Piaggio Vespa Scooters: Illustrated History Books & Guides (1/2)

Vespa - Style and Passion

Introduced by the Italian firm Piaggio in 1946 with the model 98, Vespa enjoyed quick success. The scooters' diminutive size and affordability were perfect for promoting postwar mobility. But as with most novel designs, it would also be highly imitated, destined for icon status.

From Piaggio's origins to the first Vespa prototypes to today's forward-looking Elettrica model, "Vespa: Style and Passion" is the ultimate retrospective of this beloved brand. A rich selection of visuals includes dozens of studio images of the most significant models from throughout Vespa history - including classics like the 125, 150 GS, Super Sprint, Primavera, and Rally - as well as period advertisements, rare archival photographs, and images of Vespas in popular culture and motorsport.
Mod culture, perhaps most responsible for spreading scooter culture, is also given its due with images of customized Vespas.

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Ciao Piaggio Melocompro…

The Piaggio Ciao, a simple yet clever design, became the best-selling Italian moped worldwide. Known for its efficiency and ease of use, it remains unmatched in its category.

Introduced during the rise of student protests, it quickly became popular among 14-year-olds and stayed in demand across generations, well into the 2000s. Produced in countless versions, the Ciao is now a favourite among collectors, travellers, and tuning fans, partly due to the easy availability of spare parts.

This book fills the need for a detailed overview of the Ciao's technical and industrial history. It also explores the moped's cultural and social impact in Italy and beyond, and offers a complete catalogue of its many versions and editions.

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The Life Vespa

Since hitting the road in 1946, eighteen million Vespa motor scooters have buzzed the Earth.
Vespa's success lies in the uniqueness of its design - in the unmistakable sheet metal skin that, over the span of decades, has defined the concept of "motor scooter."

"The Life Vespa" celebrates all aspects of the scooters and the thriving culture that surrounds them. Since Vespa is affordable and in high-style, the life Vespa encompasses all walks of life, from street urchins to celebrities like Audrey Hepburn, John Wayne, and Brad Pitt.

Part of Motorbooks' "Life" series, "The Life Vespa" melds machine and culture to immerse you in la bella vita.

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Vespa - All the models (Updated edition)

The Vespa scooter, first created in Pontedera after World War II, became a symbol of one of the most remarkable industrial success stories.
This book is the most comprehensive and up-to-date catalogue of all Vespa models ever published. It presents every model produced, making it an essential reference for users, collectors, and all Vespa enthusiasts.

This revised edition includes all the models introduced in the past three years, organized into large and small frame categories. Among the new models are the 125 and 300 GTS 75th Anniversary editions, the 125 and 300 GTS trim variants, and the 50, 125, and 150 models, each detailed in their different color schemes. The catalogue also features the 946 and the Vespa Elettrica, the latest major innovation.

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Vespa - Illustrated guide to the identification / Guida illustrata all'identificazione

This unique book is an essential resource for Vespa enthusiasts who want to learn every detail about the evolution of the iconic Piaggio scooter.
Using extensive technical knowledge gathered over the years and thorough research on all models, the author has created thousands of detailed photographs showing every version produced by Piaggio in Pontedera from 1946 to 1983.
This illustrated guide presents entirely new material, documenting every minor change made to the various models designed for the Italian market. Thanks to the photographs and detailed captions, readers can learn exactly when specific modifications were introduced during the production of each model.
The book also features dozens of vintage advertisements and includes comprehensive production data and color codes used year by year.

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Vespa - Italian Street Style

Produced in 1946, the first Vespa offered mobility to everyone. Italy was getting over its war wounds and getting about on a scooter. During the "Dolce Vita" years, "Vespa" meant "scooter"; foreign newspaper correspondents described Italy as "Vespa country", and the role Vespa played in Italian society is shown by its appearance in dozens of films.

Then, it became the two-wheeler for the time of the economic boom. And during the 1960s and 1970s, it was the vehicle for the propagation of the revolution of ideas that the kids of those years were establishing. Now the Vespa provides the perfect solution to today's congested cities.

Spanning 336 pages and featuring over 300 original photographs, many rare and unseen, Vespa, delves into the facets of the famous brand from its innovative technical and stylistic design to its freedom-inspired customers.
Divided into 6 chapters, each chapter details not only the evolution of the company and the development of the models but also the impact Vespa has had on the worldwide culture. The book is packed with unusual photographs from the Vespa archives, featuring all the models, famous faces, races and much more.

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Vespa 75 Years - The Complete History (Updated Edition)

April 1946: the first 15 examples of the Vespa leave the Piaggio factory.
This was the beginning of a unique and unrepeatable story, that of a revolutionary two-wheeled vehicle that as well as leaving an indelible trace in the history of transportation, has become an authentic cult object for every generation that followed. Simple elegant forms, practicality and riding comfort were just a few of the qualities that brought the popular scooter success on a global level.

75 years on from the first Vespa, this book - an updated version of the first part only, the historical one, of the successful "Vespa 70 Years", traces decade by decade the technical and stylistic evolution of this timeless icon. All this without losing sight of aspects associated with communications - ever a strong suit of the Pontedera group - and the ever-increasing interest of collectors.

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La Vespa de mon père - depuis 1945 (2e édition)

The Vespa, the symbol of the scooter par excellence! Born after the tragic 1940s, the Vespa embodies the renewal of Italy, homeland of the arts and beautiful mechanics. A true revolution in the world of two-wheelers, it is the most widespread scooter in France where it was manufactured by ACMA in Fourchambault.
Having become the icon of a happy era, the symbol of friendship and freedom, the "Wasp" is now part of our history.

Through this book, you will travel, between successes and setbacks, through the history of our French Vespa, and you will fall under the spell, if you are not already, of the most beautiful of scooters.
Vespa of yesterday and Vespa of today, in our cities, on our roads, the Vespa is timeless.

• Richly illustrated, this book traces in detail the history and evolution of Vespa scooters.
• This volume of the collection "La moto de mon père" is not only a source of in-depth information for the owner, but also a concise guide to originality.
• The technique, variants, modifications and special versions are described in detail.
• Also deals with French manufacturing by the ACMA, in Fourchambault.
• Contains 130 period photos, often unpublished.

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Un amour de Vespa

Glamorous and retro, the Vespa is a legendary scooter, symbol of the dolce vita. Very fashionable at the moment, this vintage two-wheeler is seeing its sales explode and its fans become more and more numerous.
From the creation of the "legend" in 1946 to the presentation of the brand's latest prototype in 2016, this book traces more than half a century of innovations in the fields of design, technology and marketing.

Pages of the book "Un amour de Vespa"

This book presents:
- The 50 emblematic models all illustrated, with a detailed technical sheet for each.
- The cousins: the Ape triporteur, the sidecar versions, etc.
- A very rich iconography, partly from the Piaggio-Vespa collection: advertisements, technical drawings, period catalogs, film photographs (Roman Holiday, etc.), the famous calendar.

A beautiful reference book for Vespa fans and vintage enthusiasts.

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Vespa - L'esprit de la dolce vita

This book celebrates all aspects of Vespa scooters and highlights the community aspect of the brand. It traces its place in history, in popular culture as well as in the collective imagination.
Since Vespas scooters hit the road in 1946 18 000 000 have roared across every continent. The success of Vespa lies in its unique look, it is a global icon of industrial design. You can ride this vehicle indifferently, whether you are a man of style or a woman in a skirt, always with the same elegance.

It is the instantly recognizable metal bodywork that has defined the concept of the scooter over the decades. This book celebrates all aspects of Vespa scooters and the powerful culture that surrounds them. Vespa culture spans lifestyles from street urchins to celebrities like Audrey Hepburn, John Wayne, and Brad Pitt.
Affordable and stylish, Vespa blends design and culture to immerse the reader in la bella vita.

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Vespa - Alle Motorroller seit 1946 (Typenkompass)

The first Vespa, which came onto the market in 1946, was called "Paperino" (duck), had a displacement of 98 cm³ and a maximum speed of 60 km/h. Its inventor was Corradino D'Ascanio.
The original Vespa 98" was supposed to be simple and economical. The drive and power transmission in particular were to be as simple as possible and so he opted for direct drive, especially since chain drive was almost impossible at the time due to a lack of materials. The ingeniously simple concept was then patented under the name Vespa on April 23 1946. The rest is scooter history!

Pages of the book "Vespa - Alle Motorroller seit 1946"

Each type is presented with the help of a photo, a historical description and technical data.

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Motorlegenden - Vespa

From the beginning, the Vespa was much more than just a cheap means of transport. The scooter from Pontedera expressed a new attitude to life among young people with the freedom it offered and soon became a cult brand beyond Italy's borders.
Countless celebrities were also enthusiastic about it, whether Audrey Hepburn, Ursula Andres, John Wayne, Brad Pitt or James Dean, not to mention the British Mod scene in the 1960s!

Pages of the book "Motorlegenden - Vespa"

The book offers a broad, colorful and iconic kaleidoscope with plenty of period color and lifestyle surrounding the trendy scooter from Italy.

German edition of the book "The Life Vespa".

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Vespa - Die Geschichte des Kultklassikers

Enrico Piaggio certainly did not envisage that the construction called Vespa, born out of necessity, would one day achieve cult status when he launched the mother of all scooters, the Vespa 98, in 1946.
But the worldwide triumph of the economical and easy-to-ride two-wheeler was unstoppable from then on - a popularity that continues to this day.

Pages of the book "Vespa - Die Geschichte des Kultklassikers"

Günther Uhlig tells the story of the Vespa from its beginnings to the present day. As one of the best Vespa experts on the subject, he has a lot to say about the triumph of the scooter from Italy and the countless types and models that have appeared to date.

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Vespa - Un'avventura italiana nel mondo

From the Piaggio Historical Archive comes to life a unique adventure, unfolding continuously from 1946 to the present day, from the MP6 prototype to the Vespa Electric.
A magical two-seater flying carpet, a two-wheeled car in the post-war era, a symbol of youth revolution, a passport to modernity, a legend that renews itself without ever betraying: thanks to the commitment of those who created and spread it worldwide, the Vespa is recounted here as it had never been before.

Text in Italian.

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Vespa ed altri scooter Piaggio

Among the many books published on the Vespa, the volume written by engineer Sandro Colombo stands out for two fundamental elements. The first is the description of the models produced under the Vespa name and those of entire families of no less important models produced and sold under the Piaggio brand, from the Sfera to the latest models produced in 2015.
The second is a particular in-depth examination of the technical aspect of the various models and certain particular construction techniques that are exclusive to the Pontedera-based manufacturer.

The book is in black and white with a chapter in colour devoted to the original advertising used for the Vespa or, more generally, to the original communication techniques implemented by those in charge of this important sector.

Text in Italian.

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