Description
This motorcycle is Lot 261 - To be auctioned by Bonhams at The Spring Stafford Sale (The International Classic MotorCycle Show) on 26th & 27th April, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Auction Timings:
Lots 101 - 147 are to be sold from 14:00 on Saturday 26th April 2025.
Lots 201 - 410 are to be sold from 11:00 on Sunday 27th April 2025.
Public Viewing:
Available 26th & 27th April 2025 from 09:00 until 17:00, at The Stafford County Showground (The International Classic MotorCycle Show).
Lot 261
1951 Vespa 125cc V31T Faro Basso
Registration no. YVL 573
Frame no. V31T* 186531*
Engine no. V32M186820
Model featured in the film 'Roman Holiday'
Fantastic example of a rare scooter
Restored in Rome 2013
Founded in 1884 by Rinaldo Piaggio, the Piaggio company initially focused on building luxury ships, later expanding into railway carriages, motor cars, and aeroplanes. After World War II, the company's Pontedera aeroplane plant was destroyed by Allied bombing. This led Piaggio to shift its focus from aeronautics to meeting Italy's pressing need for an affordable and modern mode of transport for the masses. The idea for this new scooter design was inspired by the American Cushman scooter, widely used by US Paratroops and Marines during the war.
In 1944, designers Renzo Spolti and Vittorio Casani created the prototype, the MP5, which featured fully enclosed bodywork, a tall front splash guard, handlebar-mounted controls, forced air cooling, and small diameter steel wheels. This early design, nicknamed 'Paparino' (or 'duckling'), was not well received. Enrico Piaggio, dissatisfied with it, enlisted aeronautical engineer Corradino D'Ascanio to redesign the scooter.
The MP6 prototype, with its engine mounted beside the rear wheel and direct transmission drive, eliminated the need for a drive chain and its associated issues. This innovation allowed for a step-through design without a central section. Other features included a single-sided front suspension, interchangeable wheels, and a spare wheel. Upon seeing the MP6, Piaggio famously remarked, "Sembra una vespa!" ("It resembles a wasp!"), and thus, the Vespa brand was born.
Piaggio patented the design in 1946, enabling rapid development of future models. The original Vespa featured a horizontally mounted 98cc engine, three-speed transmission, and no rear suspension. It was initially introduced without forced-air cooling, though a fan was later added. The Vespa debuted at the 1946 Milan Fair and, despite initial scepticism, soon gained popularity. Sales soared, reaching over 100, 000 units by the early 1950s, boosted by the film Roman Holiday, in which Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn famously rode a Vespa through Rome.
This exquisite 1951 125cc V31T, the same model featured in Roman Holiday, was acquired by the private vendor at auction in 2015. It had already been restored and was reported to have undergone a comprehensive refurbishment in Rome around 2013 before being imported to the UK and registered in 2014. The scooter is finished in a stunning metallic pale green, making it a remarkably rare find, even in its native Italy. It is offered with a V5C, DVLA correspondence regarding its 2014 UK registration (including NOVA), Italian registration documents, a Vespa GL Service Station Manual, and a key. Following a period of inactivity, the scooter may require some recommissioning before it is ready to take to the road once more and embrace the 'dolce vita.'
All lots are sold 'as is/ where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams Motorcycles website for all pertinent auction information.
