Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ON YOUR BIKE CELEBRATE 75 YEARS OF VESPA
Surely one of the most iconic two-wheelers ever made, the Vespa celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Tomorrow is the scooter’s official birthday – the date in 1946 when the first patent was filed.
Originally an aeronautical firm based in Pontedera, Tuscany, Piaggio diversified after the war to address the need for affordable transport. Led by brothers Enrico and Armando Piaggio, it first produced a small motorcycle called the MP5. Nicknamed Paperino, Donald Duck in Italian, it was not liked by Enrico, who commissioned Corradino D’ascanio to redesign it.
The aeronautical engineer hated traditional motorbikes, calling them “dirty, bulky and unreliable” so came up with the MP6. D’ascanio mounted the 98cc two-stroke engine alongside the rear wheel, driven directly via the transmission, eliminating the need for a chain.
It had a step-through spar-frame, stressbearing steel panels, single-sided front suspension, interchangeable front and rear wheels, and even a spare. The wording of the 1946 patent called it a “rational, comfortable motorcycle offering protection from mud and dust without jeopardising requirements of appearance and elegance”. In 1947, 2,500 units were sold, and by 1950, sales had risen to 60,000.
The scooter was given a huge boost in 1953 when Audrey Hepburn rode side-saddle on Gregory Peck’s Vespa in the hit Hollywood film Roman Holiday.
By the mid-50s, Vespas were being manufactured in countries all over Europe, including the UK, with a million sales by 1956 and two million by 1960.
New models were introduced using 50cc and 125cc engines. Sales reached four million by 1970 and, by the late 1980s, a staggering 10 million.
The love for the Vespa shows no signs of abating, with 1,800,000 produced in the past decade. For the anniversary, the firm has released a 75th Special Edition Series, including the Primavera and GTS models. They feature a 1940s-style metallic yellow livery, with a subtle “75” on the panel.
You get a nubuck leather saddle, matching wheel rims and plenty of chrome. A rear luggage rack accommodates a custom leather bag. The scooters come with a silk scarf, a vintage steel Vespa plate, an owner’s book and collector postcards from the eight decades of the Vespa story. A 75th jet helmet is also available.
The Primavera 75th 125cc is £4,900. The GTS Super Tech 75th is £6,100 for the 125cc and £6,650 for the 300cc. Get one now and enjoy la dolce vita.