I must admit most of the Vespa special editions are a little bit ‘out there’ and don’t appeal to the average scooterist, but Piaggio’s design house has done a great job with the new ‘Officina 8.
The backstory to Officina 8 is quite cool as well and we’ll share the press release about it below this intro.
Officina 8. The origins of a legend
Following its post-war reconstruction, Officina 8 within the Piaggio plant in Pontedera was home to the brand’s prestigious Experimental Department. This was the most cutting-edge area of the entire company, where the most daring projects took shape. From the end of the 1940s, this is where designers, draftsmen, mechanics, master metalworkers and test riders worked side by side – all highly-skilled professionals, many of whom had come from the aeronautical industry.
These were the years of rebirth, and the whole of Europe, working to get back on its feet after the dark wartime years, was swept up in an incredible burst of rebirth and creativity. A sense of rediscovered freedom and faith in a future just waiting to be built was the inspiration behind a host of visionary projects.
Officina 8 was where new ideas, including the most revolutionary, first came to life: the workshop saw the design and subsequent prototyping of the first Vespa, both for mass production and for racing and breaking records. The cut-outs for the metal workers, the special chassis models and the sand casting for the experimental engines were all created in-house. The prototype was then handed over to the road testers, who covered tens of thousands of kilometres on these bikes before deciding which to put into production, or which new competition vehicles to build. This is where the elegant lines and timeless style of the Vespa were born.
A highly coveted blue and brass pin with the words “Piaggio 8”, designed to be worn on their work overalls, identified the technicians who worked within the most secret and envied department within the factory.
Working in these spaces, which were inaccessible to everyone else, served as testament to the sheer talent of the development engineers, mechanics, designers and testers.
The Vespa that set 17 world speed and endurance records in 1950, and the flying kilometre record in 1951, the legendary “98 Corsa,” and the models that dominated during the arduous “Six Days” off-road race are just a few of the custom-built masterpieces created in Officina 8.
Each component was crafted with care and skill, highlighting the manual workmanship that characterises the very best Italian manufacturing. Indeed, the talent and technical expertise within the Officina 8 was such that every single vehicle that the workshop created was totally unique, combining the best technology of its time with the style and elegance that would make Vespa so famous.
Officina 8
The new special editions include the Primavera 50,125 and 150 and the Vespa GTV 310 (150 Primavera only available in some markets).
They’re painted in the special Blu Officina 8 paintwork; it’s an industrial shade of blue with a metallic matte finish, designed to evoke memories of the factory many years ago.
Detailing
The satin finish aluminium of the headlight and rear light surrounds, brass detailing on the horncast grill, badges and wheel rims all tie in nicely with the theme. There’s also a ‘Vespa Officina 8’ decal on the glovebox, a nod to the coveted pin badge of the experimental department workers.
Vespa GTV 310
I’m sure the eagle-eyed Vespa aficionado will have noticed the very nice looking bar end mirrors fitted to both models, these come as standard on the Officina 8 and are an official Vespa accessory.
You’ll also have noticed the dual-upholstered seat, it has the look of a custom seat with it’s horizontal heat-sealed stitching and double contrast stitching with brass rivets and the rigid colour-coded rear cover. The GTV also comes with a black grab rail to match the handlebars and switchgear.
All-in-all it does look very tasty.
Other officina 8 accessories include a colour-coded top box and jet helmet.
Welcome kit
Each Officina 8 scooter comes with its own welcome kit contained in a matching blue tin. It contains the owner’s manual, as well as archive documents detailing the history of Piaggio’s Experimental Department.
Officina 8 apparel & accessories
The Vespa Officina 8 apparel collection features a workwear aesthetic with industrial-inspired graphics. They include a windbreaker jacket made from a technical fabric with a water-repellant coating. There’s a pair of gloves, a hoodie, round neck t-shirt, sports bag and Officina 8 key ring.
If your budget won’t quite stretch to a new Officina 8 scooter you could always settle for a t-shirt.
When can I get one?
There are no prices for the Officina 8 yet but you can keep your eye on the Vespa website where they’ll be appearing very soon. Or pop into your nearest Vespa dealer and have a chat; I’m sure the nice salesman can order you one.
