Vespa VESPACAR P2
Built: 1983-1996 · Series: Other models
More machines from model year 1983
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
The Vespa Vespacar P2 belongs to the family of three-wheeled light transporters that Piaggio developed from the Vespa scooter. The aircraft designer Corradino D'Ascanio drew up a light, simple three-wheeled utility vehicle in 1947; it has been in production since 1948 as the Piaggio Ape. At first it was called VespaCar or TriVespa, and later it received a cab with a second seat.
The P2 was built from 1983 to 1996. The single-cylinder engine has 218 cm³ of displacement; the vehicle stands on 3 wheels and is 1,470 mm wide with a 2,140 mm wheelbase. Kerb weight is 466 kg and permissible gross weight 999 kg.
The Ape has been built since 1948 at Pontedera near Pisa in Tuscany; part of the production has since moved to India.
Vespa – other models: the collective page with the Vespacar, the Vespacar P2 and the Vespacar PZ, single-cylinder 218 cm³ engine, kerb weight 466 kg, gross vehicle weight 999 kg, widths 1,350 to 1,470 mm
This page gathers the Vespa models the register could not assign to a named series: the Vespacar, the Vespacar P2 and the Vespacar PZ. Vespa is a brand of the Italian manufacturer Piaggio, headquartered in Pontedera; the Vespacar name was used for a light three-wheeled commercial vehicle with an enclosed cab, built on the brand's two-wheeler technology.
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The register lists 3 versions here with single-cylinder engines of 218 cm³ displacement, a kerb weight of 466 kg, a gross vehicle weight of 999 kg and widths of 1,350 to 1,470 mm.
With a single-cylinder engine, a kerb weight under 500 kg and a gross vehicle weight just under a tonne, the Vespacar counts among the three-wheeled micro-commercials that were common in tight town centres and for short delivery runs across southern Europe, where the scooter-derived narrow track and turning circle paid off in dense old-town streets and market squares.
When buying used, on a vehicle of this type check corrosion on the light sheet-metal body, the condition of the single-cylinder two-stroke engine and clutch, the function of brakes and electrics, the seal of the cab against weather, and parts supply, which runs through authorised Piaggio workshops and businesses specialising in scooters.
As a three-wheeled vehicle, the Vespacar legally falls not under the four-wheeled EU class N1 but under category L5e, set aside for mopeds and motor tricycles, which directly affects the licence category required, different from that for an ordinary panel van.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Vespa, Piaggio
Technical data
Engine
| Cylinders | 1correct |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 218 cm³correct |
Dimensions and weights
| Width | 1,470 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 2,140 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 466 kgcorrect |
| Gross vehicle weight | 999 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Wheels | 3correct |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Vespa VESPACAR P2 weigh?
The unladen weight is 466 kg.
What is the gross vehicle weight of the Vespa VESPACAR P2?
999 kg.
What engine does the Vespa VESPACAR P2 have?
1 cylinders, 218 cm³ displacement.
When was the Vespa VESPACAR P2 built?
Production years: 1983-1996.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 9 individual figures for this model. They come from 2 recorded sources; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
The technical data on this page comes from official vehicle registration records (RDW/Traficom), not from the manufacturer.
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Other models in this series
Sources: RDW — Dutch national vehicle register (retrieved August 2026) · Wikipedia (retrieved October 2026) · How we check the data
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