More cool stuff at Modernism Week...the Vespa scooter

"The Vespa scooter started life as a practical means of personal transport designed to get a nation moving after the ravages of the Second World War. It quickly progressed to symbolize the Italian way of life, and it blends innovative mechanical design with an unmistakable Italian style. Now regarded as a design icon, it has been copied by many manufacturers, but never bettered. Featured in the 1952 movie Roman Holiday, with Gregory Peck & Audrey Hepburn riding through Rome on one the Vespa became more than just a cheap and practical form of transport and came to symbolize freedom and imagination. By 1956, one million had been sold with the 2 million mark coming in 1960. Lambretta scooters, referred to as the Cadillac of Italian bikes, have drawn a following of riders charmed by their style and flair, their arresting retro lines and vibrant colors. Established in 1947 these vintage scooters had a renaissance around the release of the 1979 film Quadrophenia, based on The Who’s rock opera. In that movie, the Li 150 Series 3 Lambretta ridden by the young mod Jimmy is the very symbol of his rebellion."