Word: vespa
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Italian motor-scooter enthusiasts, often harshly criticized for their desire to dominate the road, were still glowing at the Pope's understanding words to a group of Vespa riders: "Those who complain of your noise, do they ever think that your speed may take you to church in time for Mass, or that you may be rushing a sick person to the hospital? Be patient with those who abuse...
Blessed Day. With 16 camel riders flanking his car, Bourguiba progressed through a seething sea of happy admirers as strangely mixed as Tunisia itself. Vespa motor-scooters, ridden by sport-shirted youths, skittered among primitive horsemen in burnooses; bare-foot peasant boys dodged fat businessmen in Citroëns and Fords. In the blue-tiled throne room of the palace, old (73) Bey Sidi Mohammed el Amin, hereditary ruler of Tunisia, rose majestically from his place to embrace and kiss Bourguiba, saying softly: "This is a happy day. Joy has replaced suffering." Tears in his eyes, Bourguiba echoed: "A blessed...
...heavily industrialized north, executives at Falck, Italy's biggest privately owned steel company, reported that demand was outstripping production, that steel had been in a sellers' market for the past nine months. Such big motor-scooter companies as Innocenti and Vespa were rolling along at an 11,000-per-month production rate, more than double the figure two years ago; overall, the industry has produced 2,400,000 postwar scooters, and has only skimmed the top off the market...
...money to expand, Piaggio borrowed $1,080,000 from the Export-Import Bank and ECA. Piaggio organized Vespa clubs, races and contests, thinks that "the best way to fight Communism in this country is to give each worker a scooter, so he will have his own transportation, have something valuable of his own, and have a stake in the principle of private property." Taking their cue from this, many industrialists have bought Vespas on a reduced-price fleet plan, sold them to employees by paycheck deductions. In Piaggio's own plant, 60% of the 3,500 workers who once...
Second Car? Vespas have spread into 45 other countries, either through exports or local manufacturers licensed to make them. (The newest plant, in Spain, went into production this year.) Plenty of competitors have also sprung up in Italy. In fact, the cheaper Lambrettas made by the Innocenti Co. now outstrip the Vespa in sales. But this week Piaggio cut the Vespa's price in Italy to $240, enough to undersell the comparable Lambretta model. (Piaggio also is making railroad cars under license from Budd Co., aircraft engines, propellers, light planes...