New record price set by unrestored Vespa

A family-owned unrestored 1951 Vespa Douglas scooter, costing more than a new city car has set a new world record price of £10,925. 

This unique Vespa has had only one owner since 1955, who also toured Scandinavia with the scooter in the same year. It is also possibly one of the earliest UK produced Vespa scooters.  

The rusty scooter was sold by H&H Classics at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham on 9th June and has set a new world record of £10,925 for an unrestored Vespa of this vintage. The record price set is well above the estimate of £1,500 – £2,500 for a Vespa Scooter. In comparison, a new city car like a Dacia Sandero is priced at £7,995.  

Although the rusty and unrestored scooter is said to need ‘full restoration’, H&H said it was ‘solid and original’, and comes with its original registration documents.  

Ian Cunningham of H&H Classics Motorcycle Division commented: “The family had no idea of the potential value of a small collection of bikes and scooters that their father had put together. They initially asked me if the machines were even worth anything!” 

With there being a high demand for Vespa scooters in the 1940s, Vespa started to created licensing agreements for manufactures to produce Vespas around the globe. Although the UK production of Vespas didn't start until 1951, the Bristol-based Douglas motorcycle company became Vespa's UK partner.  

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