BRASILE - In tutto il mondo VESPA All over the world

In 1957, Piaggio sets foot in Brazil, thanks to a licensing agreement with Panauto S.A. in Rio de Janeiro. The plants in Santa Cruz, 70 km from Rio, begin manufacturing the Vespa 125 (M3), replacing this with the four-speed Vespa 150 (M4) in 1960. The body and various parts are manufactured in Brazil, while the engine is imported from Italy, as is the flywheel magnet. The factory is extended, and by 1963 it covers an area of 100,000 square metres; Panauto has 270 employees and is 25% owned by Piaggio. In the early years, marketing of the Vespa is met with great success, but over time, the local financial situation and high customs costs complicate matters: in 1963, Piaggio decides to withdraw the licence. However, the company returns to the country a few years later with the Moto Vespa company, which operates until 1990. The passion of the Brazilian people for the Vespa is clearly demonstrated by the flourishing local Vespa clubs and the presence of many vintage vehicles in the country.

Meanwhile, the Vespa has proved to be a successful export to the rest of South America since the first half of the 1950s: to Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. In many cases, the large Italian immigrant communities contribute to the diffusion of one of the icons of the emerging Made in Italy sector.