Are Vespa Scooters Still Made in Italy?

Vespas are more than just scooters, they have become an icon of Italian culture and the phrase "made in Italy". Enrico Piaggio, the son of founder Rinaldo Piaggio, decided to move away from the aeronautical field to address Italy's urgent need for a modern and affordable mode of transport for the masses, and 75 years later his vision has had a global impact. 

A Brief History of the Iconic Italian Vespa

Italian automotive company Piaggio & C was founded in 1884 by Rinaldo Piaggio and started out manufacturing locomotives and rail carriages until 1917 when the company switched its focus to military vehicles. By 1939 Piaggio & C had evolved into a world leading aviation manufacturer. Rinaldo Piaggio passed away in 1938 leaving his two sons Enrico and Armando to take over leadership of the company. After the war, the Piaggio brothers set out on a new path for the company, which focused on providing affordable transportation to the masses in Italy. 

Thanks to Enrico Piaggio's intuition and the genius of legendary Italian aeronautical engineer, Corradino D'Ascanio, Vespa scooters were born in 1946. With its narrow waist, large rear and engine buzz, it resembled a wasp (vespa in Italian) and with Enrico’s exclamation the name stuck. Vespa differs from other scooters in that its body frame is made entirely of steel stampings that are welded together, which is exactly how Piaggio made its airplanes.  

The goal was to create a simple, robust and affordable vehicle, and the end result of their combined efforts was the Vespa, the scooter that would take the world by storm and become the benchmark for all mopeds. Piaggio Vespas would soon be swarming the streets of Italy with 1 million sold in the first 10 years of production. The astonishing popularity of the Vespa gained it the title of Italy’s first mass produced vehicle and by 1960 4 million Vespas had been sold worldwide. 75 years later, more than 19 million models have been sold!

A Global Brand with Humble Italian Roots

Vespas have been manufactured uninterrupted since 1946 at the Piaggio plant in Pontedera, near Pisa, in Tuscany, Italy. Here you’ll also find the Piaggio Museum that includes plenty of Vespa history. At 75 years, Vespa is more of a global brand than ever, and their scooters are now manufactured out of three production sites: Pontedera, with production destined for Europe and the Americas; Vinh Phuc, in Vietnam, which serves the Far East, and India, and the Baramati plant, where Vespas for the Indian and Nepalese markets are produced. 

Piaggio & C owns the Piaggio Foshan Motorcycle Co. Ltd plant in Foshan City China, which plays a part in their production operations, but the majority of their production for scooters still takes place at their Pontedera, Italy headquarters. In 2014, the enormous factory which is the official home for all 7 Piaggio & C brands, produced over half a million vehicles! In 2013, Piaggio & C opened the Piaggio Advanced Design Center (PADC) in Pasadena, California where the group works on concepts for its newest scooters.

Modern Vespas still embody the same original principles for which they were designed: easy to use, protective and comfortable. Vespa is an extraordinary and ongoing story, and one that continues to inspire and influence the sphere of personal mobility. If you’re ready to see what all the buzz is about, then come test ride one today!