The title says it all really. Vespa by Velerio Boni and Azzurra Della Penna is a book about the iconic scooter.
Published by Prestel (which always produces good looking books), the hardback book covers 248 pages, with 250 colour illustrations and 100 black and white images. It’s also described as ‘everything you need to know about the Vespa’.
The description continues:
Vespa fans will delight in combing the pages of this history of the world’s most recognisable scooter. Written in co-operation with the manufacturer, Piaggio, it tells the story of the scooter’s origins in post-war Italy, when the rebuilding of the country necessitated an affordable and modern means of transportation for the masses.
Italian for ‘wasp,’, the term Vespa caught on quickly, but the scooter achieved international stardom when Audrey Hepburn hopped on Gregory Pecks Vespa in the film Roman Holiday. As a result, a vehicle originally designed as utilitarian came to symbolise style, freedom and romance.
The book includes a gatefold listing the Vespa models from 1943 to today along with images of Vespas throughout the decades, including the most iconic designs as well as today’s luxury editions. In colourful photographs and text this volume also traces the succession of technological and stylistic improvements that have helped maintain Vespa’s status as one of the world’s iconic scooter brands.
In short, it’s pretty much what every Vespa lover probably wants and needs on their bookcase. It’s available online for £29.99.
Note: We do know the author has done previous titles called Vespa, so we’re unsure if this is a reprint or update of those older volumes. If you have one of those, perhaps check before you buy.