1990s and beyond By the early 1990s, Vespa was in crisis. Its models were selling slowly; two-strokes were being withdrawn around the world due to en

1990s and beyond

By the early 1990s, Vespa was in crisis. Its models were selling slowly; two-strokes were being withdrawn around the world due to environmental concerns; new Asian manufacturers were stealing market share with cheaper/lighter bikes; and cars were very cheap. As a result, sales had fallen and production in Europe had been pulled back to Italy. Vespa needed a miracle—and a new model, beyond the PX.

The ET model range stuck true to the wasp/aero design principles. It was lighter, more aerodynamic, had an automatic gearbox and could take a series of engines from a 50 cc in either two-stroke or four-stroke, up to a 150 cc four stroke.[11] Plus, it was launched when traffic congestion in major European cities was on the increase, so the smaller wheel size didn't matter. It was a complete success, and allowed Vespa to re-enter the North American market in 2001 with a new, more modern style.

When Vespa celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1996, more than 15 million of the scooters had been sold worldwide, making it the most successful scooter of all time. Other companies vied with Piaggio for market share, but none came close to emulating the success—or romance—of Vespa. The nostalgic image of Vespa, however, could not hide the fact that Vespa was making a loss.