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Master of aviation and motorization,  D’Ascanio died 40 years ago In 1981, Corradino D’Ascanio switched his “life engine” off. The end of a lengthy life, but certainly not the end of a name that made history in technical design and marked the success of Italy’s mechanical engineering in the world. His name may have been forgotten by many, but his i...

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Today, when we think of personal mobility vehicles, we think of electric scooters, Segways, folding bikes. But in 1946, it wasn’t like this. The king of micromobilty was the bike (or our own feet), and only a few people had the privilege of owning a motorcycle. However, in those times of difficulties, Italian motor vehicle manufacturer Piaggio deci...

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In case you haven't heard, we're having our first ever outdoor festival type event THIS SATURDAY June 19th from 11am to 8pm PT. Vespa Festa will have food booths, beer and wine garden, live music, merchandise booths/vendors, and best of all the drawing for the Vespa you've all seen on display at Casa!  Please reach out if there are any questions ab...

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In the summer of 1965, as a recent high school grad, I decided to make a significant purchase. My buddy, Richie Downs, had an old Vespa motor scooter. It gave him a degree of freedom while providing lots of fun. To me, that was a combination that seemed hard to beat, so I plopped down $450 and bought myself a brand-new, red, 125cc, 1965 Vespa. It w...

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Vespa, the iconic Italian scooter, celebrates 75 years since the first patent was presented by Piaggio on 23 April 1946. One of the top Made in Italy brands, Vespa's landmark birthday coincides with the milestone of reaching 19 million scooters produced, with the vehicles sold in 83 countries worldwide. Vespas have been manufactured, uninterrupted...

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Vespa is a brand name that immediately brings an exact image to mind. All it takes is the word and we see Audrey Hepburn smiling from behind the handlebars of an original Vespa, cruising through the streets of Rome. Patented on April 23, 1946, the original Piaggio Vespa has sold over 18 million units in various editions and models up to the present...

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If you’ve never seen Quadrophenia, just think of it as a British version of The Outsiders. Instead of the greasers versus the socs, the cinematic adaptation of the Who’s rock opera pits the Mods against the rockers. And instead of the rival gangs driving Mustangs and Thunderbirds, the rockers zip around on café racers while the Mods lay claim a veh...

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A classic, an icon, it shaped Italy’s post-World War II pop culture, starring in one of the world’s favorite films and defining the Bel Paese in both image and reality. It is nothing if not an international symbol of Made in Italy style and design. Historical and Social Context With its musically-flowing yet minimalist lines and its practical funct...

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Rosario Di Giovanna says his vintage scooters keep him young. The 71-year-old says they transport him back in time, to when he was a young man growing up in Sicily. “All the time. Every time I drive them, the memory goes back. And I enjoy myself,” said Rosario Di Giovanna, an Elmhurst Resident. Elmhurst, Queens is a far cry from the Italian country...

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Vespa has launched a new set of mini scooters aimed at bringing more people into the two-wheeled fold. The lineup of 50 cc scooters will be speed limited to 30 mph, allowing them to be ridden with only a driver’s license in 16 states.  That means if you live in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ne...

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