Here’s a fun fact about the legendary Piaggio tricycle: its name, Ape (pronounced ‘ah-pay’), is Italian for ‘bee’, because its basic underpinnings came from the Vespa scooter, and Vespa means ‘wasp’. So the Ape was the larger and more helpful bigger brother to its buzzy little two-wheeled sibling.

The Ape is little short of an Italian icon, having first broken cover in 1948 and remaining in production to this day – an incredible run of seventy-six years. The example we have here is a 2013 model, and it’s a little bit special: this is a Calessino 200 – a special edition conceived to evoke the Apes of the 1950s and ’60s, with its retro styling, white-on-white colour scheme and autorickshaw configuration. Furthermore, this Ape is showing just 1,475 miles on the clock, and the incredible condition throughout bears this figure out – this beautifully presented and all-original modern iteration of a beloved classic really is a rare find.

 

 

 

This Ape has evidently been looked after, and thanks to its incredibly low mileage the condition is delightful throughout. The simple no-frills cabin features white seat pads which are all tidy and unmarked, along with lap belts for safety. The rubber floor mats are clean and complete, the uncluttered dash is in good order, and all of the controls are working as they should.
 
 Externally, the Ape is a proper head-turner (you can see from our photos that the Ape enjoyed a little tour of Wandsworth, and it was warmly received wherever we went), with crisp white paintwork and no signs of the scuffs or scratches that you’d often expect of a utilitarian urban vehicle. The canvas doors are in great condition and latch securely, and the roof is in good order too. The window glass and light lenses are complete, and all the correct badging and trim in place.
 
 

 

Simplicity is the watchword with the Piaggio drivetrain – mounted at the rear is a 197cc single-cylinder air-cooled petrol engine, mated to a four-speed gearbox that’s operated by the left twist-grip. The handlebars do the steering, just like a scooter, although the brakes are operated by a pedal. And that’s about it!
 
 Simplicity is a plus point, of course, as simple equals reliable – and with so few miles under its belt, this Ape feels incredibly fresh, with plenty of pep and urban get-up-and-go.

 A fun quirk of the Ape’s transmission is that putting it into reverse actually reverses the whole transmission – so you get four forward gears and four reverse gears. Not sure when you’d ever use the latter, but it’s a good pub boast!

 On the whole, then, a remarkably unstressed mechanical package that’s got oodles of life in it, and is surprisingly entertaining to drive. (Or ride, however you prefer to describe it…)

 

 

 
The Ape has become a bona fide hero across its many decades of service, and these modern iterations offer all of that retro style backed up by 21st-century reliability. This limited edition model feels box-fresh with its super low mileage, and it would serve equally well as a daily delivery runabout or a museum piece. The thing just oozes character, it’s delightful.

BEFORE YOU BUY 

This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following: 

✓ The seller of this vehicle is registered as a business seller. And you are covered by Car & Classic’s Terms and Conditions. 

✓ We request that a non-refundable fee be paid if you are the lucky winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted. Please refer to our helpful FAQs and T&Cs for specific rates. 

✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is Where Is’ basis and without warranty. Photos and descriptions are solely for guidance purposes and it's customary to carry out a full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase for your own peace of mind. 

✓ VAT is included in the buyer's deposit. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing. 

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✓ We also  check whether vehicles are recorded as being written off as part of an insurance total loss claim at the time an advert is placed and we helpfully provide write-off category labels (Cat C/D/S/N) for your assistance, the presence or absence of a label does not guarantee the vehicle’s status and  it's always worthwhile carrying out your own full vehicle history check before making an offer. 

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or delivery. Importing vehicles may result in additional customs duties and import taxes so it's worth checking beforehand. If requested we may refer you to a third-party shipping company who can help. For more details and to speak to the team, email [email protected]