1961 Vespa 400
Charming and compact, the 1961 Vespa 400 (with matching trailer and Vespa scooter) represents a fascinating chapter in European microcar history. This “car-toy” was created by scooter manufacturer Piaggio in collaboration with French company ACMA, making its debut at the 1957 Paris Motor Show to compete directly with Fiat’s newly released 500. The diminutive automobile featured a rear-mounted 393cc two-stroke air-cooled twin-cylinder engine producing 20 horsepower, paired with either a 3-speed or 4-speed transmission depending on the variant.
Its distinctive design included front-opening “suicide doors” for easy access, a folding canvas roof section, and minimal instrumentation on a simple painted dashboard. Despite its small size, the 400 made a big impression at its Monaco launch event, where celebrities helped generate publicity that contributed to over 12,000 sales in 1958 alone. Production continued until 1961, with three variants available: Luxe, Tourisme and GT—the latter distinguished by its upgraded 4-speed transmission.
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