The new Vespa Officina 8, the retro version that starts at €4,500 and pays homage to the post-war Italian engineers who created the Piaggio legend.

The story of the birth of the Vespa is a story born among the ruins of a war-ravaged Italy and a factory—which before the war manufactured fighter planes—destroyed by Allied bombing.

In this bleak landscape, two geniuses—Enrico Piaggio and Corradino D'Ascanio—were able to find the formula that not only changed the history of European motorcycles but also gave rise to a new genre: the scooter .

The most paradoxical thing of all is that Enrico Piaggio—who was already building military aircraft before the war and the rise of fascism—never hid his lack of sympathy for Mussolini, and that D'Ascanio—the man who designed the Vespa and was actually a helicopter engineer—hated motorcycles. He found them dirty, uncomfortable, and difficult to ride... and that's precisely why he made his creation the exact opposite.

They were two geniuses who coincided at a time, moreover, when post-war Italy was showing itself to be especially creative due to the need to rebuild the country and the new air of freedom from which innovative designs emerged in all areas, many of which remain today.

Well, in this context, at the Piaggio factory in Pontedera, ideas were born in the so-called "Officina 8," which housed the brand's Experimental Department. This was the most advanced area, where the most daring projects were carried out. From the late 1940s—the Vespa was officially born in 1946—some of the best designers, draftsmen, mechanics, metalworkers, and test pilots worked side by side. All were highly trained professionals from the aeronautical industry, left jobless by the restrictions imposed by the victors on Italian aviation.

It was therefore entirely logical that “Officina 8” would adopt much more modern aeronautical working methods than those traditionally employed by traditional motorcycle brands.

Both road and racing models were designed there; the cutouts for the metalworkers, the special chassis models, and the sand molds for the experimental engines were all created in this same workshop. The prototype was then handed over to the test drivers, who traveled tens of thousands of kilometers to decide which model would go into production or which racing car would be built.

A coveted blue brass pin bearing the inscription “Piaggio 8” identified the technicians who were part of this reserved and inaccessible department for the rest.

The Vespa that broke 17 world speed and endurance records in 1950, the flying kilometer record in 1951, the legendary “98 Corsa,” and the models that dominated the grueling Six Days off-road race are some of the custom masterpieces created at “Officina 8.”

Well, the latest limited edition of the Vespa Primavera and Vespa GTV is named "Officina 8" in homage to the visionaries who worked on the installation. It features colors, materials, and finishes that evoke the atmosphere of the brand's Experimental Department where it all began. The version stands out instantly with its exclusive Blu Officina 8 color, which adorned the walls and surroundings of the "Officina," as well as the employees' overalls.

This color creates an original contrast with the satin-finished metal details and polished aluminum and brass trim. As an even more evocative detail, the coveted brass and blue resin pin proudly worn by members of the historic Experimental Department is revived and reinterpreted on the back plate.

Each Vespa Officina 8 comes with an elegant welcome kit containing a beautiful "Owner's Book," which, reproducing original archival documents for the first time, traces the history of the Experimental Department.

Details of this new and exclusive Vespa are now available at the corresponding link on the brand's Spanish website . The price of the Vespa Primavera 50 Officina 8 is 4,499 euros, while the 125 cc version costs a thousand euros more. The GTV 310 Officina 8, meanwhile, has a price tag of 7,799 euros.

It's hard to find rivals to a special edition Vespa... beyond the Vespa itself, as these versions tend to be seen more as collector's items than everyday vehicles... and so is their price. The most expensive Vespa is the 946 Snake, priced at €12,000. Meanwhile, the Primavera "Mickey Mouse"—the most expensive Primavera—costs €5,499.

Another historic brand that's "resurrecting" its most iconic models is the Milanese Lambretta. Its flagship is the GT 300, priced at €5,987. Outside of Italy, we have to turn to Honda's catalog to find another brand offering an updated edition of one of its historic scooters, specifically the stylish SuperCub 125, priced at €4,110.