Vespa 1957: A Garage Solitaire From the Golden Age of Italian Design
This Vespa is a very old motorcycle. I have ridden it only twice. It is more of a solitaire for the garage, a piece of design to look at rather than to use.
An Italian icon. Piaggio launched the Vespa in 1946. It was designed by aeronautical engineer Corradino D'Ascanio, who brought aircraft thinking to a scooter: a steel monocoque body, an engine hidden under the side cover and a front fork inspired by aircraft landing gear. Just a few years before our Vespa was built, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck rode one through Rome in Roman Holiday (1953), and the Vespa became a worldwide symbol of Italian style.
Restored and kept as it is. Our 1957 Vespa has been restored in cream with a tan saddle, the colours of the era. It reminds us that great design does not need horsepower.
Vespa 1957 — Owner FAQ
Who designed the Vespa?
Corradino D'Ascanio, an aeronautical engineer, for Piaggio. The first Vespa was launched in 1946.
Which Vespa was in Roman Holiday?
Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck rode a Vespa 125 in Roman Holiday (1953), which made the scooter famous around the world.
Is a 1957 Vespa good for everyday riding?
We ride ours very rarely. A classic Vespa like this is best kept as a collector's piece.
The 1957 Vespa in the Batman Garage collection is the oldest two-wheeler in the garage — a restored Italian scooter in cream with a tan saddle, chrome rings and the script badge on the glovebox door. It is here as part of the same private collection as the cars, not as a museum loan.
From the Batman Garage Collection
The gallery above is this Vespa, shot in the Dark Knight garage. The specification table below is this scooter. It closes the Cars listing after the Rocket 3 R Storm, the two Ducatis and the V-Rod Muscle.
Specifications
| Make | Vespa |
| Year | 1957 |
| Country | Italy |
| Type | Classic Scooter |
| Condition | Restored |
