Background
Founded during the early 1880s as a naval supplier and then progressing to include products for the railway industry, Italy’s Piaggio & Co. has been involved in transportation from inception. Following the dawn of aviation, aircraft engines were a company strength, with the company’s products powering many of Italy’s front-line civilian and military aircraft before and during WW II. Civilian aircraft types have long been a company strength, including the futuristic turboprop-powered Avanti business aircraft of the 1990s. Following the devastation of WW II and the need for efficient and affordable transportation to mobilize the postwar reconstruction effort, Enrico Piaggio conceived a new purpose and product for his factory in the Tuscan town of Pontedera. In response to the intense public demand for useful consumer products, Piaggio believed that a nimble, streamlined, and stylish small motorcycle would give Italians a new and affordable means of transportation.
Design and development were led by aeronautical engineer Corradino D’Ascanio, who eschewed the traditionally cumbersome, heavy and expensive motorcycle design template of the prewar era, instead insisting on simplicity. While smaller scooters had already been built before the war, D’Ascanio’s design was revolutionary, with the gear lever built into the handlebar and the engine mounted above the rear wheel to eliminate the normal drive chain. Drawing on his aviation experience, D’Ascanio designed a smoothly flowing body from sheet metal incorporating a broad front splash guard that made dirt-free riding a reality, with a central floor for added rider comfort. The prototype (designated MP6) scooter’s unusual profile begat its fun “Vespa” nickname, translated from Italian as “Wasp.” While not instantly successful when introduced in 1946, a robust black market soon brought immense demand. Steadily developed and refined over the following decades, the beloved Vespa continues in production today and enjoys iconic status among multitudes of admirers and collectors.
