History of Piaggio

History of Piaggio


The Beginning
In 1884 Rinaldo Piaggio established Piaggio Company in Genoa, Italy. Rinaldo's business started with luxury ship fitting when he was 20 years old. Rail carriages, luxury coaches, truck bodies, trains, and engines were manufactured by Piaggio by the end of the century.
With the beginning of World War I, the company increased its production presenting airplanes and seaplanes. Piaggio purchased a new plant in Pisa in 1917 and small plant in Pontedera, Tuscany region of Italy in 1921. The plant in Pontedera became the new center for aeronautical manufacturing: propellers, engines and complete aircraft.
Pontedera plant produced the state-of-the-art P 108 four-engine aircraft, in both passenger and bomber versions during World War II. Due to its military importance Pontedera plant was completely destroyed by Allied forces.



Rebirth
Rinaldo's son Enrico Piaggio became the head of the company and faced company's hard times with completely ruined Pontedera plant. Taking into account the disastrous state of the Italian roads and economy, Enrico turned his attention to personal mobility needs of the Italian citizens.
The first modern helicopter was designed, built and flew by Piaggio's ingenious aeronautical engineer Corradino D'Ascanio.


Elaboration of a simple, sturdy, and economical vehicle that was also elegant and comfortable was set out by D'Ascanio. He was crazy about motorcycles and dreamed up a revolutionary new vehicle. Using the latest aeronautical technology, D'Ascanio imagined a vehicle constructed on a "monocoque" (French for "single shell") or unibody steel chassis and the front fork for easy wheel changing, like a plane's landing gear. Unique and advanced design aircraft-inspired was presented as the result.
Enrico Piaggio said: "It looks like a wasp!" ("Sembra una Vespa!"), when he saw a real two-wheeled utility vehicle. The steel frame's shape protected the rider from road dirt and debris. It was comfortable and quite motorcycle that emanated class and elegance at first sight.
35,000 motorcycles had been manufactured by 1949. Italy was riding around on Vespas and overcoming war wounds. In 10 years, one million were manufactured. Vespa was being manufactured in Germany, Great Britain, France, Belgium, and Spain by 1950's.
Since its elaboration Vespa subtly modified its image. The first Vespas offered mobility to everyone, and then it symbolized the post war economic boom. Revolutionary ideas of the time were presented in this motorcycle during 1960's and 70's. "He Who Vespas, eats the apple" is one of advertising campaigns and films such as Quadrophenia introduced eras in our history.
New generation of Vespa models are presented in the vintage-lovers' PX with manual gear shift, in the Granturismo that is the largest and most powerful Vespa and in the new LX, the latest restyling of the classic Vespa design. Vespa is the great symbols of Italian style and elegance. It is well known throughout the world with 16 million units manufactured. Vespa's timeless design comes from timeless Piaggio Company that has been for nearly 120 years a distinguished innovator in the area of transportation. Vespa gave means of personal transport and fascinated millions of people with this irreplaceable icon of Italian style and freedom.