What brand is Vespa?
1 Answers
Vespa is a brand of scooter products, initiated by Enrico Piaggio of the Piaggio family and designed by engineer Corradino D’Ascanio. It began civilian mass production and sales in Italy in 1946. Piaggio decided to name it "Wasp," which in Italian translates to "Vespa" in English. Historical Background: During World War II, many Italian industries were connected to national arms manufacturing. After being bombed by the Allies, many manufacturers' factories were destroyed. However, the Piaggio family managed to revive their family economy through aircraft manufacturing. Development History: In 1951, British motorcycle manufacturer Douglas began producing Vespa under license (having introduced Piaggio's models in the previous two years). Although Douglas-produced Vespas accounted for only a small portion of Vespa's total sales, they accelerated Vespa's global popularity.