The Italian Language

Learn about the Italian language, grammar, vocabulary and culture

Cars and two-drive vehicles

Enzo Ferrari (1898-1988) was a car racer, founding his own racing company in 1929, in conjunction with the Alfa-Romeo manufacturers. He constructed his first sports car in 1947. Though mainly known for racing cars, there are also “normal” sports cars. The cliché in matter of fact is, if you are rich, you own a red Ferrari. Among the pilots that raced for Ferrari are Alain Prost, Nikki Lauda, Gilles Villeneuve and, more Recently, Michael Schumacher.

Alfieri Maserati (1887-1932) together with his brothers, Bindo, Carlo, Ettore, Ernesto and Mario, started working with cars in 1914, founding a factory in Bologna. The first model dates from 1926, however. As many other Italian manufacturers, Maserati at first developed racing cars. The company has gone through difficult times, being owned by Citroën, Ferrari and Fiat.
		The Maserati Sebring

Alfa-Romeo (from Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili) exists as a trade name since 1910, though their first car was only manufactured in 1920: the Torpedo 20-30 HP. They are still strong and supply cars to, among others, to the Italian police and Carabinieri.

Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916-1993) began designing tractors and helicopters, only after a discussion with Ferrari, when the latter was a bit disparaging about Lamborghini’s car design abilities, did he begin designing a sports car. As his son was not interested in following his steps, he eventually sold the factory to a Swiss investor. It passed hands several times, being owned by Chrysler and Audi.

Lamborghini Gallardo Silver

Fiat (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino) was founded in 1899 by Giovanni Agnelli (1866-1945) and other partners. As the name says, it is based in Turin. It became famous through the Fiat 500, a small, popular model of the same type as the Volkswagen. Now they have several other models on offer, always small cars, however.

Ettore Bugatti (1881-1947), the son of a respected sculptor and cabinet maker, was born in Milan. He was soon attracted by a recent invention: the automobile. At 17 he equipped his first tricycle with a motor and, by the end of the century, was taking part in car races. In 1901 he presented his first car at an exhibition in Milan, and developed some models for a German manufacturer. From 1911 he and a partner began to score a series of successes with racing cars, prompting an agreement with Peugeot to use his engines in a model of their cars. He also designed airplanes, luxury cars and trains.

The Vespa the classical model for all other scooters, was patented and first produced in Pontedera by Piaggio & Co. S.P.A. The Original Piaggio was an airplane factory which had been completely destroyed during the Second World War. Because of economic difficulties of the country and the poor state of Italian roads, Enrico Piaggio (1905-1965) then decided to invest in a cheap and reliable means of popular transport. The first patented model dates from 1946 and the name Vespa comes from the Italian for wasp, as Enrico Piaggio is said to have exclaimed, when he saw the first model ready: “It looks like a wasp!” The main impetus for production of the Vespa came from the American troops, which needed a vehicle to get around the destruction caused by the fleeing Germans. The Vespa is still widely used in Italy and has been widely popularised by the cinema, principally in the 50s and 60s.
	Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn in a scene from Roman Holiday (1953), where they ride a Vespa

The scooter Lambretta takes its name from a stream near Milan, the Lambro. The first model was built in 1947, by Ferdinando Innocenti (1891-1966). The initial success of the model led it to be built in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, India and Spain, sometimes under the trade name Lambretta, sometimes not, though the design was always clearly identifiable. In the 60s the demand for scooters fell, and the Lambretta factory was forced to join forces with the British Motor Corporation and to start building cars. The model they produced was the Innocenti mini. Production ceased in 1972. The factory was eventually bought by the Indian government. In Brazil Lambretta is a synonym of scooter.