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On the production front, the Piaggio Group is partner in a joint venture in Foshan in China, and also
owns seven other production plants. These are located in Pontedera, near Pisa in Italy, where
three separate factories produce Piaggio, Vespa and Gilera branded two wheelers, light
commercials for the European market, and engines for scooters and motorcycles; Scorz near
Venice, where Aprilia and Scarabeo motorcycles and scooters are made; Mandello del Lario near
Lecco, where Moto Guzzi motorcycles and engines are manufactured; Barcelona in Spain, the
home of Derbi; and Baramati in India, where light commercial vehicles for the Indian market are
produced.
The Piaggio Groups product range includes scooters, motorcycles and mopeds from 50 to
1,200 cc, sold under the brand names of Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Derbi, and
Scarabeo. The group also manufactures the Ape, Porter and Quargo ranges of three and four
wheeled light commercial vehicles.
In India, the Piaggio Group trades through Piaggio Vehicles Private Ltd. (PVPL), a company
under 100% Piaggio control, which manufactures diesel powered Ape 3 wheelers for goods and
passenger transport. PVPL is currently Indias second largest manufacturer of 3 wheelers, holding
around 33% of the market, and leads the cargo 3 wheeler market. Sales of PVPL vehicles have
risen from around 35,000 units in 2003 to over 139,000 in 2006. In China, operations are managed
through the Piaggio Zongshen Foshan Motorcycle joint venture. Because Piaggio holds a 45%
share in the venture, its results are not consolidated in those of the Piaggio Group. Piaggio
Zongshen Foshan Motorcycle produced over 200,000 vehicles in 2006 (over 50,000 of which were
based on Piaggio technology).
The origins
Founded in Genoa in 1884 by twenty-year-old Rinaldo Piaggio, Piaggio initially undertook luxury
ship fitting before going on to produce rail carriages, goods vans, luxury coaches and engines,
trams and special truck bodies.
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World War I brought a new diversification that was to distinguish Piaggio activities for many
decades. The company started producing aeroplanes and seaplanes. At the same time, new plants
were springing up. In 1917 Piaggio bought a new plant in Pisa, and four years later it took over a
small plant in Pontedera which first became the centre of aeronautical production (propellers,
engines and complete aircraft, including the state-of-the-art Piaggio P108 in passenger and
bomber versions). Before and during World War II, Piaggio was one of Italys top aircraft
manufacturers. For this reason, its plants were important military targets and the Piaggio factories
in Genoa, Finale Ligure and Pontedera were irrevocably damaged by the war.
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people who saw the Vespa as the realisation of a brilliant idea, and on the other the sceptics, who
were soon to change their minds.
The initial problems led Enrico Piaggio to offer Count Parodi, who manufactured Moto Guzzi
motorcycles, distribution rights for the Vespa so as to get his vehicle into the retail network of the
better-known brand. Count Parodi refused outright, estimating that the Vespa would flop, and the
scooter was therefore initially sold through the Lancia network.
In the last months of 1947 production exploded and the following year the Vespa 125 appeared, a
larger model that was soon firmly established as the successor to the first Vespa 98.
The Vespa miracle had become reality, and output grew constantly; in 1946, Piaggio put 2,484
scooters on the market. These became 10,535 the following year, and by 1948 production had
reached 19,822. When in 1950 the first German licensee also started production, output topped
60,000 vehicles, and just three years later 171,200 vehicles left the plants.
Foreign markets also watched the birth of the scooter with interest, and both the public and the
press expressed curiosity and admiration. The Times called it a completely Italian product, such
as we have not seen since the Roman chariot. Enrico Piaggio continued tenaciously to encourage
the spread of the Vespa abroad, creating an extensive service network all over Europe and the rest
of the world. He maintained constant attention and growing interest around his product, with a
number of initiatives that included the foundation and spread of the Vespa Clubs.
The Vespa became the Piaggio product par excellence, while Enrico personally tested prototypes
and new models. His business prospects transcended national frontiers and by 1953, thanks to his
untiring determination, there were more than ten thousand Piaggio service points throughout the
world, including America and Asia. By then the Vespa Clubs counted over 50,000 members, all
opposed to the newborn Innocenti Lambretta. No less than twenty thousand Vespa enthusiasts
turned up at the Italian Vespa Day in 1951. Riding a Vespa was synonymous with freedom, with
agile exploitation of space and with easier social relationships. The new scooter had become the
symbol of a lifestyle that left its mark on its age: in the cinema, in literature and in advertising, the
Vespa appeared endlessly among the most significant symbols of a changing society.
In 1950, just four years from its debut, the Vespa was manufactured in Germany by Hoffman-
Werke of Lintorf; the following year licensees opened in Great Britain (Douglas of Bristol) and
France (ACMA of Paris); production began in Spain in 1953 at Moto Vespa of Madrid, now Piaggio
Espaa, followed immediately by Jette, outside Brussels. Plants sprang up in Bombay and Brazil;
the Vespa reached the USA, and its enormous popularity drew the attention of the Readers Digest,
which wrote a long article about it. But that magical period was only the beginning. Soon the Vespa
was produced in 13 countries and marketed in 114, including Australia, South Africa (where it was
known as the Bromponie, or moor pony), Iran and China. And it was copied: on June 9, 1957,
Izvestia reported the start of production in Kirov, in the USSR, of the Viatka 150 cc, an almost
perfect clone of the Vespa. Piaggio had begun very early on to extend its range into the light
transport sector. In 1948, soon after the birth of the Vespa, production of the three-wheeler Ape
van (the Italian for bee) derived from the scooter began, and the vehicle was an immediate
success for its many possible uses.
Numerous imaginative versions of the Vespa appeared, some from Piaggio itself, but mainly from
enthusiasts - for example, the Vespa Sidecar, or the Vespa-Alpha of 1967, developed with Alpha-
Wallis for Dick Smart, a screen secret agent, which could race on the road, fly, and even be used
on or underwater. The French army had a few Vespa models built specially to carry arms and
bazookas, and others that could be parachuted together with the troops. Even the Italian army
asked Piaggio for a parachutable scooter in 1963.
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Liguria, led the company to split. On February 22, 1964, Enrico Piaggio acquired the share in
Piaggio & C. S.p.A. held by his brother Armando, who then founded Rinaldo Piaggio Industrie
Meccaniche Aeronautiche (I.A.M. Rinaldo Piaggio).
The Vespa 50 had appeared the previous year, 1963, following the introduction of a law in Italy
making a numberplate obligatory on two-wheelers over 50 cc. The new scooter was exempt from
this law and was an immediate success. In Italy sales of vehicles with numberplates decreased by
28 per cent in 1965 compared to the previous year. On the other hand, the Vespa, with its new 50
series, was a great success. The light Vespa was a successful addition to the Piaggio range and
this displacement is still in production. To date almost 3,500,000 Vespa 50s have been built in
different models and versions. The Vespa ET4 50, launched in autumn 2000 (and replaced in 2005
by the new Vespa LX) was the first four stroke Vespa 50cc, and established a record distance
range of over 500 km with a full tank.
The Vespa PX (125, 150 and 200cc) is the biggest sales success in the entire history of the Vespa.
It is the original vintage - launched in 1977, it has sold over two million units, and as such is a
favourite among those with a sense of nostalgia but also with the younger market.
1996, the year the worlds most famous scooter turned 50, was marked by the launch of the Vespa
ET4 and ET2. The ET4 was the first Vespa ever to use a four-stroke engine.
There was another twist to the unending story of the Vespa in 2003 with the launch of the
Granturismo 200L and 125L: with these two models, Vespa reached unprecedented size and
power levels. In 2005 two new and very significant products were added to the range: the Vespa
LX (50, 125 and 150) replaced the Vespa ET (over 460,000 units sold since 1996) while, 50 years
after the launch of the legendary Vespa GS Gran Sport, the Vespa GTS 250 i.e. took over as the
fastest, most powerful and high-tech Vespa ever. Equipped with a very modern, powerful 250cc
four-valve, liquid-cooled engine with electronic injection, the Vespa GTS is stopped by a superb
double disk braking system with an optional ABS and brake servo. From 2006, the Vespa LX 50
HyS (Hybrid Scooter) will revolutionise the urban transport sector. Another 3 exclusive models
were presented to celebrate Vespas 60th anniversary, interpreting the original Vespa look in a
modern, elegant key. These were the Vespa GTV, Vespa LXV and Vespa GT 60. The 144 th and
latest Vespa, the Vespa S, was presented in 2007 as heir to the legendary 50 Special and 125
Primavera for the new millennium.
Records, sports and long distance travel: around the world with the Vespa
The Vespa also has a racing career behind it. In Europe back in the Fifties, it took part, often
successfully, in regular motorcycle races (speed and off-road), as well as unusual sporting
ventures.
In 1952 the Frenchman Georges Monneret built an amphibious Vespa for the Paris-London race
and successfully crossed the Channel on it. The previous year Piaggio itself had built a Vespa
125cc prototype for speed racing, and it set the world speed record for a flying kilometre at an
average of 171.102 km/h.
The Vespa also scored a great success at the 1951 International 6 Days in Varese, winning 9
gold medals, the best of the Italian motorcycles. That same year saw the first of innumerable rallies
with the Vespa: an expedition to the Congo, which was to be the first of a series of incredible
journeys on a scooter that was intended primarily to solve the problems of urban and intercity
traffic.
Giancarlo Tironi, an Italian University student, reached the Arctic Circle on a Vespa. The Argentine
Carlos Velez crossed the Andes from Buenos Aires to Santiago del Chile. Year after year, the
Vespa gained popularity among adventure holiday enthusiasts: Roberto Patrignani rode one from
Milan to Tokyo; Soren Nielsen in Greenland; James P. Owen from the USA to Tierra del Fuego;
Santiago Guillen and Antonio Veciana from Madrid to Athens; Wally Bergen on a grand tour of the
Antilles; the Italians Valenti and Rivadulla in a tour of Spain; Miss Warral from London to Australia
and back; the Australian Geoff Dean took one on a round-the-world tour.
Pierre Delliere, Sergeant in the French Air Force, reached Saigon in 51 days from Paris, going
through Afghanistan. The Swiss Giuseppe Morandi travelled 6,000 km, much of it in the desert, on
a Vespa he had bought in 1948. Ennio Carrega went from Genoa to Lapland and back in 12 days.
Two Danish journalists Elizabeth and Erik Thrane, a brother and sister, reached Bombay on a
Vespa. And it is impossible to count the many European scooter riders who have reached the
North Cape on their Vespas.
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Few know that in 1980 two Vespa PX 200s ridden by M. Simonot and B. Tcherniawsky reached the
finishing line of the second Paris-Dakar rally. Four-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Henri Pescarolo
helped the French team put together by Jean-Franois Piot.
The Vespa continues to travel: in July 1992 Giorgio Bettinelli, writer and journalist, left Rome on a
Vespa and reached Saigon in March 1993. In 1994-95 he rode a Vespa 36,000 km from Alaska to
Tierra del Fuego. In 1995-96 he travelled from Melbourne to Cape Town - over 52,000 km in 12
months. In 1997 he started out from Chile, reaching Tasmania after three years and eight months,
having travelled 144,000 km on his Vespa and crossed 90 countries across the Americas, Siberia,
Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. All in all, Bettinelli has travelled 250,000 km on a Vespa. And the
adventure continues: Bettinellis next Vespa challenge is an All China Tour, never attempted so
far on a two wheeler, over 60,000 km to provide commentary and photos on events in a country
that is going through a unique transformation. The trip will last 500 days, from April 2006 to
September 2007, and take Bettinelli through the capitals of all 33 provinces of the Peoples
Republic of China. Giorgio Bettinelli (www.giorgiobettinellifansclub.it, blog on www.feltrinelli.it) has
recounted his adventures in four books available in Italian: In Vespa da Roma a Saigon, Brum
brum: 254,000 Km in Vespa and the latest, Rhapsody in black: in Vespa dallAngola allo Yemen,
all three published by Feltrinelli, and an illustrated book describing his first three trips, with 400
photographs, titled In Vespa oltre lorizzonte and published by Rusconi.
1946-2007, over sixty years of Vespa: the models that have made history
From the very first 98cc model in 1946 to the 2003 Granturismo and the Vespa S in 2007, Piaggio
has produced well over 100 (144, to be precise) models, versions and variants of the Vespa
(marked by different chassis codes): 144 models that trace the technical evolution of the worlds
most famous scooter. By the time the Vespa ET4 was launched in 1996, over 20,000 modifications
had been made to the original 1946 product and over 1,500 parts replaced.
It is difficult to pick out the most representative Vespas in an evolution that has lasted over 60
years. Some Vespas are sought after by collectors because they belong to a special series, or
because they were rapidly replaced by subsequent versions, and are highly priced in the period
scooter market, which is extremely active all over the world. Others, which were produced in
greater numbers or stayed on the market longer, are classic models that have left their mark in the
history of two-wheeled mobility.
There is no lack of authentic technical records in the Vespas history, each of which renews the
tradition of innovation that has marked the evolution of the worlds best selling scooter. To cite only
a few examples: with the Vespa ET2 Injection in 1997, Piaggio launched the first direct injection
two stroke engine in history, a technical first it doubled in 2000 with the launch of the first European
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50cc four stroke engine on the Vespa ET4 50. In 2005, with the Vespa GTS, Piaggio launched the
first scooter in the world to have a 250cc Euro 3 compatible engine with electronic injection. Vespa
has also been in the avant-garde as regards developing future solutions for zero-impact two
wheelers: with the Vespa LX 50 HyS (Hybrid Scooter), shown on 11 April 2006, the Piaggio Group
has developed the first prototype parallel hybrid scooter with the two engines, the electric motor
and the gas catalysed four-stroke engine, linked mechanically and electronically to simultaneously
supply power to the wheel for a winning technical combination.
Vespa 98, 1946 - The first Vespa. It was powered by a 98 cc engine that delivered 3.2 bhp at 4,500
rpm with a top speed of 60 km/h. It was in production for two years: in 1946 vehicles no. 1 to no.
2,464 were produced, and no. 2,465 to no. 18,079 in 1947. Vespa 125, 1948 - The first Vespa 125
cc. It differed from the 98 not only in engine size, but also for the introduction of rear suspension;
the front suspension was also modified. Vespa 125, 1953 - This marked the first important change
to the engine: bore, stroke and timing gear were modified. Power output increased to 5 bhp at
5,000 rpm, and top speed to 75 km/h. The design of the fairing at the rear was also new. Vespa
125 U, 1953 - The Utility version with spartan styling, which sold at 20,000 lire less than the more
modern 125. The headlamp appeared high up on the handlebar for the first time in Italy (it had
already been introduced on a number of exported models). Vespa 150 GS, 1955 - Experts called it
the most popular, imitated and remembered model. There were numerous innovations: the 150 cc
engine, 4-speed gearbox, standard long saddle, faired handlebar-headlamp unit, wheels with 10
tyres. This Vespa could reach 100 km/h. The design also changed, with a much more aerodynamic
body. Vespa 160 GS, 1962 - This was born to continue the market success of the first GS, with a
completely new design. The exhaust silencer, carburettor and suspension were also new. The
power output was 8.2 bhp at 6,500 rpm. Vespa 150 GL, 1963 - Another new design for what has
been called one of the best-looking Vespas produced by Piaggio designers. The handlebar,
trapezoid headlamp, front mudguard and trimmed-down rear lids were all new. Vespa 50, 1964 -
The first Vespa 50 cc, created to exploit the new Italian Highway Code which made a number plate
obligatory on larger engines. Extremely versatile and reliable, the engine featured a new layout,
with the cylinder inclined 45 instead of horizontal. It was the last design to leave Corradino
DAscanios drawing board. Vespa 180 SS, 1965 - It marked a new milestone in the growth of the
engine (181.14 cc), with 10 bhp for a top speed of 105 km/h. The 180 SS (Super Sport) replaced
the glorious GS 150/160 cc. Piaggio modified the front cowling, making it more aerodynamic and
significantly improving comfort, handling and roadholding. Vespa 125, 1966 - Unofficially known as
the new 125, it featured radical innovations in the design, frame, engine (inclined 45) and
suspension. Vespa Super Sprint 90, 1966 - A special series derived from the Vespa 50/90 cc and
the new 125, the hold-all was positioned between the saddle and the handlebar for a more laid-
back riding style. The handlebar was narrow and low, and the mudguard and cowling were
streamlined. With an engine capacity of only 90 cc, it could do 93 km/h. Vespa 125 Primavera,
1968 - Together with the subsequent PX version, it was the most durable version of the Vespa. It
derived from the new 125, but with considerable differences in the engine, which raised the top
speed by 10 km/h. Great attention was paid to details, which included the classic, practical bag
hook. Vespa 180 Rally, 1968 - With this new vehicle, Piaggio extended the rotary timing fuel feed
system to its entire production. The engine was new, the front headlamp new and more powerful,
the frame, derived from the Vespa 150 Sprint, narrower and more aerodynamic than that of the
Super Sport. Vespa 50 Elestart, 1970 - It featured the great novelty of electric ignition, but the
design was also completely revised and embellished compared to the 50 Special. Vespa 200
Rally, 1972 - The Vespa with the largest engine. This model, with 12.35 bhp at 5,700 rpm, could
reach 116 km/h. Vespa 125 Primavera ET3, 1976 - The name stood for Electronic 3 intake ports,
and included important changes to the engine, which had more power and sparkle. Even the styling
was changed from the standard Primavera (which remained in the range). Vespa P 125 X, 1978 -
The PX marked a new step forward in styling (the bodywork was completely redesigned) and
performance. The hold-all was positioned behind the cowling. The same year the P 200 E also
appeared, which could be equipped with separate lubrication and direction indicators incorporated
in the body. Three years later the PX 150 E was launched, with performance halfway between the
two models. Vespa PK 125, 1983 - This replaced the Vespa Primavera (standard and ET3) which
remained in production with the Classic body for the Japanese market, where it was the best-
selling Western two-wheeler vehicle. The styling was new, and the PK body was completely
different from that of previous scooters, because the welds of the body no longer overlapped but
were integral. Vespa PK 50, 1983 - Substantially identical to the PK 125, it appeared in two
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models, PK 50 and PK 50 S, both with 4-speed gearbox and electronic ignition. Vespa PK 125
Automatic, 1984 - An automatic transmission was introduced on the Vespa, probably the most
radical change (at least for the driver) since 1946. The presence of the automatic transmission was
emphasised by the absence of the brake pedal, which was replaced by a lever on the left
handlebar (which did not have to control the clutch as that was automatic). It was also available
with automatic oil-petrol mixer and electric ignition. The following year the Vespa PK 50 Automatic
was launched. Vespa T 5 Pole Position, 1985 - The T 5 was the extra-sporty version of the PX
series. With a new engine, aluminium cylinder and 5 intake ports, but the design was also new,
particularly at the rear and around the front headlamp which incorporated an aggressive dome with
a small Plexiglas windscreen. A spoiler was added on the cowling. Vespa 50 N, 1989 - The
changes to the Italian Highway Code meant that 50 cc vehicles were no longer bound by the 1.5
bhp limit, and Piaggio presented a new small Vespa with improved performance (over 2 bhp at
5,000 rpm), and new, smoother styling. A Speedmatic automatic version was also launched.
Vespa ET4 125cc, 1996 - The new generation Vespa launched on the 50th anniversary. A
completely new project, it is the first Vespa ever powered by a 4-stroke engine. The Vespa ET is
equipped with a front disk brake and an automatic CVT gearbox. Vespa ET2 50cc, 1997 - Same
as the ET4 125, but with a 50cc 2-stroke catalysed engine. Vespa ET4 150cc, 1999 - First Piaggio
scooter equipped with the new generation 4-stroke Leader engine, now on the 125cc model too.
Vespa ET4 50cc, 2000 - The first small Vespa with a 4-stroke engine, combining lively
performance that will make no one regret the 2-stroke with quiet running and the reduction of
polluting emissions. Fuel economy is outstanding: the Vespa ET4 50 has the highest range in the
50 cc class, with approx. 500 km on a full tank. Vespa PX, 2001 - Classic design and unique
features such as a four-speed gearbox have made the Vespa PX a cult scooter, a symbol of Italian
style everywhere in the world. The 2-stroke 125, 150 and 200cc engines (displacements vary
according to markets) with forced air cooling have electronic CDI ignition and electric start with a
kick starter. The new PX now sports a powerful stainless steel front disc brake, 200 mm in
diameter, guaranteeing prompt, safe and efficient braking. A reliable 150 mm rear drum modulates
braking. Vespa Granturismo 200L and 125L, 2003 In 2003, the Granturismo made its
appearance as the most powerful Vespa ever produced. In 200L and 125L versions, it combines
the Vespas emotional appeal with state-of-the-art technology: this was the first-ever Vespa to have
sparkling four-stroke, four-valve, liquid-cooled engines that meet the new Euro2 emissions
standards, as well as 12-inch wheels on the 200L and a two-disk brake system. The steel body is a
uniquely Vespa touch. Vespa LX, 2005 Launched in Rome on 10 May, 2005, the LX is the 139th
Vespa in almost 60 years. It is the sublime heir of a truly unique legacy, a designer scooter for
those who want a stylish, avant-garde scooter for town use. A compact Vespa, the LX replaces
the glorious Vespa ET (over 460,000 units sold since 1996). It is available in four modern,
environment-friendly displacements: 50cc two and four strokes as well as a 125 and a 150cc four
stroke. Vespa GTS 250 i.e. Fifty years after the launch of the Vespa GS (Gran Sport), the first
sport scooter in history and still a sought-after treasure for collectors and fans, Vespa GTS 250 i.e.
launched on 25 May 2005 in Portofino renews the GS blend of speed and style to become the
fastest, most powerful and most high-tech Vespa in history. With an avant-grade, extremely
powerful 250cc four-stroke, four-valve electronic injection engine and two disc brakes with an
optional ABS and brake servo, the Vespa GTS 250 i.e. was one of the first two-wheelers and the
first 250cc to already meet the strict upcoming Euro 3 emissions limits.
Vespa GTS 125 As of 2007, the Vespa GTS is also available in a 125 cc version. A perfect
combination of elegance and performance, the Vespa GTS 125 offers all the class, exclusivity and
high technology of the bigger GT scooter, but with a 125 cc engine.
Vespa GTV and LXV, 2006 Conceived to celebrate an absolute legend in the world of two
wheelers, the Vespa LXV and Vespa GTV repeat and re-interpret the most distinctive elements of
50s and 60s styling in form and function. The Vespa GTV, available with 125 and 250 cc engines,
stands out for its headlight mounted on the mudguard just as the original 1946 prototype. The
Vespa LXV, offered with a choice of 50, 125 and 150 cc engines, is inspired by the smooth,
essential lines of the Vespas of the 1960s, and features a sleek, minimalist look characterised by
open handlebars and a two part seat.
Vespa GT 60, 250cc, 2006 This is the gift that Vespa was determined to give its fans to
celebrate the companys sixtieth anniversary. With its prestigious materials and exclusive finish,
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this unique limited edition is made in a series of only 999 units, and is destined to become one of
the milestones in Vespas long history.
Vespa S 50 and 125, 2007 - All the character of the sporty Vespino of yesteryear is revived by
the brand new Vespa S. This fascinating blend of styles and memories keeps the soul of the
youngest and most sporting of all Vespas alive in the present day. The Vespa S inherits its
rigorously minimalist looks from legendary models of the 1970s like the 50 Special and Vespa
Primavera.
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