Tiny Car

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These tiny cars were built back in the mid 60s but with gas prices rising I am thinking that in the next 10 years we will see lots of cars similar to this emerge. The styling of the modern versions will be different and they will come with improved safety and signaling capability but the purpose will be the same. I for one am looking forward to having a one or two seat sporty car with excellent fuel mileage.

 

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14 Comments


  1. There are already newer cars like that.
    The Smart for example.


  2. Gas prices are falling, big time.


  5. First: Smart car is *not* an economy car. It is a CITY car. It was designed primarily to save *space*, not gas. It’s mediocre economy (40 MPG) comes from it’s small size. Common misconception amongst the unaware. There are many larger cars that get better mileage and are better suited for American roads and cities.

    Second: You won’t see that many micro cars. The ones you will see, like this Peel and the Aptera, will all be three-wheelers because they are exempt from Federal safety laws. A handful of collisions and resulting dead people in those unsafe contraptions will result in a “news media” feeding frenzy calling for legislation (“Won’t somebody think of the children!”), and new safety regulations piled on three-wheelers will mean they soon get no better mileage than four-wheelers, and they will die off.

    Third: Federal safety regulations add close to 1000 lbs to even the smallest of cars. Look at the smallest Hondas; they are fully 1000 lbs heavier than their 1980’s counterparts, when the Civic CRX HF got 50 MPG with a non-hybrid, CARBURETED engine. Build that same car today with modern materials and fuel injection, it would get more than 60 MPG. Then add 1000 lbs of Federally mandated safety gear, and right back to the 40 MPG modern Civics get.

    Yes, we all want to be safe, but adding more and more to the car while doing nothing about the REAL problem, the DRIVER, is foolish.

    It’s an unattainable triumvirate: Safe – Fast – Economical, pick two.

    So to summarize: You are not going to see many micro cars in the next ten years. Four-wheeled versions are illegal (can’t meet safety standards), and three-wheel versions will be outlawed in short-order if they become popular enough for the infotainment industry (“news”) to put bloody stories of death and dismemberment in them on the air.


  6. That’s huge! A Peel P50 would fit in the boot! (trunk) 😉


  7. Lobo says…Third: Federal safety regulations add close to 1000 lbs to even the smallest of cars.While safety regs do add some weight, the real reason a Civic weighs so much more is they are just bigger. Look @ an 85 Civic CVCC – you could almost fit 2 into the space of a 2008 model. The Accord is even more so. We fit our fat butts into these things back then; the only reason cars are bigger is we just don’t want to drive a smaller car (I mean, most of the car buying population – including the US the UK, the Continent, even Japan – I for one would love to have that ’71 600 back).


  9. Thanks for the link Will. That video was great! I loved when he walked the car through the office. 🙂


  10. Hi Art,

    I am not sure the Smart car is a good example, I think cheap to buy and operate is a must. Those Smart cars are very expensive (quite cool looking though).


  13. Those are really anecdotal cars aren’t they ?
    They have a funny good looking. But they don’t have mechanical signals, rear view window. Good think is: If all of us would have cars like that, accident would not be lethal anymore. They are inspirating.

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