Microcars and Bubblecars

[Populuxe]

I've labeled all the cars in that photo. They are all from the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum. The FMR Tiger is the most fascinating to me. The designer of the Messeerschmidt Kabinenroller, Fritz Fend, parted ways with Messerschmidt and was free to continue production of the Kabinenroller as he saw fit. So he fitted it with four wheels, independent suspension, hydraulic brakes and a 500cc engine making it one of the fastest microcars around. Like 0-60 mph in 28 seconds fast! It sold at auction for $322,000 making it not just a record for the marque, but for any microcar.

 

[TexRex]

The FMR Tiger is the most fascinating to me. The designer of the Messeerschmidt Kabinenroller, Fritz Fend, parted ways with Messerschmidt and was free to continue production of the Kabinenroller as he saw fit. So he fitted it with four wheels, independent suspension, hydraulic brakes and a 500cc engine making it one of the fastest microcars around. Like 0-60 mph in 28 seconds fast!

Are you familiar with the Leonhardt Tiger? Built in the mid-'90s in Germany (if I recall correctly) with a 1275cc Mini engine producing 63hp between the rear wheels.

 

[Populuxe]

Are you familiar with the Leonhardt Tiger? Built in the mid-'90s in Germany (if I recall correctly) with a 1275cc Mini engine producing 63hp between the rear wheels.

Completely new to me. I'm guessing it shares nothing with the Kabinenroller other than its shape.

 

[TexRex]

Completely new to me. I'm guessing it shares nothing with the Kabinenroller other than its shape.

Fiberglass shell and monocoque with metal subframes.

Edit: And they cost 70,000 DM at the time.

Of that bunch in the collage, I'd probably take a Berkeley, though I'd want a B95 or B105 with the quirkier nose and the Royal Enfield motor. The Volpe if it ended up being what it was supposed to be rather than what amounted to a scam.

 

[kikie]

If I had to choose one of those cars to own, I'd be stuck between these three:
1953 Champion 400H

1958 FMR Tiger

1956 Heinkel Kabine 153

If I had to choose one, I'd go for the 1953 Champion 400H.

 

[homeforsummer]

Are you familiar with the Leonhardt Tiger? Built in the mid-'90s in Germany (if I recall correctly) with a 1275cc Mini engine producing 63hp between the rear wheels.

At the other end of the scale there's the even tinier Mitsuoka K2:

Very difficult to find specifications, but I believe it has a 50cc two-stroke single, makes 6hp, weighs 175kg and is 2460mm long - so significantly smaller than an actual KR200.

 

[Volksauto]

STi powered '57 500.

 

[homeforsummer]

Mentioned the Robin a while ago, so now it's the turn of the Reliant Fox.

Like other Reliants of the era it used the same running gear, so a lightweight all-alloy 848cc engine and rear-wheel drive, and a GRP body. Available as van and pickup variants - essentially a commercial replacement for the Kitten, which was the four-wheeled version of the Robin.

 

[TexRex]

Those bumpers.

 

[homeforsummer]

Those bumpers.

I don't mind them. I mean it's not overly smart having the lighting integrated into the bumpers, but I think it's kinda interesting.

 

[Volksauto]

The new Micro Microlino already has over 8,000 preorders and recently has been pronounced street legal. If I recall correctly, prices start at €12,000:

Prototype shown with BMW Isetta

 

[G.T.Ace]

GIVE ME 10!

 

[Populuxe]

GIVE ME 10!

I just need eight. One in each color.

 

[homeforsummer]

I had a sit in one at the Geneva show last year. Rather nicely done, and sensibly bigger than the original Isetta. Will be interesting to see if it really takes off in European cities, as an alternative to something like the Twizy. I hope it does, as it's quite charming.

 

[Volksauto]

I had a sit in one at the Geneva show last year. Rather nicely done, and sensibly bigger than the original Isetta. Will be interesting to see if it really takes off in European cities, as an alternative to something like the Twizy. I hope it does, as it's quite charming.

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I definitely love the retro styling. Since it is smaller than a Smart Fortwo, it truly is a microcar. However, with that being said, is the Microlino classified as a car or a motorcycle? Because if it was classified as a car, I don't think it would pass today's safety regulations especially when your feet are the crumple zone.
But of course, like many microcars of the 1950's, they too were considered "motorcycles" and only needed a motorcycle license to be driven.

 

[homeforsummer]

However, with that being said, is the Microlino classified as a car or a motorcycle?

I'm not sure, but I suspect under European law it's classed as a quadricycle, so in the same category as the Twizy and France's "voitures sans permis" - the little diesel boxes from Ligier and the like that elderly French people knock around in after they've been caught DUI, because you don't need a licence for them. Basically it has to weigh under 400kg, and doesn't need to pass the same crash testing as regular cars as they're fairly low-powered.

 

[Volksauto]

I'm not sure, but I suspect under European law it's classed as a quadricycle, so in the same category as the Twizy and France's "voitures sans permis" - the little diesel boxes from Ligier and the like that elderly French people knock around in after they've been caught DUI, because you don't need a licence for them. Basically it has to weigh under 400kg, and doesn't need to pass the same crash testing as regular cars as they're fairly low-powered.

The Microlino has a top speed of 90 km/h but it weighs over 400 kg. It's exact curb weight is 435 kg. So maybe it's a quadricycle?

 

[kikie]

Is an original Fiat 500 considered to be microcar?

 

[Volksauto]

Is an original Fiat 500 considered to be microcar?

It does meet all the requirements of a microcar and it is regarded as one today however in the 1950's, it was considered a city car.

 

[Populuxe]

I posted the Fiat 600 Multipla in this thread, so why not the 500?

 

[Volksauto]

so why not the 500?

Alright. I'll start off with some 500 wrecks!
Here is a crash test clip of a 500N in a vintage Fiat safety film. At least the gas tank doesn't rupture. Watch until 18:18.


This is a pretty crazy rally wreck with an Abarth 1000tc (Fiat 600) and a Steyr Puch (Fiat 500)

 

[kikie]

This looks like something from Star Wars, kind of.

 

[Populuxe]

This looks like something from Star Wars, kind of.

My kind of droid.

 

[kikie]

Straight out of a cartoon

 

[Populuxe]

Straight out of a cartoon

Sasoham Mando Antbee Electric Cart, 1 seater

 

[niky]

Sasoham Mando Antbee Electric Cart, 1 seater

Looks like it's just a design study.

Shame, it's cute.

But those wheels would never work in the real world.

 

[Volksauto]

The all new Nobe 100 is in it's pre-production stage. I think Nobe is accepting preorders.

 

[Populuxe]

The Antbee look perfect for a campus-wide type of transporter. As long as you didn't need to go out onto public roads, it could cruise around a college campus or business park or something similar without taking up much room, and it's cute, and that's always a plus.

The Nobe is gorgeous and I have a soft-spot for oddball three-wheelers. Give me a Nobe and a Futuro House and I could be living all my retro-futuristic dreams all at once.

 

[kikie]

Nice combination

 

[Volksauto]

1942 Bugatti Type 68