Vespa scooter celebrates 80 years since patent filing

The Vespa scooter, patented by Piaggio on April 23, 1946, marks 80 years of production. Designed by engineer Corradino D'Ascanio, who disliked motorcycles, the Vespa featured a covered engine and bodywork. Initially met with skepticism, it quickly became popular, competing with the Lambretta. By the 1970s, Lambretta declined and its production was sold to India, while Vespa reinvented itself. The Vespa PX model ran from 1977 to 2017, and since 2018, electric models have been produced. Over 3 million Vespa 50 models alone have been made. The scooter gained cultural fame through films like Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita. Today, Vespa clubs have hundreds of thousands of members worldwide.