VESPA TIMELINE
| 1884 | Piaggio is founded in Genoa by 20-year-old Rinaldo Piaggio as a luxury ship-building company that expanded into producing rail carriages, automobiles, marine craft, and later, aeronautics. |
| 1946 | Vespa (Italian for wasp) introduces by Piaggio to the post-World Ware II Italian market. The 98cc scooter is created at the Piaggio plant in the Tuscany town of Pontedera by visionary aeronautical engineer and inventor Corradino D'Ascanio. Also that year, the 125cc Vespa model is introduced. |
| 1949 | The company begins publishing Piaggio, a quarterly magazine devoted to the Vespa. Additionally, the Italian Union of Vespa Riders (incorporating 30 clubs) consolidates and holds its first congress. Graziella Bontempo of Naples is elected Miss Vespa. |
| 1950 | Vespa begins production in Germany under licensing agreement with Hoffman-Werle. |
| 1952 | The 100,000 Vespa is sold as the Vespa 125cc model beats the one-kilometer world speed record with a speed of 171 kilometers per hour. Production goes global, as Vespa begins assembly in the U.K. under license to Douglas of Bristol and in France with ACMA of Paris. The European Vespa Club is founded in Milan to bring together the clubs of Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, and Belgium. Around the world, Vespa club membership surpasses 50,000, while Vespa service stations number more than 10,000. |
| 1953 | Enrico Piaggio presents a Vespa to Pope Pius XII, who gives it to a Missionary bound for the Far East. Helping the popularity is the movie industry, which features more than 60 films with the Vespa. The Italian government makes it mandatory for all vehicles over 50cc to have license plates. |
| 1964 | Vespino (or Little Vespa), the 50cc displacement scooter, is born. |
| 1965 | Sales of the Vespa exceed 3.5 million. |
| 1967 | A Special Alpha model is created by Vespa and Alpha-Wallis for use in a spy film. The amphibious vehicle can be driven from land into the water. |
| 1968 | The "Chi Vespa mangia le mele" (He who Vespas eats the apple) advertising campaign revolutionizes the advertising world. |
| 1976 | Vespa Primavera 125 - ET3 becomes the first scooter with electronic ignition. |
| 1978 | Vespa Px is born with three classic engine displacements: 125cc, 150cc, and 200cc. |
| 1984 | Piaggio marks its 100th anniversary. |
| 1988 | Sales of the Vespa exceed 10 million. |
| 1989 | Sfera is the first Piaggio scooter with a plastic body. Its innovative styling wins several design awards. |
| 1996 | Vespa celebrates its 50th anniversary. The new generation Vespa is born with the introduction ET4 125cc model. |
| 1997 | Vespa ET2 (50cc) is born. |
| 1998 | The Vespa PX, the best selling scooter model in the world with over two million units sold since its launch, receives a re-style and a front disc brake. |
| 2000 | The Vespa is once again available for sale in the United States with two models: the ET2 (50cc) and the ET4 (150cc). |