Editing Vespa (section)

==Global markets==
===Europe===
Vespa's largest market by all measures globally is still Italy, but as a result of the [[Mod (subculture)|Mod subculture]] that developed in the 1960s, the United Kingdom is still Vespa's second largest global market—and at one point in the 1960s, its largest. The appeal of the Vespa to the style-conscious mods was the weather protection. Their counterparts, the [[Rocker (subculture)|rockers]] rode classic British motorcycles such as [[Triumph Bonneville]] and [[Birmingham Small Arms Company|BSA]]s, and needed to wear leathers against the elements. Mods would modify their Vespas, adding lights, mascots, accessories, various racks and crash bars. A new lifestyle evolved in the UK, with thousands attending [[Scooter rally|scooter rallies]]..{{fact|date=May 2025}}

The dominance of the Vespa declined through the 1970s, as small car ownership increased and cheap and reliable commuter bikes like the [[Honda Super Cub]] hit sales. Despite the introduction of the more modern [[Vespa PX|'P' range]] in the 1970s, the lack of development cost Vespa, and like other markets, the sales fell off drastically in the economic boom of the 1980s. Then Vespa introduced the trendy automatic ET2, the city of London introduced the [[London congestion charge|congestion charge]] and—partly with celebrity chef [[Jamie Oliver]]'s indirect help from his [[BBC2]] TV series—sales suddenly leapt.<ref>[https://www.thetimes.com/article/vespa-it-still-has-that-buzz-rnkkzkwtmb2 Vespa – it still has that buzz] Sunday Times. 13 March 2005.</ref>

===North America===
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[[File:Vespadealership.jpg|thumb|A Vespa Boutique in San Francisco]]
Much as Vespa had used the Cushman Army scooter as inspiration for its original design, Vespa in turn made scooters for [[Sears|Sears, Roebuck & Company]] (labeled and marketed as "Allstate" scooters) and [[Cushman (company)|Cushman]] after World War II.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bulletproofscooters.com/pics/vs5.htm | title = Bulletproof Scooters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050828233936/http://www.bulletproofscooters.com/pics/vs5.htm |archive-date = 28 August 2005 |url-status=usurped |website=Bulletproofscooters.com}}</ref>

Imported by Morton Colby of Colby General Tire Company, 662 East Fordham Road, Bronx, New York, the Sears models were 3- and 4-speed 125&nbsp;cc Vespas rebadged as Sears Allstate [[Cruiseaire]]s. Innocenti also distributed their [[Lambretta]] brand via [[Montgomery Ward]]'s catalogue during this post-World War II period. These were the premier brands of scooters, bringing premium pricing to many, including farmers, whose link to the outside world was via purchases made in these catalogues. Cushman sold rebadged Vespa scooters as Cushmans, but many Cushman dealers refused to market a "foreign" machine.  However, collectors prize the Cushman Vespa because it is relatively rare..{{fact|date=May 2025}}

Two expensive product-liability lawsuits, increased competition from Japanese scooters, and certain states' passing so-called "green laws" led to the bankruptcy of Vespa's American importer and the withdrawal of Vespa from the US market in late 1981..{{fact|date=May 2025}}

During 1981–2001, despite an absence of United States domestic sales, Vespas continued to have a core group of enthusiasts who kept vintage scooters on the road by rebuilding, restoring, and adding performance-enhancing engine parts as the stock parts would wear out..{{fact|date=May 2025}}

Vespa returned to the American market in 2001 with a new, more modern style ET series, in 50&nbsp;cc two and four stroke, and 150&nbsp;cc four-stroke. "These adjustments in engine power and the production of high-end “touring" Vespas make it apt for long-distance driving."<ref>{{cite web |title=An Italian Icon: The VESPA |url=http://www.livitaly.com/italian-icon-vespa/ |website=LivItaly Tours |access-date=5 July 2018 |date=2 March 2016}}</ref> According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, U.S. scooter sales increased fivefold over six years, swelling from 12,000 units in 1997 to 69,000 units in 2002. Vespa sales in the U.S. increased 27 percent between 2001 and 2002. The 65 "Vespa Boutiques" scattered throughout the U.S. gave scooterists a place to buy, service, and customize Vespa scooters, and outfit themselves in everything from Vespa watches and helmets to Vespa jackets, T-shirts, and sunglasses. Vespa restarted its American sales effort, opening its first boutique on Ventura Boulevard in [[Sherman Oaks, California]]..{{fact|date=May 2025}}

In light of vastly-increasing US sales, Vespa developed the GT, offered as a 200&nbsp;cc four-stroke and a 125&nbsp;cc variant in Europe. In 2004, Vespa reintroduced a modernized PX 150 to the United States. In the fall of 2005, Piaggio offered their largest-selling Vespa scooter ever, the 250&nbsp;cc-engined GTS250, available in Europe with ABS.  In 2009, Vespa released the GTS 300 which can cruise at {{Convert|65|–|70|mph|abbr=on|order=flip}}.<ref name="GTS300SuperReview"/>

=== Asia/Pacific ===
Vespa have exported Scooters to Australia since the 1960s. They have recently started exporting to India for the first time (traditionally, that market was served by licensed Indian versions of the Vespa made by LML and Bajaj). Vespa produces some of its scooters in Vietnam, and has also sold its Italian ones there.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/vespa-production-starts-in-vietnam-20090624-149jd|title=Vespa Production Starts in Vietnam|date=2017|website=Drive|access-date=23 October 2018|archive-date=10 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410202216/https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/vespa-production-starts-in-vietnam-20090624-149jd|url-status=dead}}</ref>