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Founded in 1884, Piaggio is an Italian producer of motor vehicles. This company manufactures compact commercial motors and a wide variety of two-wheeled motor vehicles under seven manufactures: Gilera, Vespa, Aprilia, Derbi, Scarabeo, and Moto Guzzi. Rinaldo Piaggio established the brand with a headquarter in Pontedera, Italy. Before Piaggio began to produce motorcycles and vehicles, it was producing railway carriages and locomotives. Later, it moved into the production of military airplanes, MAS anti-submarine motorboats, and seaplanes in 1917. Piaggio operates in over 50 countries in the world with six research-and-development centers. Also, it produced over 519 700 vehicles in 2014.

Piaggio won 21 world records in the production of engines and aircraft. These models were manufactured at the brand’s new factory in Pontedera. The death of Rinaldo in 1938 opened the company to many shareholders that include the entrepreneur Atillio Odero. The control and operation of the brand were passed to Enrico and Armando, the two sons of Rinaldo. After World War II, the company diverted from manufacturing military aircraft to the production of motorcycles. The first motorcycle to be produced was a small bike known as MP5. The model is made for parachutists. In 1956, Piaggio produced a Vespa scooter. The following year, the brand introduced a compact passenger car known as Vespa 400.

With a decline in sales and production of motorcycles, this company was bought by the Agnelli family, who are the owners of Flat SpA car manufacturers. In 1960, it was recorded that Piaggio had manufactured and sold over 4 million models all around the world. Gilera, which is a subsidiary of Piaggio, bought one of the ancient European motorcycle producers in 1969. On the golden jubilee anniversary of the brand, the company introduced a new 4-stroke Vespa ET and recorded about 15 million models produced. The company bought Derbi Nacional Motor SA in 2001, and Gilera once again found its way to the Motorcycle World Championship. In 2004, Piaggio purchased the Aprilia-Moto Guzzi Group.

By 2013, the company has recorded sales of about 190,000 units around the world in a single year. A total of 18 million models have been manufactured and sold by this company since 1946. Today, Piaggio is one of the most important European producers of vehicles and motorcycles.