Legendary small van Italy bids farewell to the Ape

Beetle, duck and now the Ape: another classic is disappearing from Europe's roads. In future, production will only take place in India. But there is some consolation for nostalgics.

It makes noise. It rattles, it groans, it snails along. In other words, it can be quite a pain in the neck. As anyone who has tried to get past her even once on one of the narrow Italian streets while on vacation can testify. And yet the heartbreak is great when it's time to say goodbye to the Ape, Italy's legendary van on three wheels.

At the end of the year, the last model will roll off the production line at Piaggio's main factory in Tuscany after more than three quarters of a century. In future, production will only take place in India - and only for Asia and Africa, no longer for Europe. This closes another chapter in automotive history. After the VW Beetle and the Citroën Duck, it is now the turn of the Ape.

Vespa on three wheels with cabin and loading area

The days when cars were called animals will soon be a thing of the past. Although: car is a big word. The Ape was actually just a further development of the Vespa (Wasp), the Italian scooter. The first Ape rolled off the production line in 1948 - two years after the first Vespa came out. Both were developed by company founder Enrico Piaggio and engineer Corradino D'Ascanio.

Basically, the Ape was a three-wheeled scooter with a driver's cab and loading area. The idea of installing a real steering wheel was soon abandoned. The handlebars remained with two grips: one on the left, one on the right. The level of comfort was zero. Two folding windows, no radio, no heating, an engine that was initially only 50 cubic meters. More than 40 km/h was not possible.

Ideal for working in the fields

But it could transport loads of more than 200 kilograms - ideal for working in the fields, between the olive trees or in the vineyards and also for bringing the goods to market. The Ape was cheap, simple and almost impossible to break. That was all it needed in the post-war years. Car historian Giorgio Sarti says: "Cars and trucks were too expensive, especially for small businesses. The Ape was the perfect solution."

It remained so for decades. In some places, the tin box was practically part of the house. It was passed down through the generations. Even a family could be accommodated in the Ape, albeit very close together. The children then found space on the loading area. Today, however, the minimum price is more than 7000 euros (around 6600 francs).

Models from the 1960s still around today

Particularly in the south of Italy, you can still see models from the 1960s and 1970s doing their job reliably. The Ape can be repaired with a certain amount of skill. They have always been available with special equipment: Pope Benedict XVI (1927-2022) was once given an all-white Apamobile.

The Ape has now largely disappeared from large cities such as Rome and Milan, where it is usually only found in the vicinity of markets. However, they are now often used for advertising. And then there are the enthusiast models: very old, carefully maintained or pimped-up versions.

"The bad thing is that a piece of Italian history is dying"

The tuning scene in the Ape's home country is huge: lowered, repainted or with powerful engines. Or as a mobile electric grill, as an espresso bar and even as an open-air cinema with a small screen. Sascha Müller from South Tyrol has turned it into a business model. He says: "The bad thing is that a piece of Italian history is dying."

The newspaper "La Repubblica" judged that the Ape perfectly fits the Italian national character between individualism and a sense of family. "You feel at home alone in the cab, with goods or tools behind you. But you can also ride in it as a couple, closer together and with a touch of intimacy. Or, despite all the regulations and safety considerations, to celebrate with friends."

Made in India - instead of Italy

In future, however, Piaggio will only build its tricycles in India - because the EU's environmental regulations are too strict and probably also because the market in Europe is now too small. In the world's most populous country with more than 1.4 billion inhabitants, the Ape is already being produced as an electric model and also with a natural gas drive. The Italian transporters are already competing with tuk-tuks.

In Italy, they can take comfort in the fact that a few hundred leftover items made in Italy are still being sold. And with the knowledge of the most legendary of all Italian small cars, the Fiat 500. The classic "Cinquecento" has not been built since 1975, but you can still sometimes see it on the roads today. It brings a smile to the faces of even the toughest of characters.