LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Vespa
built 212 days ago
T[E]chnically, Vespa crabro is the only hornet in North America, but it did not originate here; it was introduced from Europe. The European hornet was first reported in North America about 1840 in New York state. Since then, it has spread to most of the eastern United States, reaching as far west as Louisiana and the Dakotas. Nowadays it is found in the northeastern quarter of the United States; ranging from Canada, Ontario, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee and south through the eastern and central US, with scattered sightings extending west of the Mississippi River.
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Manufactured by Piaggio in Tuscany, Italy, the first Vespa was designed by Corradino D'Ascanio in 1946 for Enrico Piaggio as a solution to transportation following the destruction caused by World War II. Combining the best elements of aeronautics, automobiles and motorcycles, it instantly became an icon of design and economy. In 2000, after a 15-year hiatus, the fabled Italian scooter returned to the United States to entice new generations with its efficient, entertaining and still nostalgic nature.
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Like the Volkswagen Beetle, or the Mini Cooper, Vespa has an immediately recognizable form that is steeped in nostalgia and romance, giving it near cult status. Vespas are exhibited at the Guggenheim in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
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The Vespa continues to travel: in 1992 Giorgio Bettinelli, writer and journalist, left Rome on a Vespa and reached Saigon in March 1993. In 1994-95 he rode a Vespa 36,000 km from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. In 1995-96 he travelled from Melbourne to Cape Town - over 52,000 km in 12 months. In 1997 he started out from Chile, reaching Tasmania after three years and 150,000 km on his Vespa across the Americas, Siberia, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. All in all, Bettinelli has travelled 254,000 km on a Vespa.
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The premiere of the Vespa 400 took place at the Paris Salon in 1957. Built over 12,000 times, the Vespa was in fact very successful during its first year of production and even exported vehicles to Germany - though, like the little Autobianchis, they only played a minor role among small cars. It simply did not stand a chance against its German competitors in this category. Other car manufacturers were offering more successful and stronger minis, and for this reason Vespa never actually manufactured it.
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With its elegant lines and classic aesthetics, the Vespa is recognized as the epitome of Italian design. In recent years, many urban commuters have purchased new or restored Vespas. A shortage of available parking for automobiles in large urban areas and the Vespa's low running costs are two reasons for the increase in Vespa (and other scooter) popularity. The cultural use of the scooter as a recreational vehicle with a sub-cultural following in the USA/Canada and parts of Europe & Japan has ... contributed to the rise in Vespa ownership. In contrast, the Vespa is considered a utilitarian vehicle for hauling products and sometimes up to 5 family members in much of Asia and Mexico
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Vespa