The BMW Isetta
A microcar is an uncommonly small automobile. They were popularly referred to as cyclecars in the 1910s and 1920s and bubblecars in the 1950s and 1960s. Bubble cars became popular in Europe when demand for cheap personal motorised transport emerged and fuel prices were high due in part to the 1956 Suez Crisis. Most of them were three-wheelers, which in many places qualified them for inexpensive taxes and licensing as motorcycles. There is a microcar museum, take a tour at http://microcarmuseum.com/tour/messerschmittkr201.html
And feel how is to ride one, just click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGLHI2wql0
The BMW Isetta 300
The cool convertible 1958 Goggomobil DART
The Messerschmitt Kabinenroller KR 200
Watch the original Messerschmitt KR175 commercial
Watch the original Messerschmitt KR175 commercial
Watch this great Top Gear test drive of the world's smallest production car, weighting only 130 pounds (59kg), the British bubble car Peel 50. Also a review and the original advertising campaign http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0LuuivwYXE
Bubble cars were followed by a new wave of "town cars" like the 1959 Austin Mini, which gave far more functionality for their owners for only slightly higher costs.
Bubble cars were followed by a new wave of "town cars" like the 1959 Austin Mini, which gave far more functionality for their owners for only slightly higher costs.
Mini's ad campaign 1960
The beloved Fiat 500
The Fiat 600 Multipla 1960
Following the town car concept new wave is the Smart fortwo and the return of the Mini Cooper and Fiat 500.
The Smart fortwo Visit http://www.smartusa.com/
The convertible Mini Cooper Visit http://miniusa.com/
Watch the return of the Fiat 500 and its new design
Also launched this year, the cheapest car in the world is the Tata Nano, India (approximately US$2,000). The Tata Nano is a rear-engined, four-passenger city car built by Tata Motors, aimed primarily at the Indian market. The car is very fuel efficient, achieving around 26 kilometres per litre (73 mpg-imp; 61 mpg-US)
A Tata Nano in silver
BMW has recently announced their plans of manufacturing and releasing a micro car of their own in India. They have plans of giving the classic so-called bubble car Isetta hybrid technology, high-performance petrol and diesel turbo engines.
BMW Micro, concept car for India
Honda is not behind with their new concept car Honda Puyo. Very asian in design. Let's see who is next.
Honda Puyo, as shown in Tokyo Motor Show http://world.honda.com/Tokyo2007/PUYO/photo/
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