How did the Vespa become a cult object?
The Piaggio company, once primarily a manufacturer of warplanes, wanted to develop a light, economical, and affordable utility vehicle for the post-war public. Under the direction of Enrico Piaggio, the two-wheeled vehicle, which saw sales increase dramatically from 2,484 to over 16,000 units in one year, was born. This was just the beginning.
The iconic style icon has reached the age of 70 and has lost none of his charm and elegance over the decades. It enjoys growing popularity worldwide. This success is certainly due to the faithfulness to the original design. Because the typical Vespa design has contributed to the uniqueness of the Italian "wasp" from the very beginning. When the first model was sold in 1946, the design was not only surprisingly unusual, but also offered unique features. These included, for example, the self-supporting sheet metal body, an absolutely unique feature of the Vespa, then as now.
The eye-catching advertising and the legendary calendar, published year after year in limited editions since the early 1950s, were part of the myth. Then, like Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in the 1953 black and white classic "A Heart and a Crown" together on a Vespa from Rome, the scooter finally became an icon. It was now the ultimate symbol of freedom, independence and casual Italian elegance. With the Vespa, the owner lives his personal "Dolce Vita".
Clubs were founded all over the world, where people shared their passion. It has formed its own fascinating Vespa culture. Kept and maintained with international meetings that allow a breathtaking collection of different models and show the bond that unites VESPA fans, not only retro and vintage lovers.
Technological progress and continuous development have created a variety of models in the history of the cult scooter. Some of them are still in demand today as on the first day. But even new models in the family, such as the GTS 300 series, are quickly reaching cult status. Thus, the myth of the Vespa cult object will last for many decades to come.