Few other popular creations - maybe a piping hot Neapolitan pizza - convey the life-loving verve of the Italian people than a Vespa. As our city planners and legislators grapple more with the effects of traffic congestion and dwindling resources, it wouldn't surprise me some 20 years down the line to find that the Vespa has become as common in the USA as the drive-through window in neighborhood burger joints. In cinematic terms, the "wasp" is already an American icon. Hollywood studios churned out 60 movies that featured the peppy import in 1962 alone, and leading lights John Steinbeck, William Holden, George Lucas, Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn all enjoyed the Vespa ride. You can always pop in a copy of Roman Holiday when you need a vicarious reminder of what it's like.