Microcars and Bubblecars

  • Thread starter Populuxe
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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.
 
Populuxe Cowboy
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!
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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.

dbc39701-d3bf-4d5b-9371-e7bc26a8de30-1994-1995TigerT101.jpg
 
TexRex
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.

dbc39701-d3bf-4d5b-9371-e7bc26a8de30-1994-1995TigerT101.jpg
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Completely new to me. I'm guessing it shares nothing with the Kabinenroller other than its shape.
 
Populuxe Cowboy
Completely new to me. I'm guessing it shares nothing with the Kabinenroller other than its shape.
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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.
 
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Volksauto
If I had to choose one of those cars to own, I'd be stuck between these three:
1953 Champion 400H
1953-champion-400h.jpg

1958 FMR Tiger
1958FMRTiger_01_700.jpg


1956 Heinkel Kabine 153
b4460f0561bd36e90cba256e7c9a395fb5f04760.jpg
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If I had to choose one, I'd go for the 1953 Champion 400H.
 
TexRex
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.

dbc39701-d3bf-4d5b-9371-e7bc26a8de30-1994-1995TigerT101.jpg
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At the other end of the scale there's the even tinier Mitsuoka K2:

mitsuoka-k2-1.jpg

mitsuoka-k2-2.jpg

mitsuoka-k2-6.jpg

mitsuoka-k2-3.jpg

mitsuoka-k2-4.jpg

mitsuoka-k2-5.jpg

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

0459fe49877caf2c55bd83be01cb9053.jpg
fox-lit1.jpg
Reliant-Fox-820x547.jpg

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.
 
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.

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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.
 
Volksauto
However, with that being said, is the Microlino classified as a car or a motorcycle?
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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.
 
homeforsummer
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.
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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?
 
Populuxe Cowboy
so why not the 500?
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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. :lol: Watch until 18:18.


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

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