owners of car maker Fiat S.p.A. Vespa thrived until 1992 when Giovanni Alberto Agnelli became CEO, but Agnelli was already suffering from cancer and died in 1997. In 1999 Morgan Grenfell Private Equity acquired Piaggio, but a quickly hoped-for sale was dashed by a failed joint venture in China.

By 2003, the company found itself close to bankruptcy. Continual management changes and great sums spent on many different plans and products had saddled Piaggio with debt and left it vulnerable to competition from cheaper Asian rivals. Despite this, the brand was still well-known and products like the Vespa ET4 were gaining positive publicity. In October 2003 Roberto Colaninno made an initial investment of €100 million through his holding company Immsi S.p.A. in exchange for just under a third of Piaggio and the mandate to run it. Chief executive Rocco Sabelli redesigned the factory to Japanese principles so that every Piaggio scooter could be made on any assembly line.

In 2004, the company introduced a gas-electric hybrid scooter and a scooter with two wheels at the front and one at the back.

Piaggio acquired scooter and motorcycle maker Aprilia in 2006 and in that same year Piaggio shares were launched onto the Borsa Italiana with the listing symbol PIAGF.

Piaggio first came back into the market in 2001 with the ET2 (two stroke 50 cc) and ET4 (four stroke 150 cc). In 2004, the PX (model year 2005) was re-introduced to North America to meet market demand for the classic Vespa design. Growth in the US market and worldwide environmental concerns meant a need for larger and cleaner engines, so Vespa developed the LEADER (Low Emissions ADvanced Engine Range) series of four-stroke engines. The larger Granturismo frame, with larger 12-inch (300 mm) wheels, was introduced to handle the additional power. The bike in 2006 spawned the iconic GTS-250ie version, with an upgraded suspension and the new QUASAR (QUArter-liter Smooth Augmented Range) 250 cc fuel-injected engine, capable of 80+ mph. As of the end of 2010 the GTS 250 has been replaced by the GTS 300 which has a 278cc fuel - injected engine. In 2005, the ET was withdrawn from Europe and North America and replaced by a new small-frame scooter, the LX range. These were available in the US in 50 cc and 150 cc versions, while Europeans could choose a 50 cc, 125 cc and 150 cc.

Vespa's largest market by all measures globally is still Italy, but as a result of the Mod subculture that developed in the 1960s, the United Kingdom is still Vespa's second largest global market—and at one point in the 1960s, its largest. The appeal of the Vespa to the style-conscious mods was the weather protection. Their counterparts, the rockers rode classic British motorcycles such as Triumph Bonneville and BSAs, and needed to wear leathers against the elements. Mods would modify their Vespas, adding lights, mascots, accessories, various racks and crash bars. A new lifestyle evolved in the UK, with thousands attending scooter rallies.

The dominance of the Vespa declined through the 1970s, as small car ownership increased and cheap and reliable commuter bikes like the Honda Super Cub hit sales. Despite the introduction of the more modern 'P' range in the 1970s, the lack of development cost Vespa, and like other markets, the sales fell off drastically in the economic boom of the 1980s. Then Vespa introduced the trendy automatic ET2, the city of London introduced the congestion charge and—partly with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's indirect help from his BBC2 TV series—sales suddenly leapt.[15]

A Vespa Boutique in San Francisco

Much as Vespa had used the Cushman Army scooter as inspiration for its original design, Vespa in turn made scooters for Sears, Roebuck & Company (labeled and marketed as "Allstate" scooters) and Cushman after World War II.[16]

Imported by Morton Colby of Colby General Tire Company, 662 East Fordham Road, Bronx, New York, the Sears models were 3- and 4-speed 125 cc Vespas rebadged as Sears Allstate Cruiseaires. Innocenti also distributed their Lambretta brand via Montgomery Ward's catalogue during this post-World War II period. These were the premier brands of scooters, bringing premium pricing to many, including farmers, whose link to the outside world was via purchases made in these catalogues. Cushman sold rebadged Vespa scooters as Cushmans, but many Cushman dealers refused to market a "foreign" machine. However, collectors prize the Cushman Vespa because it is relatively rare.

Two expensive product-liability lawsuits, increased competition from Japanese scooters, and certain states' passing so-called "green laws" led to the bankruptcy of Vespa's American importer and the withdrawal of Vespa from the US market in late 1981.

During 1981–2001, despite an absence of United States domestic sales, Vespas continued to have a core group of enthusiasts who kept vintage scooters on the road by rebuilding, restoring, and adding performance-enhancing engine parts as the stock parts would wear out.

Vespa returned to the American market in 2001 with a new, more modern style ET series, in 50 cc two and four stroke, and 150 cc four-stroke. "These adjustments in engine power and the production of high-end “touring” Vespas make it apt for long-distance driving."[17] According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, U.S. scooter sales increased fivefold over six years, swelling from 12,000 units in 1997 to 69,000 units in 2002. Vespa sales in the U.S. increased 27 percent between 2001 and 2002. The 65 "Vespa Boutiques" scattered throughout the U.S. gave scooterists a place to buy, service, and customize Vespa scooters, and outfit themselves in everything from Vespa watches and helmets to Vespa jackets, T-shirts, and sunglasses. Vespa restarted its American sales effort, opening its first boutique on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, California.

In light of vastly-increasing US sales, Vespa developed the GT, offered as a 200 cc four-stroke and a 125 cc variant in Europe. In 2004, Vespa reintroduced a modernized PX 150 to the United States. In the fall of 2005, Piaggio offered their largest-selling Vespa scooter ever, the 250 cc-engined GTS250, available in Europe with ABS. In 2009, Vespa released the GTS 300 which can cruise at 105–113 km/h (65–70 mph).[18]

Vespa have exported Scooters to Australia since the 1960s. They have recently started exporting to India for the first time (traditionally, that market was served by licensed Indian versions of the Vespa made by LML and Bajaj). Vespa produces some of its scooters in Vietnam, and has also sold its Italian ones there.[19]

Piaggio first licensed the production of Vespa scooters in India to Bajaj Auto in the 1960s. In 1971, Piaggio's license was not renewed as a part of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's privatization programs. After the collaboration ended, Bajaj continued to produce scooters based on the Vespa design, namely the Chetak.

Another Vespa partner in India was that of LML Motors. Beginning as a joint-venture with Piaggio in 1983, LML, in addition to being a large parts supplier for Piaggio, produced the P-Series scooters for the Indian market. In 1999, after protracted dispute with Piaggio, LML bought back Piaggio's stake in the company and the partnership ceased. LML continued to produce (and also exported) the P-Series variant known as the Stella in the U.S. market and by other names in different markets. LML Factory which produced these P-Series variants issued a notice of insolvency on 2 June 2017 and closed down permanently in 2018.

In the 2012 Auto Expo held in New Delhi, the iconic Vespa re-entered the Indian market. Piaggio unveiled its range of scooters at the Expo. This became the first such venture of Piaggio in India without a local partner.[20]

Danmotor Vespa Indonesia (DMVI) was a joint venture between Indonesian interests and the East Asiatic Company, which was based in Denmark. Between 1972 and 2001, it produced Vespas under license for the Indonesian market.[21][22] In 1976 approximately 40,000 units were produced giving DMVI the third biggest share of the Indonesian scooter market. Government tax incentives allowed these scooters to be exported to Thailand at less than the domestic market price, so that they would be economically competitive.[23] DMVI only built 90 and 150cc models. From 1972 onwards the company was located at a purpose-built factory in Pulo Gadung. This was greatly expanded in 1977 to also manufacture sub-components, following a government decree that a higher domestically-built proportion of these should be used. Sub-components were also bought from other Indonesian manufacturers after their quality had been approved by Piaggio.[24]

Vespa has had various partnerships and presence in Taiwan. In 1965, Taiwan Vespa Co. Ltd was licensed for Vespa scooter production. From 1972 to 1982, Vespa entered into a collaboration with scooter manufacturer PGO. In 1978, Vespa entered into a collaboration with TGB, which to some extent, continues to this day (namely with CVT transmission production).

In 1951, the financially troubled motorcycle manufacturer Douglas started production of Piaggio licensed Vespa scooters in Bristol, with a market to include some Commonwealth countries as well as the UK. It was a year which also saw the first meeting of the newly-formed Vespa scooter clubs with nearly 20,000 riders showing up for the event.[25] Westinghouse took over Douglas in 1955, and while motorcycle production was stopped in 1957, Vespa production in Britain continued until 1965.[26]

Douglas was more than a simple assembly plant for parts imported from Piaggio; many of the models made by Douglas had a high percentage of content manufactured by Douglas (eg cylinder heads, gear clusters, brake drums and other mechanical parts) or by UK supply companies (eg seats, carburetors, tyres, and some electrical components were made in the UK). Models made by Douglas were primarily the Vespa 125 and 150 (VBB).[26]

Douglas produced Vespas which were often outdated compared to current Italian models. Douglas failed to meet the production numbers hoped for by Piaggio, though after production ceased in 1965, Douglas remained the UK importer for Vespa scooters until its demise in 1982.[26]

In 1953 a factory in Madrid began production of Motovespas, production continued until 2000. The factory was demolished in 2001.

Between 1956 and 1966 an unauthorised, reverse-engineered version of the Vespa was built and sold in the USSR by Vyatka. This was withdrawn after protests by Piaggio.[27]

• Paperino – the original prototype made in 1945 at Biella
• Vespa 150 TAP – A Vespa modified for the French paratroopers that carried (not fired) an antitank weapon.
• VNC Super 125
• VBC Super 150
• VBA 150
• VB1 150
• VBB 150
• 125 GT
• V9A
• VNA
• VNB 125
• Vespa U - U is for utilitaria (English - economic). 1953 model with a price of 110,000 Italian Lira (about US$175), 7,000 were produced
• GS 150
• GS 160
• SS 180
• Vespa 90 (3 spd)
• Vespa 50 (3 spd)
• SS50 (4 spd)
• SS90 (4 spd) - 90 SS Super Sprint
• 150 GL
• 90 Racer
• 125 TS
• 100 Sport
• 125 GTR
• VLB 150 Sprint
• VLB 150 Sprint Veloce (Vespa Sprint)
• 180 Super Sport
• Rally 180
• Rally 200
• 125 Nuova (VMA-1T) - Prelude to Primavera
• Primavera 125 also ET3 (3 port version)
• PK 50
• PK 50 XL
• PK 50 Roma (Automatic)
• 50 S
• 50 Special
• 50 Special Elestart
• 50 Sprinter / 50 SR (D)
• 50 Special Revival (Limited to 3,000 Italy-only numbered units, released in 1991)
• COSA 1 - 125 cc, 150 cc, 200 cc
• COSA 2 - 125 cc, 150 cc, 200 cc
• P 80 / P 80 E (France)
• P 80 X / PX 80 E (France)
• PK 80 S / Elestart
• PK 80 S Automatica / Elestart
• PK 100 S / Elestart
• PK 100 S Automatica
• 

  VNA 1961 Model vespa in workshop
  PK 100 XL
• P125ETS
• PK 125 XL / Elestart
• PK 125 S
• PK 125 E
• PK 125 Automatica (automatic transmission)
• Vespa P 150 S
• P 125 X
• PX 125 E/Electronic
• P 200 E
• PX 200 E FL
• PX 200 Serie Speciale (Limited to 400 UK-only numbered units)
• Vespa TX 200 (Spain only)
• T5 / Elestart (5 port engine 125 cc P series)
• T5 Classic (5 port engine 125 cc P series)
• T5 Millennium (5 port engine 125 cc P series) (Limited to 400 UK-only numbered units)

• ET2 50 - 2-stroke

2005 PX 200 model with Headlight grill

• ET4 50 - 4-stroke
• ET4 125 (Euro Model)
• ET4 150 (Euro Model)
• ET4 150 (US model)
• ET8 150 (Eastern model)
• GT 125 (Granturismo 125)
• GT 200 (Granturismo 200)
• GTS 250ie
• GTS 250 Super - Only briefly sold in the US where the 278cc engine as used in the 300 Super had not yet been approved for use. Quickly replaced by the GTS 300 Super.
• PX 125
• PX 150 (reintroduced to US and Canadian Markets in 2004)
• PX 200
• PL 170

2013 Vespa LX150

• LX 50
• LX 125
• LX 150
• LXV 50 (65th anniversary variant of LX50)
• LXV 125 (65th anniversary variant of LX125)
• LXV 150 i.e.
• GT 60° 250 cc Limited Edition. 999 produced worldwide in unique colours and each one receiving a commemorative badge, personalized with the owner's initials. Features the front-fender-mounted headlight, shared only with the GTV 250.
• GTS 125
• GTS 150
• GTS 250ie
• GTS 250 i.e. abs
• GTS 300 (2010)
• GTS 300 Super (2008)
• GTV 125 (65th anniversary variant of GTS 125)
• GT 60 (60th anniversary limited run variant of GTS 250) Features the fender mounted headlight as a tribute to the original Vespas.
• GTV 250 Standard model based on the GTS250ie. Physically similar to the GT60, but available in a choice of colours.
• GTV 300ie
• PX 30 125 (A limited edition, only 1000 produced to celebrate the 30 years of the P range[28])
• New PX 2011 150 (and later also 125); not just a limited edition: in 2011 the PX series restarted to be produced in Italy after a 3-year absence because of the European Union restriction about Euro III engines emissions not followed. In occasion of the 150th anniversary of Italian union, Piaggio has proposed this special version, with a re-designed saddle but with the same "Vespa experience".[29]
• S 50 and S 125 new model 2007, introduced at Milan Motorshow November 2006
• S 150 (2008)
• Zafferano 50 cc and 125 cc (A limited edition, only 200 produced)[30]
• Vespa Primavera 50 / 125 (Starting in 2014, this will be the current model and replacing the LX)
• Vespa Sprint 50 / 125 (Starting in 2014, this will be the current model and replacing the S)

Vespa 946

The Vespa 946 is a scooter announced by Piaggio, to be sold under their Vespa brand starting in July 2013. Piaggio presented the retro-futurist Vespa Quarantasei concept, based on the 1945 Vespa MP6 prototype, at the 2011 EICMA motorcycle show. The final production version, renamed the Vespa 946, appeared the following year, at EICMA 2012. The 946 will be fitted with Piaggio's new air-cooled, three-valve, single-cylinder engine, with a claimed output of 11.7 hp (8.7 kW) for the 125 cc (7.6 cu in) displacement version, and 13 hp (9.7 kW) for the 150 cc (9.2 cu in) version.[31][32][33]

Electric Vespa Electrica in Madrid, Spain

Vespa Elettrica with a 2 kW battery and a range of 100 km (62 mi).[34] There will be an hybrid option as well with a range of 200 km. Piaggio started production in September 2018 and it was released at the beginning of 2019.[35]

Piaggio/Vespa is developing a range of hybrid scooters. Two models are being developed at present, based on the Vespa LX 50 and the Piaggio X8 125.[36]

One-offs and special machines:

• Montlhéry – produced in 1950 to break world records on the French circuit of the same name. It smashed 17 records in 10 hours
• Torpedo – 1951 125 cc special with counter-opposing pistons. Dino Mazzoncini set the world record on the kilometre at an average of 171 km/h

• Boni, Valeri. Vespa. Pub: Rizzoli International Publications, 1 Feb 2007. ISBN 0-8478-2936-7
• Brockway, Eric. Vespa: An Illustrated History. Pub: Haynes Manuals Inc, 16 Aug 1999. ISBN 1-85960-443-9
• Giorgio Sarti, Giorgio. 1946–2006: 60 Years of the Vespa. Pub: J H Haynes & Co Ltd, 29 June 2006. ISBN 1-84425-313-9
• Jean Goyard, Jean & Soler, Bernard. The A–Z of Classic Scooters: The Illustrated Guide to All Makes and Models. Pub: J H Haynes & Co Ltd, 18 Jan 2007. ISBN 1-84425-390-2