Corradino D’Ascanio has certainly left his mark on the culture and psyche of Italy. Born in Popoli, in the Pescara province of Abruzzo, he is responsible for two very common sights throughout Italy, the Vespa and the Ape!
Most people are familiar with the Vespa; the scooter manufactured by Piaggio. Corradino D’Ascanio designed it and on hearing its engine, Enrico Piaggio named it, “Sembra una vespa!” (“It’s like a wasp!”), he said.
The 1953 movie Roman Holiday was a marketing dream for the Vespa with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn making good use of one around the streets of Rome.
Corradino D’Ascanio (1891 – 1981) was an aeronautical engineer who prior to designing the Vespa, designed the first production helicopter for Agusta, now AgustaWestland.
The Vespa is everywhere in Italy. But it’s another idea of Corradino D’Ascanio I really want to talk about. The Ape (pronounced Ah-pay), started off as a Vespa with two rear wheels and a load bearing platform. It is bigger and fatter than the Vespa, hence Ape (bee). They are even available in the UK.
They have torque suitable for carrying loads and going up hills, essential in the Italian countryside. Their top speed is quite low, so they are often seen hugging the curb so other traffic can easily pass.
If the Vespa is the essence of Italian cool, then the Ape must surely be the essence of Italian pragmatism. Their small size makes them ideal for nipping around the narrow streets of Italian towns and villages. They can park practically anywhere.
I think they’re fantastic, but some are quite elusive. As you can see in this post I’ve taken some photos of the Ape in its natural habitat, but I haven’t taken pictures of all the versions available. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get a picture of the Ferrari red Ape, too quick for me I guess.
They’re really only designed for one person, but I’ve seen couples cosily driving around in them. The cabin space is quite limited, so I think if you see two people together in an Ape, they must be very close indeed. Still, as the saying goes, if you’re happy in your Ape clap your hands!
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