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For some, compactness is one of the most essential features a car can provide. Moreover, a car that easily navigates through high-traffic roads and fits into small parking spaces is a crucial addition to most people’s garages in the city. Out of curiosity, you may have wondered, ‘What is the smallest car in the world?’
Cars like hatchbacks and coupes are often regarded as the most compact cars, but they are nowhere close to being the smallest in the world. That title belongs to the Peel P50. This article explores the P50 and discusses everything you need to know about this tiny car while also giving some other interesting micro-car examples.
Table Of Contents
Peel P50 – The Smallest Car In The World
The Guinness Book of World Records recognises the Peel P50 as the smallest car in the world, with a wheelbase that is 50 inches (127 cm) long. Peel Engineering Company conceived this car in the 1960s and manufactured it on the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown Dependency island.
See what a wheelbase is.
Engineer Cyril Cannell, the founder of Peel Engineering, was fascinated by fibreglass at the time, and he began manufacturing boats out of this lightweight material. By the early 1960s, he had come up with the idea of making cars from fibreglass and decided to manufacture a light and ultra-compact city car.
The P50 was featured on an episode of Top Gear, where presenter Jeremy Clarkson drove it around the BBC’s Television Centre.
The entire car is exactly 54 inches (137 cm) long, 38 inches (97 cm) wide and 39 inches (99 cm) tall. The small car accommodates a six-foot-nine person and a shopping bag despite being very compact. The P50 has a single-cylinder 50cc engine that provides about 4.2 horsepower, and its top speed is 38 mph, which is decent considering it has only three wheels.
The P50 cost just £199 when it launched. However, Peel Engineering built only 50 units between 1962 and 1965. Therefore, the vehicle is rare now and fetches a much higher price in an auction. Click here to learn about the weight of small cars.
Is The Peel P50 Road Legal?
Yes, the Peel P50 is road legal. It has been road legal in the U.K. since the original car was created, and it is listed as a three-wheeler vehicle. It is also street-legal in the United States and many other countries.
The law classifies the P50 as a moped, and it is legal to drive it on certain roads in countries such as Finland and the Netherlands.
The Peel P50 has no reverse gear, but there is a handle for towing it backwards.
Why Was The Peel P50 Made?
The Peel P50 was made to provide people with a city car that could transport two people as long as they weren’t too large, according to engineer Cyril Cannell. However, Peel Engineering Company ended up producing a one-seater car, which is the world’s smallest car. Back then, the company marketed the vehicles as tiny cars that could seat an adult and a bag.
Peel Trident – The Bigger Brother
The Peel Trident is a slightly larger version of the P50 for two passengers from Peel Engineering. This bubble car is 73 inches (185 cm) long and 39 inches (99 cm) wide. The small interior means that the vehicle is only suitable for small passengers.
The Trident has just three wheels like the P50, and it uses the same 50cc engine. However, some models had the 99cc engine from the Triumph Tina scooter.
One of the most interesting things about the design of this car is that it was doorless. The top part of the car opens to allow you to get in and out of the car. Also, it had an aircraft-style bubble canopy rather than a regular car roof.
Can You Buy The Peel P50 And Peel Trident?
Yes, you can buy the Peel P50 and Peel Trident. Businessmen Gary Hillman and Faizal Khan are current co-owners of Peel Engineering Company. In 2011, they secured an $80,000 investment from the Dragons’ Den TV show for the new company. They have used the money to make a modern iteration of the P50, which are available for sale.
The modern P50 comes in electric and gas versions. The electric model of the car uses a brushless DC electric motor and supplies 3 horsepower. Conversely, the gas version uses a 50cc four-stroke engine with a CVT transmission. The vehicles are made to order, and they cost around £14,000 ($18,660) in the UK.
Click here to learn everything about electric automobiles.
Original versions of the P50 made in the 1960s cost as much as £111,000 in auctions.
Furthermore, Pendine Motors produces modern iterations of the P50, dubbed the P50 Car. However, they only manufacture electric-motor versions. The P50 Car iteration of the micro car sells for £11,250 ($14,000). Pendine Motors also sells self-assembly kits for £7,495 ($9,989), which include all of the vehicle’s components so you can assemble it yourself.
Honourable Mentions: Top 5 Smallest Cars Ever Besides Peels
Although the P50 remains the smallest production car, the car industry has several other small cars.
The Original Mini Cooper
Although modern-day Mini Coopers are compact, they aren’t as small as the old car. The first Mini Cooper had a wheelbase length of 80.2 inches (203 cm). It was 55 inches (140 cm) wide and 53 inches (135 cm) tall, making it one of the smallest cars at the time.
The Mini Cooper is more of a car than the P50 because it has four wheels, a four-cylinder engine and four seats. It incorporates a front-wheel drive system, so the drivetrain doesn’t have to run through the vehicle to take up space.
When it was new, the original Mini cost £1,075, translating to £10,445 in today’s money. These days, the cost of the original car ranges from £11,048 to £30,189.
BMW Isetta Bubble Car
The Isetta belongs to a category of micro cars that had aircraft-style bubble canopies like the Peel Trident. Autoveicoli was the original maker of this car, but it sold the manufacturing rights and tooling for the vehicle to many other manufacturers, including BMW, Velam De Carlo and Romi. The Isetta had a four-speed gearbox that also included a reverse gear.
The dimensions of the Isetta varied between models, but most versions of the vehicle measured 90.2 inches (229 cm) long and 54 inches (137 cm) wide. The BMW Isetta had two seats and was powered by a motorcycle engine. Although BMW has stopped manufacturing the Isetta, you can buy one at an auction for between £24,000 and £40,000.
Buddy Electric
The Buddy Electric is a micro car from a manufacturer of the same name. It measured 96 inches (244cm) long, 56.2 inches (143cm) wide and 56.6 inches (144cm) tall, making it one of the smallest electric cars at the time of its release. This car has been on sale since the 1990s and sits three people across on a bench seat.
The Buddy comes in left- and right-hand steering wheel versions.
This electric car came with a 13 kW motor, which provided a range of between 12 and 37 miles, depending on the season. The Buddy car takes six to eight hours to charge fully, and an hour of rapid charging provides a range of 6.2 miles (10km). The manufacturers ceased production of the car in 2013 as sales dwindled.
Commuter Cars Tango T600
The Tango T600 from Commuter Cars has one of the strangest designs among small cars, with a very narrow width. Father and son Rick and Bryan Woodbury conceived this single-seat vehicle in 1998 to appeal to the millions of people who commute to work alone.
The Tango T600 measures 40 inches (99 cm) wide, 101.1 inches (257 cm) long and 60.6 inches (154 cm) high, which gives it a squashed appearance. It comes with two electric motors, which provide a driving range of 79.5 miles (128 km) on lead-acid batteries and 149 miles (240 km) on lithium-ion batteries.
At the time of its release, the Tango T600 sold for £97,216 ($121,000). The manufacturers had built fewer than 20 cars before production halted in 2014, which means the few left out there command a price of about £241,031 ($300,000).
Smart Fortwo
The Smart Fortwo is a small, rear-wheel-drive, two-seater car. Swiss watchmaker Swatch originally conceived the idea for this vehicle, and in 1998 it came to fruition under the brand name Smart.
The Fortwo also has an electric version known as the Smart EQ Fortwo.
The most recent version of the Smart Fortwo measures 106.1 inches (269.4 cm) long, 65.5 inches (166.4 cm) wide and 61.2 inches (155.4 cm) high. It was, however, even smaller at the time of its original release, with a total length of 98.4 inches (250 cm). The Fortwo costs between £22,225 and £23,375 today. If you’re interested in small cars, you’ll enjoy our comprehensive guide, where we detail the differences between economy and compact cars.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Is The Peel P50?
The Peel P50 is £14,000 ($18,660) for the modern version from Peel Engineering. However, the original version of the world’s smallest car from the 1960s costs as much as £111,000 in some auctions. Pendine Motors also produces a modern iteration of the vehicle that sells for £11,250 ($14,000).
How Fast Can A Peel P50 Go?
A Peel P50 can go as fast as 38 mph (61 km/h), talking about the original smallest car in the world. The modern versions made by Peel Engineering Company are slower. Both petrol and electric models can develop a top speed of about 28 mph (45 km/h). Pendine Motors’ models are stated to go a max of 30 mph (48 km/h).
How Many P50s Are Left?
Very few P50s are left. Peel Engineering produced only 50 units of the original car during its release in the 1960s. It is estimated that only half of those remain in existence. Only two P50s remain on the Isle of Man, the original manufacturing location. A private individual owns one, and the other is on display at the Peel Transport Museum.
How Big Is The P50 Car?
The P50 is amazingly small, measuring 54 inches (137 cm) long, 38 inches (97 cm) wide and 39 inches (99 cm) tall. In fact, it is the smallest car ever to be produced. There is also a slightly larger version of the P50 for two passengers known as the P50 Trident, and it is 73 inches (185 cm) long and 39 inches (99 cm) wide.
What Is The Biggest Car Ever?
The biggest car ever is the Hummer H1 X3. This vehicle is about three times the size of the Hummer H1, measuring 21.6 feet (6.6 m) high, 46 feet (14 m) long and 19 feet (6 m) wide. The Hummer H1 X3 runs on four diesel engines and can reach a maximum speed of 19 mph. Some other very big cars include the Antarctic Snow Cruiser and the Bugatti Type 41 Royale.
Conclusion
So, you now have an answer to your question, ‘What is the smallest car in the world?’ The P50, manufactured by Peel Engineering in the 1960s, still holds that title. However, there have been other cars of similar sizes over the years. Although these smaller cars may not be spacious, their micro size makes them great for city driving and ensures minimal fuel consumption. They also make great additions to the collections of car connoisseurs.
