A very rare T/3 model of the short lived German-Italian scooter.

SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Vespa-Messerschmitt GmbH

Origin: Augsburg, Germany

Production: 200

Motor: Piaggio 1-cyl, 2-stroke

Displacement: 145.6 cc

Power: 5.5 hp

Length: 5 ft. 6 in.

Identification No. N/A

By the mid-fifties, the Vespa scooter had become a worldwide phenomenon, with one million examples having been built by 1956.

German Vespa dealers were becoming nervous as licensee Hoffmann was in financial trouble. In January 1955, Messerschmitt stood ready to take over the Piaggio license for Germany to assure an uninterrupted supply and servicing of the popular scooter. The “Augsburg Eagle” badge now graced the leg shield.

At first, the company assembled their scooters entirely from Italian parts, but by the next year, all components, including body stampings, were of German manufacture, except for the motors. To save import tax, all speedometers, lights, saddles, and tires came from local suppliers.

Two models were produced side by side, the 150 Touring, with a 5.5 horsepower motor, and the 150 Grand Sport, with an 8 horsepower motor giving 60 mph. Both models shared the same chassis and 10-inch wheels.

The Touring models were upgraded three times, and this example is of the very rare T/3 model, of which only 200 were made before Messerschmitt pulled out, and the factory continued as Vespa-Augsburg at the end of 1957. It has the faired-in handlebar but still has the external cables of this type, and it is fully accessorized and wears the correct metallic blue color.