PIAGGIO GROUP

The Piaggio Group

Products

􀂙 Founded in 1884, Piaggio’s product range includes scooters, mopeds and motorcycles from 50 to 1,200cc

under the Piaggio, Vespa, Gilera, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Derbi and Scarabeo brands. Piaggio also operates

in the 3-and 4-wheeled light transport sector with the Ape, Porter and Quargo.

􀂙 Fiat’s Giovanni Alberto Agnelli was elected President of Piaggio.

􀂙 In 1994, Sfera, the first scooter with plastic bodywork was produced by Piaggio.

􀂙 In 1994 a milestone was reached with the launch of maxiscooter Hexagon.

􀂙 Piaggio models include Liberty, NRG, Fly and Zip.

􀂙 Vespa models include Granturismo and GTS.

􀂙 Gilera models include Runner and Nexus.

􀂙 Aprilia models include SR, Sportcity, Leonardo and Atlantic scooters &

Scarabeo, Tuono, Caponord and Pegaso bikes.

􀂙 Moto Guzzi, founded in Mandello del Lario 1921, is famous for models like Norge, California Vintage,

California Touring, Breva, Griso, Nevada Classics and Corsa.

􀂙 Derbi’s current range is composed of the Mulhacén and the Senda, Atlantis, GPR, GP1 and Boulevard

Ranges

History

􀂙 Founded by Rinaldo Piaggio in 1884, Piaggio initially produced locomotives and railway carriages.

During World War I the company focused on producing airplanes.

􀂙 During World War II the company produced bomber aircraft, but Piaggio emerged from the conflict with its

Pontedera plant completely demolished by bombing.

􀂙 Enrico Piaggio, the son of Piaggio's founder Rinaldo Piaggio, decided to leave the aeronautical field in order

to address Italy's urgent need for a modern and affordable mode of transportation. The idea was to design

an inexpensive vehicle for the masses.

􀂙 Aeronautical engineer Corradino D’Ascanio, responsible for the design and construction of the first

modern helicopter by Agusta, was given the job of designing a simple, robust and affordable vehicle by

Enrico Piaggio.

􀂙 Consequently, in 1946 Piaggio launched the Vespa (Italian for “wasp”) scooter, and within 10 years over a

million units had been produced.

􀂙 With strong cash flow emanating from the success of the Vespa, Piaggio developed other products,

including the 1957 Vespa 400, the only passenger car ever produced by the company.

􀂙 In 1959, Piaggio came under the control of the Agnelli family, the owners of car maker Fiat SpA.

􀂙 Resultantly, as the wider ownership of Fiat in Italian industry, in the 1964 the two divisions (aeronautical and

motorcycle) split to become two independent companies; the aeronautical division was named IAM Rinaldo

Piaggio.

􀂙 Today the airplane-company Piaggio Aero is controlled by the family of Piero Ferrari, who also still holds

10% of the famous car maker Ferrari.