Despite the introduction of the more modern “P” range in the 1970s, the lack of development cost Vespa and, as in other markets, sales fell dramatically in the economic boom of the 1980s. Imported by Morton Colby of Colby General Tire Company, 662 East Fordham Road, Bronx, New York, the Sears models were 3- and 4-speed 125cc scooters renamed Sears Allstate Cruiseaires. In 2004, the PX (model of the year 200) was reintroduced in North America to meet market demand for the classic design of a Vespa. In the mid-1950s, Vespas were manufactured under license in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and Spain; in the 1960s, production began in India, Brazil and Indonesia.
As much as Vespa used the Cushman Army scooter as inspiration for its original design, Vespa, in turn, manufactured scooters for Sears, Roebuck & Company (labeled and marketed as Allstate scooters) and Cushman after World War II. In 1951, the motorcycle manufacturer Douglas, with economic problems, began producing Vespa scooters licensed by Piaggio in Bristol, with a market that included some Commonwealth countries and the United Kingdom. Then, Vespa introduced the modern automatic ET2, the City of London introduced the congestion rate and, in part, thanks to the indirect help of famous chef Jamie Oliver with his BBC2 television series, sales increased suddenly. One of the most popular models was the Vespa 150 GS, introduced in 1955 with a 150 cc engine, a long saddle and a faired handlebar and headlight unit.
On the contrary, the Vespa is considered a utility vehicle for transporting products and, sometimes, up to 5 family members in much of Asia and Mexico. In 1978, Vespa established a collaboration with TGB, which, to a certain extent, continues to this day (i.e., with the production of CVT transmissions). Cushman sold Vespa scooters renamed Cushmans, but many Cushman dealers refused to sell a foreign machine. The scarcity of available parking for cars in large urban areas and the low operating costs of the Vespa are two of the reasons for the increase in popularity of the Vespa (and other scooters).
Between 1956 and 1966, Vyatka manufactured and sold an unauthorized reverse-engineered version of the Vespa in the USSR. The dominance of the Vespa declined during the 1970s, as the ownership of small vehicles increased and cheap and reliable everyday bicycles, such as the Honda Super Cub, were sold. It offered motorcyclists a place to buy, repair and customize Vespa scooters, in addition to dressing up in all kinds of clothing, from Vespa watches and helmets to Vespa jackets, t-shirts and sunglasses. In 1952, Audrey Hepburn toured Rome with Gregory Peck's Vespa in the feature film Vacations in Rome, selling more than 100 000 units.
