Small but mighty: My Ape Carlotta!
My Ape Carlotta!
If you've ever driven an Ape, or even own one of these zippy little pizza-delivery-style vehicles, you'll know that an Ape is super special, not just a way to get around. Each Ape has its own unique style and personality. Just like my Nina in Chianti Ape, which I use to cruise around Panzano in Chianti. By the way, my Ape is a real diva, and I've named her Carlotta.
My artsy cult ride
My husband gave me the Ape a few years ago – it's painted with the famous Chianti Classico stick figures by Panzano artist Luca Carfagna. Just recently, Luca also added her 'christening name' Carlotta to the back. If you keep your eyes open in and around Panzano, you'll spot these red and black stick figures carrying and pressing grapes, and drinking wine, not just on my Ape, but also on street signs, on walls in local spots – or even on all sorts of other vehicles...
Ape Carlotta
My artsy cult ride
One of the last adventures: driving an Ape on Italian roads!
But if you think my Ape is always nice to me just because she has a lovely name and a pretty paint job, you're totally wrong! Sometimes she's as stubborn as a mule: for example, when reverse gear just won't engage. You can really work up a sweat in that non-air-conditioned 'cockpit'.
Thank goodness my friend Guido from Fattoria Le Fonti recently installed a small fan on the dashboard for me, which provides a little bit of cooling. And I definitely need a cool head when I'm bumping along the roads of Panzano with my Carlotta, as they're not always in tip-top shape everywhere.
After all, in an Ape, which only has one front wheel, every pothole and bump in the road is a real balancing act – and sometimes even a proper long jump!
One of the latest adventures
Cruising around in an Ape on Italian roads and country lanes
From its two-wheeled Vespa sibling to the three-wheeled Ape 50
The three-wheeled transporter series launched in 1947, just a year after its 'sister,' the Vespa. The very first Ape was basically a Vespa with a cargo bed, with the engine tucked under the seat. But then, in 1969, the Ape 50 came along. This little three-wheeled vehicle, with its super distinctive look, is still made the exact same way today! Its unique design, easy handling, and super low running costs made it the perfect little workhorse for Italy's narrow streets back in the 60s and 70s.
Today, this cult three-wheeled vehicle is having a real comeback – you'll see them as ice cream trucks, mobile bars, or compact event stands. And Carlotta? She's already had tons of upgrades, tweaks, and custom work done too!
If anyone ever spots me with Carlotta „on tour in Panzano“: Snap a photo and send it to me at nina@ninainchianti.com! For every Carlotta photo, I'll send you a little surprise!
Nina in Chianti on the go
From its two-wheeled Vespa sibling to the three-wheeled Ape 50