The British microcar Peel P50 remains the smallest production car on the planet. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Gismeteo.
At 137 cm long and 104 cm wide, it weighed just 59 kg — less than many modern motorcycles. Thanks to its low weight, the car could simply be turned by hand if necessary.
In 1962, the British company Peel Engineering Company introduced an unusual three-wheeled car designed for narrow city streets. Production of the model continued until 1965.
Later, the Peel P50 was entered into the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest production car in history. Its dimensions allowed it to park easily even where a regular car would not fit.
The Peel P50 was equipped with a single-cylinder engine with a displacement of 49 cc, producing 4.2 hp. The top speed reached 61 km/h, which was sufficient for city driving. The car was designed for only one person and a small shopping bag. It had no trunk.
Despite its tiny size, the Peel P50 had a full steering system, accelerator, brake and clutch pedals, and a manual transmission. The microcar had one door, one headlight, and one windshield wiper.
The designers did not include a reverse gear. If reversing was needed, the driver simply got out of the car and turned it using a special handle on the body. The low weight made this easy.
Only 47 units of the Peel P50 were produced from 1962 to 1965. Today, this unusual microcar is considered a true collector's rarity and is rarely seen on the roads. In 2022, one such car was sold at auction for $143,000 — almost the price of a new Porsche 911 Carrera GTS.
Earlier, Kursiv Avto reported how journalist Yuri Dud tested the world's narrowest car. And here you can read about a 1941 Ford that lay on the ocean floor for 83 years and retained recognizable features.