Hundreds of vintage scooters manufactured under Italian brand Vespa were brought to the south-central Vietnamese city of Nha Trang on Sunday for one of the largest exhibitions of its kind in the Southeast Asian country.

The scooters, showcased at a beachfront square in the coastal city, were taken to the event by enthusiasts and collectors from across the nation.

Tom Tran, who owns a 1956 “ACMA” Vespa, said he had crossed 500 kilometers on the decades-old scooter to get to the exhibition from Ho Chi Minh City.

“I bought this Vespa 15 years ago from an acquaintance in Ho Chi Minh City,” Tran said, adding that he is in love with Vespa scooters due to their “charming” design.

“Everyone has their own reasons for loving Vespa, but they mostly come down to the scooters’ unique appearance that can’t be confused with any other brand,” he said.

Some scooters brought to the exhibition are valued at VND300-400 million (US$12,800-17,100), but “landing a purchase is far from easy” even with money, one collector said.

The rarest of the lot are even described as “invaluable” by experienced collectors.

Vespa is an Italian brand of scooters manufactured by Piaggio, and was introduced to Vietnam in the 1950s by the French during the colonial period.

It quickly grew in popularity and became a status symbol among the rich and elite Vietnamese in this period.

The name ‘Vespa’ means wasp in Italian, said Vu Quang, head of the organizers of the event.

Apart from Vespa scooters, the exhibition also showcased dozens of vintage autos from brands including Volkswagen, La Dalat and Renault.

The biennial event is now in its sixth edition, having been held since 2007 by a group of Vespa enthusiasts in Vietnam.

“We have vehicles pouring in from all areas of Vietnam this year,” Quang said.

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