Move Back
![peel640]()
You may think a Smart Fortwo is small, but it's got nothing on the Peel P50. Built on Great Britain's Isle of Mann in the early 1960's, the 54-inch-long, one-passenger, one-grocery bag vehicle with a 4 hp motor still holds the title of World's Smallest Production car, and now its back. A new, England-based iteration of Peel is offering a run of 50 of the microcars - or its two-seat bubble topped variant, the Trident - for about $11,000, or £6,995, with either a petrol (that's gasoline to you Americans) or electric drivetrain. That's a fair bit more than the £199 price of the original. Of course, while the Peel was the smallest, it was far from the most popular microcar ever. Click through the slideshow to check out a few more that might be hiding behind that SUV in the next lane.![Topolino]()
The Fiat 500 may be back, but it doesn't look like this one. Introduced in 1936, the original "Topolino" was at the time the smallest car in the world. With two seats and a 13 hp motor it helped put pre-war Italy on wheels and survived until 1948. Click here for more on the Topolino from the Lane Motor Museum![Messerschmitt]()
A product of post-war Europe, the Messerschmitt Kabinroller (cabin scooter) was designed by an aircraft engineer and built in a converted fighter plane factory in Germany. With a tandem two-seat layout, the 10 hp three-wheeler was half the car and half the price of a VW. Click here for more on the Messerschmitt from the Lane Motor Museum![Isetta]()
BMW may be known for making the Ultimate Driving Machine, but it also made one of the oddest. Based on an Italian design, the Isetta was powered by one of the company's motorcycle engines and featured a forward-opening door. As an affordable alternative to the automaker's larger offerings, the Isetta proved popular in a recovering Europe during its run from 1956-1962. Click here for more on the Isetta from the Lane Motor Museum![Goggomobile Dart]()
Microcars even had their fans in the wide open spaces of the Land Down Under. The Goggomobile Dart was a local conversion of a German car, featuring a two-seat fiberglass roadster body with no doors. Passengers just needed to step right in to the two-stroke sports car to brave its 63 mph top speed. Click here for more on the Goggomobile Dart from the Lane Motor Museum
Move Forward
- World's smallest car returns
