Tag Archives: microcars

Atlas Babycar

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1951 Atlas Babycar

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

Photo – RM Auctions

Bruce Weiner, the undisputed king of microcars, is selling off most of the cars in his museum. That’s about 200 cars – all of them tiny, rare and really fun. There are, seemingly, about a hundred I want to feature but there’s no way will I have time – especially with all the fun in Arizona approaching in January. So, instead, every Monday (or at least, we’ll try to make it every Monday) we’ll feature about 10 cars from this one-of-a-kind collection.

First up is this 1951 Atlas Babycar. These were built in France from 1950 through 1952. It uses a 170cc single-cylinder making 8.5 horsepower (yeah, you better get ready for a lot of lawn-mower-esque power ratings). It will do 37 mph and it is one of two in the world. More info can be found here.

Update: Sold $60,375.

Update II: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2017, $30,250.

Zündapp Janus

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1958 Zündapp Janus

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

Photo – RM Auctions

So is it coming or going? Looking at the Zündapp Janus directly from the side makes it difficult to tell. The Janus was the only car Zündapp ever built, although they made plenty of motorcycles. In production for 1957 and 1958 only, 6,902 were made – a testament to the size and production capacity of Zündapp at the time. It’s one of the the muscle cars of the group featured today, making 14 horsepower from it’s 248cc single-cylinder. Top speed is 49 mph. Fun fact: the villain in the Pixar film Cars 2 is a Zündapp Janus. Only a few are left. Read more here.

Update: Sold $51,750.

Mi-Val Mivalino

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1954 Mi-Val Tipo MO Mivalino

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

Photo – RM Auctions

If this Italian Mivalino looks a lot like a Messerschmitt KR-175, that’s because, essentially, it is. Metalmeccanica Italiana Valtrompio S.p.A. – or Mi-Val for short – was an Italian motorcycle manufacturer and in late 1953 they decided to build their own version of the Messerschmitt. They imported parts from Germany and threw their own engine in it and called it an original.

About 100 were built between 1954 and 1956 and about eight survive, this being the most original and complete, having covered less than 200 kilometers in its life. It was originally owned by an Italian family who also owned the oldest Ford dealership in Rome. The engine is a 171cc single-cylinder making 9 horsepower. It’ll do 55 mph and you can read more here.

Update: Sold $83,375.

Kover Microcar

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1951 Kover CK 1

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

Photo – RM Auctions

Another car of French origin, this Kover was actually made by the same company that produced the Atlas above. While its single-cylinder engine only displaces 125cc and only puts out 5.5 horsepower, it matches the Atlas’ speed of 37 mph. Only a few were made – and good luck fitting under that convertible top. More info can be found here.

Update: Sold $28,750.

Grataloup

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1955 Grataloup

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

Here’s a weird one. Built by a Frenchman, last name Grataloup, of spare parts he found. It’s kind of well put together, with the engine essentially under the driver’s seat, but exposed on the right side of the body. It’s a single-cylinder Villiers two-stroke of 247cc making 7.5 horsepower. It’s normal sized twin front wheels help it reach 52 mph. It’s the only one ever built and they aren’t even sure when it was built. The man just showed up with it one day at  Citroen garage in France. Read more here and check out more of the collection here.

Update: Sold $34,500.

Peel Trident

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1966 Peel Trident

Offered by RM Auctions | Madison, Georgia | February 15-16, 2013

Photo – RM Auctions

The Peel Engineering Company is the only automobile manufacturer ever to be located on the Isle of Man. Unfortunately, that is still part of the U.K., so it won’t get its own section on our “Country of Origin” page. The Trident was the second car built by Peel and only about 45 were made, the last six of which used the 98cc one-cylinder engine making 6.5 horsepower. This is one of the last six built and has that engine. Horrifyingly, this car will do 46 mph. This example has spent most of its life in museums and is one of few extant. Read more here.

Update: Sold $103,500.

Vespa 400

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1960 Vespa 400

For Sale at Hyman Ltd | St. Louis, Missouri

Vespa is the world famous scooter manufacturer that produces the classic design that has been popular among so many different groups of people since it went on sale in the late 1940s. They have been featured in many films over the years, but perhaps most famously in Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. Sales took off after that and when I think “Vespa” I think someone roaring around the streets on a scooter outside the Colosseum in Rome.

Vespa is owned (and has been since its inception) by Piaggio, the Italian motorcycle conglomerate. In the late 1950s, Piaggio designed a small car and licensed the design to ACMA in France, who built the car as the Vespa 400. ACMA was independent of Piaggio, yet they were still badged as Vespas, which was a Piaggio trademark. While Vespa scooters are Italian, this Vespa car is French. Weird. In any case, ACMA put the car into production in 1957 but they closed up in 1962, a year after Vespa 400 production wrapped.

About 34,000 of these cars were built and this is as nice of one as you’re likely to find. It’s tiny but two people can fit inside. It has a folding fabric top and is powered by a 393cc straight-twin making 20 horsepower. It’s a two-stroke engine mounted in the rear, driving the rear wheels. See that weird looking thing on the front where the grille would normally be? That’s a sliding tray containing the battery.

This is a U.S. market car (it has a 3-speed transmission, other markets got 4-speeds). It will do 50 mph and can be yours for $31,500. For more information, click here.

Update: Sold, Mecum, Kansas City, December 2012, $22,500.