1963 Vespa 150cc Scooter with Sidecar

If one product came to symbolise Italy's post-war economic and social resurgence it would be the Vespa scooter. Idolised by the young people for generations, made famous by celebrities like Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday, and produced the world over in millions, the Vespa scooter underwent constant improvement and the 150 model introduced in 1954 remains the classic large-frame scooter. By the time the example on offer here was manufactured in 1963, the Vespa 150 had benefited from more modern styling with a fully enclosed headlamp and a new cylinder-inducted motor design for better reliability and more power (both introduced in 1958). As Vespa production was passing the two million mark in 1960, the four-speed gearbox was standardised on the 150 and gained the tail lights and clamshell speedo from the GS model. In 1961, less expensive and more reliable rotary valves were also introduced. Today, the rugged Vespa is an ideal choice as a commuter vehicle, being cheap to run and maintain and with so much more style than the bland plastic products of today.