Piaggio founded the Vespa scooter brand in 1946.
The first Vespa, the Vespa 98, was introduced in Italy in 1946 by Piaggio. The company had originally built aircraft and aircraft components, but postwar conditions encouraged it to seek new products for civilian transportation. Engineer Corradino D’Ascanio designed a compact scooter with a step-through layout, enclosed mechanical parts, and a handlebar-mounted front suspension.
The name Vespa means “wasp” in Italian. Its distinctive shape and practical design helped separate it from conventional motorcycles, especially for riders seeking easy urban transport. Early Vespas used small two-stroke engines and a manual gearbox operated through the handlebar.
Lambretta is the most common brand confused with Vespa, but it was made by Innocenti, not Piaggio. Vespa became a major cultural symbol through its Italian styling and appearances in films, while Piaggio continued expanding the line into many engine sizes and markets.