Word: vespa
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...shifted his business to passenger airplanes and bombers?a risky move, because the military importance of his factory made it a prime target. Piaggio's outfit was bombed, and the family lost everything. It wasn't until Rinaldo's son Enrico took over after the war that the Vespa was born...
...overhaul it. D'Ascanio hated motorcycles and quickly transformed the MP5 into a revolutionary scooter based on airplane technology. The vehicle had a single steel chassis with a front fork modeled to look like landing gear. When Piaggio saw the first one in 1946, he exclaimed, ?Sembra una vespa! [It looks like a wasp...
Although manufacturers feared that the Vespa's popularity would be short-lived, within 10 years Piaggio had sold more than 1 million. The sexy little scooter was immortalized in the 1953 movie Roman Holiday as the vehicle of choice of the dolce vita set. And two decades later, it became the symbol of disenfranchised youth in Quadrophenia. Today it's still the low-cost, high-status alternative to cars in big cities and on college campuses. ?By James Scully
What's New? The Pocket Mod Electric Mini Euro from Razor ($229) evokes a vintage Vespa, right down to its mint-green hue. Lasting about 10 miles between charges, it has a twist-grip throttle for easy acceleration. Tip: Don't ride it on city streets. It's not meant to compete with cars...
...quarter century Summits of Style Esoteric treatments in a minimalist setting A Starflyer Is Born In-flight comfort with an internet connection in every seat Take a Hike Destinations to restore your sense of wonder Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn may have taken the cheap option on that Vespa in Roman Holiday, but in the real world a stay in the Italian capital could empty your pockets, especially if you're traveling with kids. A couple of double rooms in a decent, centrally-located hotel will set you back at least €400 a night. So Residence Barberini...