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Another BMW 600 but this time by Shuco in 1:43 scale.
The four wheeler was later to appear than the Isetta but did not outlive it. A great
car but really no match for the Mini and other small cars of it's day. |
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The Champion was an early microcar conceived in Germany in
1946. It was an excellent car, although expensive which lead to the takeover by
Maico, lasting until 1958. |
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The Cony Guppy was a tiny 4 wheel pickup truck from
Japan. It must have been in competition with the likes of the Daihatsu Midget, but
even smaller! |
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The Daihatsu Midget was a lightweight utility truck from
1957. It continues today as the Midget II with 3 times the power but one third load
space, progress eh?
(updated May 2008) |
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The Suminoe Flying Feather was an ultra lightweight car
built in Tokyo during the mid 1950s.
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A restyled and enlarged Fiat 500, the 126 was also a
brilliant little car. Here are some of the models made of the 126. |
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The Fiat Gamine was designed and built by Alfredo Vignale
based on Fiat 500 mechanicals. Built only between 1967 and '69 It was styled
to look like a prewar Fiat Ballila but was more likely to be called 'Noddy's car'. |
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A
section just for the Fiat / Seat 600 and derivatives. |
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The Fuji Cabin may have looked like a boiled egg on wheels
but it could carry two (small) people about town. From 1957, only 85 prototypes were ever
made.
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The Fuldamobil was another long lived microcar lasting for
twenty years from first appearance in 1950. It was eventually licensed around the
world and was built in Britain (Nobel), India, Chile, and Greece. |
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The Heinkel is a little similar in appearance to the Isetta
but of much more sophisticated construction. The monocoque body and rear mounted
engine make the Heinkel amazingly spacious. |
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The Heinkel shared used the same 175cc 4 stroke engine as
the famous Heinkel tourist scooter. A lighter, more pretty and roomier car than the
BMW Isetta which no doubt was the inspiration for the Cabin Cruiser. |
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The Honda Beat is a mid engined 'K' car from Japan.
The 656cc engine is mounted directly behind the seats which gives good weight distribution
for handling but does not help the weekend mechanic over much. |
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The Honda N360 of 1968 was driven by an air cooled twin
cylinder engine which could have been lifted straight from a motorbike. It made 27
hp @ 10000 rpm which would make this little car a bit noisy at speed. |
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More details |
The Honda S600 is just one of 11 microcar models produced by
ARII in their 1/32 Owners Club Series. They are plastic kits in 1:32 scale and
include some rare Japanese microcars.
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A page featuring more S600 / S800 models by:
Tomica, Vitesse, Ebbro
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The Honda S800 was available as the traditional open top
sports car or as this coupe. Although not a microcar in it's own right it is
directly descended from the Honda S500 of 1963. |
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A small utility vehicle the Honda Vamos has 4 seats and a
pickup bed on the back. Fine for the Golf course but it looks a bit draughty for
winter use. |
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A cross between a Beach Buggy and a Bond Bug the Hondina was
an Italian creation from 1970. The original was powered by a Honda N360 tucked away
in the tail, the Politoys model seems to have a Cheverolet V8! |
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You didn't have to wear flared jeans to drive the Honda Z
Coupe of 1970 but they were both the fashion of the day. A 600cc 2+2 with great
styling, I only wish I could have afforded one in those days! |
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Hansa/Borgward built the Lloyd from April 1955 with the
Lloyd 300. By 1955 the LP600 had a 2 cylinder 4 stroke engine of 19 hp,
uprated to 25 hp in 1957 when it was called the Alexander TS. They were available as
saloon, kombi and van up to 1962. |
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A roundup of Isetta toys and models.
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The Isetta Velam was the French version of the famous
Isetta. Seven thousand examples were built from 1955. |
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The Kleinschnittger F125 from 1950 looked like a toy car but
even though it was only 114" in long by 46" long it could carry two people at
over 40 mph. |
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The Mazda R360 Coupe is one of the cutest microcars.
It was built near Hiroshima in Japan from 1960, and sold over 20,000 in it's first year of
production. |
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During the 29th to 30th August 1955 the Messerschmitt Super
was driven onto the Hockenheim Ring in Germany and during the next 24 hours covered
over 2000 km at an average speed of over 100 km/hour. |
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A catalogue of Messerschmitt models, |
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This is a model of my own KR200. It gave me fun and
hassle in equal measure. It is made from a 1:24 kit by Gunze Sangyo. The kit
includes a model of the Isetta 300, very good value if you have the skill to put
them together. |
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From France, the Quiralu models were rare and expensive
until they were re issued using the original tooling. They are awful scale models
but have great nostalgic appeal. |
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The NSU Sport Prinz was just about the most stylish mini-car
of it's day. From Germany, It shared the same 30hp 600cc as it's Plain Jane 4 seater
cousin. |
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The single seat Peel P50 was made in the Isle of Man.
Little more than a chair in a box on wheels it was powered by a 49cc Auto Union single two
stroke. Reverse is a handle on the rear to pull the car backwards. |
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The Reliant Regal was the best
selling 3 wheel car ever, with 20000 being made each year. At one time Reliant were
Britain's second largest car maker. |
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The Rovin D3 was first built in 1948 but still looks a
fresh, modern design. It has an unusual symmetry that suggests the same body
panels could be used front and rear. The last Rovin was sold in 1961. |
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The Scootacar was built in Leeds from 1957 to 1964.
This Mk.1 had a 197cc Villiers engine. Seating and steering was similar to a
Messerschmitt but access into the car was by a single side door. |
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Seat also made a 'Stretched Limo' version of their
600. The engine size had increased up to 767cc so it was logical to call it the 800. |
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Siku are models contemporary with the 'Bubblecars' of the
1950s. Here are examples of the early Messerschmitt, Isetta, Zundapp Janus and NSU
Prinz. |
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The Smart car may now be seen buzzing around the roads of
Germany. A new microcar conceived by Swatch and engineered by Mercedes it proves the
idea of small cars can still work in the 21st century. |
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A look at the Spot-On range of microcar models, led by the
Meadows Frisky Sport. This car was conceived by Captain Raymond Flowers whist working in
Egypt. Initial styling was by Michelotti, but redone later to better suit the
production methods of glassfibre. |
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The original 'Jelly mould' car, the Subaru 360 from Japan. |
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The Subaru R2 appeared in 1970 to replace the 360. It
had the modern arrangement of front engine, front wheel drive but still remained a pretty
car. It was joined in 1972 by the Rex, anyone seen one? |
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Another Subaru R2, this time by Diapet in 1:40 scale.
There were two models of the R2, the Standard or SS. They had a maximum speed of 71 or 75
mph according to model. |
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The Suzuki Cappuccino of 1994 was about the ultimate 'K'
car. Within the size limits & 660cc but with 4 valves per cylinder, 2 overhad cams,
turbo + intercooler, multipoint fuel injection etc, quite a lot in a small package! |
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The Suzuki Fronte of 1967 was the first of a long line of
microcars bearing the name. It was typical of the era: a rear engined two-stroke and
a top speed of up to 78 mph. |
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The Suzuki Cervo of 1972 inherited the two stroke engine
from the Fronte. It was sold in Britain with a 1000cc engine and was nicknamed 'The
Whizzkid'. |
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Consider that at one time there was a waiting list of 10 to
15 years to buy a'Trabbie'. Over 3 million were made, so they can't have been that
bad? |
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The Czechoslovakian Velorex was built with a steel tube
space frame covered by leather cloth, although an all steel version was also
available. Velorex also made motorcycles and obviously built the car on similar
lines. |
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The Vespa 400 was designed in Italy by Piaggio but built by
A.C.M.A. in Fourchamboult, France from around 1957. It was powered by a rear mounted
400cc engine and 3 speed gearbox, and with all round independent suspension. |
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Vespa are probably best known for their scooters, but they
also built lightweight commercials using the scooter as a base. |
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The Zaporozhets, or more commonly the Zaz 965 was
obviously inspired by the Fiat 600. The rear engine was a V4, air cooled, which
needed the rather odd air vents along the flanks of the body. It ran from 1958 to
1967 before a major redesign. |
