During the middle of the twentieth century, a plethora of small economy cars – often quirky and bizarre – emerged to meet the needs of the cash-strapped motorist. This book charts the history and development of these microcars, from the lean period after the Second World War right up to the present day. Covering a wide range of vehicles, from the well-known models to the more obscure, and complemented throughout by colour photographs and period images, this a fascinating book on a little-known subject.
Often quirky and bizarre, a plethora of small economy cars emerged during the middle of the twentieth century to meet the needs of the cash-strapped motorist. This book charts the history and development of these microcars, from the lean period after the Second World War right up to the present day. Covering a wide range of vehicles, many well-known models and the more obscure are featured within these pages. Color photographs and period images also complement the text.
The Big Book of Tiny Cars presents entertaining profiles of automotive history’s most famous—and infamous—microcars and subcompacts from 1901 to today. Illustrated with photos and period ads.
"Once a common sight in our towns and cities, microcars were ingenious solutions to the post war demand for economical and accessible motoring. Nowadays they are making a celebrated comeback with all of the big car manufacturers featuring at least one flagship small car, from DaimlerChrysler's Smart and BMW's Mini to Nissan's Micra. But what are the factors, now and then, that turned the microcar into a viable alternative to the 'normal' car? How have the aspirations and ideas behind the microcar changed over the decades? The cars themselves have undoubtedly undergone a radical transformation." "Whereas the current trend in small cars is led by environmental concerns, the first phase of the microcar phenomenon was determined by economic necessity: many manufacturers of planes, trains, and white goods had to re-invent themselves as producers of automobiles. The result was a proliferation of small, cheap and extraordinary looking three- and four-wheeled vehicles." "This book looks at the social and cultural conditions behind the rise, the fall and the ultimate resurrection of the small car, and features some of the most fascinating and best-loved examples. With the debate over transport, sustainability, congestion, fuel consumption, taxation and the environment high on the agenda, there has never been a better time than now to examine the role of the microcar."--BOOK JACKET.
Richly illustrated and entertainingly written, The Big Book of Tiny Cars presents lively profiles of the automotive world’s most famous—and infamous—microcars and subcompacts from 1901 to today. From tiny homes to little lending libraries and even tiny food, people everywhere are resetting the premium they put on size. Fact is, the automotive industry has a “tiny” history going back to the car’s earliest days. Beginning with the Curved Dash Oldsmobile and continuing through prewar classics such as the Austin Seven and Hanomag Kommissbrot, The Big Book of Tiny Cars is truly international in scope. Witness diminutive cars like the Bond Minicar and the BMWIsetta introduced to fuel-deprived postwar Europe, and continue through the classic 1950s microcars and ’70s subcompacts, right up to today’s tiny cars and electric vehicles (EVs) fromthe likes of Smart and Fiat. In addition to iconic curiosities like the frog-like Goggomobil Dart, the futuristic Sebring Vanguard Citicar, and the three-wheeled Reliant Robin, you’ll read about more familiar classics like the VW Beetle, MiniCooper, and Crosley Super Sport. Other manufacturers represented include Honda, Datsun, Mitsubishi, Trabant, Heinkel, Renault, and Messerschmitt, to name a few. Each car is profiled with an entertaining and informative history and a fact box. Imagery includes archival photos, period ads, and modern photography. In all, more than 100 cars are included, from the weird to the sublime. Gas, diesel, or electric…tiny cars have a rich and curious heritage reflective of motorists’ concerns for their pocketbook, the environment, or both. The Big Book of Tiny Cars is your ultimate collection of microcars, minicars, bubble cars, kei cars, subcompacts, and compacts that have been built, sold, and driven all over the globe for 120 years.
Whether it's about the classic, original Mini or the new generation MINI from BMW, this is the story of an extraordinary motoring icon - a car that was conceived as the answer to a crisis but became one of the best known, best loved and biggest selling small cars in motoring history. It is the story of a car that was designed for the masses but became a must-have fashion statement for the rich and famous. The Little Book of Mini is an inspirational story of a car that has been reinvented for a new millennium, and for such a small car, it is one of the greatest motoring stories of them all.
Start your engines! Piece together 25 colorful racecars using the bright pieces! Inside this neat book, kids will find everything they need:Punch-out cardstock pieces to assemble 25 cars, 100 Micro Wheels, 50 Micro Axles, 25 Foam-Tape Dots and Punch-out Grandstand Punch-out Speedway with Pit Road.
A celebration of the many motor trikes and three-wheeled motorcycles produced since the early days of motoring. Taking us right up to the present day, this book covers a wide range of machines from mild to wild, accompanied by original colour photographs. Featuring easy-to-read captions with minimum jargon: it will delight both enthusiasts and the novices alike.
From the 1940s to the 1960s, the microcar posed a challenge to the large companies that mass-produced cars to uniform designs. The microcar was the opposite, produced by small entrepreneurial start-ups using quirky design concepts that offered motorists cheaper and more economical vehicles. This book is a beautifully illustrated history of the British microcar, from the early days of Bond and Reliant to the proliferation of micro marques during the 1950s and their demise during the 1960s. It explores many eccentric British concepts, comparing the cars to their influential European competitors, examining the social and economic reasons for the decline and disappearance of the microcar, but also saluting the signs of a microcar renaissance in the twenty-first century, this time from mainstream manufacturers.
