Fun Micro Cars

07 August 2017

Today’s exclusive and luxurious supercars and record-setting hypercars can be a lot of fun. These cars are without a doubt the pinnacle of modern motoring. However, taking a look at the history of cars, manufactures used to put a smile on our faces with the exact opposite of what is represented by the modern supercars: fun micro cars. As the name already suggests, these cars were exceptionally small and therefore also not very fast. But that was not the point. It was all about smart and fun designs, practicality in the tight streets of bigger cities and a low fuel consumption. As a consequence, this type of car usually also came with a lower price tag than regular cars. Five of the most famous and iconic micro cars will be presented in the following:

1. Heinkel Kabine (1956-1966)

This fun three wheeler microcar was desgined and built by a German airplane manufacturer and first produced in Ireland. The production line finished around 50 cars per day and international demand was high. Sold under license, the company sold more than 2000 cars in Argentina alone.

2. Messerschmitt KR 200 (1955 – 19642)

Another fun microcar produced by a German aircraft manufacturer was the KR 200 from Messerschmitt. This three wheeler cabin scooter with the iconic ‘bubble top’ was the product of a post-war collaboration between Messerschmitt and the aircraft engineer Fritz Fend. It was originally designed to provide a cheap mode of transport for disabled people. The production was stopped after Messerschmitt re-gained permission to manufacture aircrafts and lost interest in building the car.

3. Peel P50 (1962 – 1965)

Just like today’s supercars, some of the historic microcars managed to set records as well. The Peel P50, for instance, held the Guiness World Record for the ‘World’s Smallest Car’ for over 50 years. With a mere 41 inches wide and 54 inches long, this car was definitely not made for giants.

Hand built in Britain, every P50 is uniquely built to the owner’s personal requirements. The car gained world fame after being featured on Top Gear, the world’s biggest and most famous car show on television.

4. BMW Isetta 250 (1953 – 1961)

One of the most famous microcars of them all was the BMW Isetta. Its unique design and shape created the name for an entire category of cars that followed this icon: bubble cars. In order to keep the size of the car as small as possible, the designers came up with an unconventional door design. To enter the car you would have to open up the entire from, including, and this is where it gets interesting, the steering wheel. This feature brought the car to world fame and turned it into an icon in the car world.

5. Fiat 500 (1957 – 1975)

The stylish Italian design in combination with its practicability and cheap price tag made this car a huge success. It is considered to be one of the first proper city cars. The original version featured a sun roof and was later accompanied by an estate version. Production ran until the mid 70s with multiple different variants. The car has become such an icon that Fiat decide to re-start the production with a modern version. In 2007, the company launched the ‘New 500’ as a celebration of the 50 th anniversary of the original car. The New 500 is still in production and the company has not mentioned any intentions to stop producing this model anytime soon.

Back to News Index

News & Events Blog

Fun Micro Cars