Straddling the boundary between car and motorbike, these vehicles have engines under 1.0 litre, typically seat only two passengers, and are sometimes unorthodox in construction. Some microcars are three-wheelers, while the majority have four wheels. Microcars were popular in post-war Europe, where their appearance led them to be called "Bubble cars". A descendant of the microcar is the modern Smart Fortwo.
Examples of microcars
Examples of microcars:
Isetta
The Isetta is an Italian-designed microcar built in a number of different countries, including Spain, Belgium, France, Brazil, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Produced in the post-World War II years, a time when cheap short-distance transportation was most needed, it became one of the most successful and influential city cars ever created. Because of its egg shape and bubble-like windows, it became known as a bubble car, a name later given to other similar vehicles, including the AMC Pacer.
The BMW Isetta was in 1955 the world's first mass-production 3-Liters/100km car.It was the top-selling single cylinder car in the world, with 161,728 units sold.
Messerschmitt microcar
The Messerschmitt KR175 bubble car (1953–1955) was the first vehicle built by Messerschmitt under its 1952 agreement with Fritz Fend. In concept, although not in actual design, it was an extended version of the Fend Flitzer invalid carriage. Approximately 15,000 were built before it was replaced by the Messerschmitt KR200 in 1956.
Subaru 360
The Subaru 360 was the first automobile mass produced by Fuji Heavy Industries' Subaru division. A number of innovative features were used to design a very small and inexpensive car to address government plans to produce a small "people's car" with an engine no larger than 360cc when most in Japan could not afford a car. The body size and the engine capacity were designed to match within Japan's kei car regulation. Nicknamed the "ladybug" in Japan, it was one of Japan's most popular cars, and among the smallest cars in the world to attract a significant following. It was a significant step up from microcars such as the Iso Rivolta Isetta as the first kei car that had four wheels and room for 4 passengers. 392,000 units were produced in Japan from 1958 to 1971. Production ended for the 360 and was replaced by the Subaru R-2.
The car's name was derived from the size of the 356 cc engine. In 1961 the 360 saw a competitor called the Mitsubishi 360, the Daihatsu Fellow in 1966, and the Suzuki Fronte in 1967.
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