Vespa Marks Its 80th Birthday with Grand Celebrations and Parades in Rome
Celebrating Eight Decades of Vespa: Events, History, and Global Impact
Vespa's 80th Anniversary Festivities in Rome
ROME, June 27 (Reuters) - The Vespa, the wasp-waisted scooter that put postwar Italians on wheels and went on to carry Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn through the streets of Rome, is returning to the capital this week to celebrate its 80th birthday.
Vespa Roma 2026: Four Days of Iconic Celebrations
From June 25 to 28, Rome is hosting "Vespa Roma 2026 – 80 Years of an Icon", a four-day gathering centred on the city's Foro Italico and the Stadio dei Marmi, which has been turned into a Vespa Village of exhibitions, races, parades and club events.
The Birth and Rise of an Italian Icon
Origins and Postwar Significance
Launched in 1946 by Piaggio, the Vespa became a symbol of Italy's rebirth after World War Two: cheap enough for a battered country, stylish enough to seduce the world, and practical enough to weave through the alleys of Naples, Milan and Rome.
Vespa in Popular Culture
Film, Advertising, and Global Recognition
It has since become one of Italy's most recognisable design exports, appearing in films such as "Roman Holiday" with Peck and Hepburn, advertisements and holiday brochures.
Vespa's Enduring Legacy and Worldwide Reach
Production, Sales, and International Presence
Vespa has been in continuous production for 80 years, undergoing around 160 restyling updates and selling nearly 20 million units worldwide, including just over two million in the past decade.
Today, the scooter is sold in approximately 100 countries, mainly across Europe and Southeast Asia, and is manufactured in three production plants in Italy, Vietnam, and India.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Crispian Balmer and Giulio PiovaccariEditing by Keith Weir)
