Photos: Over 10,000 Vespas take over Rome as iconic scooter turns 80

Rome: More than 10,000 Vespas putt-putt-putted around the Colosseum and past the Roman Forum on Saturday, marking the 80th anniversary of the iconic scooter.

Enthusiasts came from all over. Vespa-borne visitors converged on the Eternal City's cobblestone streets to celebrate a brand they likewise view as timeless. If for only a day, Ferrari and Ducati were forgotten as the little Vespa left them in its dust.

Made world-famous by the film "Roman Holiday" in 1953, when Gregory Peck gave Audrey Hepburn a romantic lift through Rome's center, Vespas have since featured in others, including "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and more recently the animated "Luca."

With curved lines evoking a bygone era, plus an ability to produce smiles among onlookers, Vespa - which means "wasp" in Italian - is to two-wheeled transport what the Volkswagen Beetle is to cars.

Its invention was a bit of chance as Italy rebuilt from the rubble after World War II. Piaggio, a major aircraft manufacturer that saw its Pontedera factory destroyed by bombings, had to change gears. Downshifting considerably, Piaggio started churning out scooters.

Women were among initial target clients, according to Davide Zanolini, Piaggio's executive vice president of marketing, since they could ride them while wearing long skirts and without showing their legs. That's reflected in the Vespa's design.

That little two-wheeler helped kickstart Italy's economy, and soon enough they were everywhere.

The parking lot outside Rome's Stadium of the Marbles on Thursday had rows upon rows of Vespas of all makes from the past eight decades. It was like a motorcycle rally - except adorable. Some Vespas featured flowers and stuffed animals.

Aficionados spoke about how the brand taps into nostalgia for a certain time, even among those who weren't alive then. Many also noted that they traded bigger motorcycles for nimbler and more manageable Vespas because they're lighter and automatic, with the accelerator on the hand grip.

Once Rome's mayor cut the ribbon at the Stadium of the Marbles, visitors streamed in singing, chanting, waving flags. Many made a beeline for the gift shop, where they could snap up anything from Vespa jackets and hats to Vespa blankets, Vespa water bottles and Vespa umbrellas. But most early comers had their eyes on the limited-edition helmet, with "80 Years of an Icon" emblazoned on its side.

A photo retrospective showed Vespas in classic scenes - couples picnicking in a flowering field, seaside escapes with bikinis and a beachball, road trips under the Mediterranean sun - plus others one might not imagine, like explorer Soren Nielsen reaching the Arctic Circle on a Vespa in 1963.

There were also pristine Vespas from Piaggio's collection displayed like posing models to admire, and soaking up attention usually directed toward the nearby marbles with idealized physiques.

The company has sold about 20 million Vespas worldwide since 1946, and today sells in 110 countries, Zanolini said. In the U.S., they're popular in Florida and California and gaining traction in some other places like Austin. But it's still a niche product in America, he said.