Vespa, the classic line of mopeds and scooters that skyrocketed to worldwide fame when Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck rode one in the 1953 film “Roman Holiday”, were first launched by Piaggio in 1946. Vespa, which meant “wasp” in Italian, were first known for their painted, pressed steel “monoque” body and a step-through design that allowed riders, including women in skirts, to ride cleanly and comfortably without getting dirty from rough, dusty roads.
The first Vespa had a top speed of 60 kph. and can cover 45 kilometers with just a liter of gas. They were also affordably priced, which was why they appealed to Filipinos when introduced here in the 1960s. Dubbed as “the little car with two wheels”, Vespa Scooters were exclusively distributed by Olympia International, Inc., and solely imported by The East Asiatic Co., Ltd., along Buendia Ave., Makati.
The Vespa scooters available here were the 160 G.S. and 150 models and were carried by dealers nationwide in the cities of Angeles, Baguio, Bacolod Davao, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. Vespa scooters were snapped up by young Filipinos who considered them hip and trendy. They were so popular that there were even organized Vesta riders’ clubs that held leisure rides to different parts of the country.
VESPA RIDERS in Arayat, Photo CTTO: Alvin Koh
Indeed, whether to the office, market or school, on the
highway or on the roughest roads, Vespa was the smartest way to places!
SOURCE:
Vespa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespa
