In the past decade there’s been a much increased emphasis on small cars with brands like Smart and Mini busy vying for customers that want something a bit smaller. But none of these current machines can come close to matching the 1962 Peel P-50, which still holds the record as the smallest car ever produced.
Exactly how small you may ask, well the wheelbase measures 50 inches, total length measures 52.8 inches, width measures 39 inches and height comes in at 47.2 inches. The kerb weight is a crazy 58kg.
It’s not surprising that this micro machine only required a single cylinder engine displacing just 49cc to get it moving. The powerplant was mated to a three-speed manual transmission without a reverse gear, which was achieved by the handy grab bar at the very rear. One door could be used for entry and exit on the left side of the car, which opens to a single seat and enough luggage room for a grocery bag. Sounds like fun? We think so too, but sadly there were only 50 made on the Isle of Man in the UK, so they are quite the rarity.
Now, in a twist of fate, Peel Engineering has recently reopened its doors and is planning a small production run of 50 brand new cars, divided up between the P-50 (pictured in blue) and the bubble-top Trident (in red). These reborn Peels will each sell for a heavy £12,499 ($27,500 NZ) and will use an electric powertrain instead of a scooter engine. Few other details have been released at this stage.
Check out a old school video of the Peel P-50 from when it was originally released below.
