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This is crazy:
The British-made Peel P50 microcar appears in the Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum in London as the “Smallest Assembly-Line Manufactured Street-Legal Car.”
In 2017, there was a rare a P50 listed for sale on eBay Motors. It had a Buy-It-Now price of $59,500. That may seem like a lot for such a tiny car.
But here’s the thing:
It’s one of a limited-edition of 50 built in England in 2015.
(See other micro-cars available now on eBay.)
A Smart car dwarfs the Peel.
Peel P50 History
The original Peel P50, made from 1962 to 1965, was a three-wheeler with two wheels in front and one in back. Some Peels are electric powered. The one listed on eBay Motors had the more usual 50-cc scooter-sized gas motor. Here’s more info on the history of the car from Top Gear:
A 1964 Peel P50 sold from the celebrated Bruce Weiner collection of microcars in 2013. It sold for more than $120,000.
A single headlight and a single wiper were enough for the P50.
Peel Engineering was a manufacturing company based on Britain’s Isle of Man. Its primary products were fiberglass boats and motorcycle fairings. But it rode the wave of the microcar boom in the 1950s and 1960s (not big in the US).
How Do They Make the Peel P50?
The hit Science Channel show How It’s Made featured the Peel P50:
Besides the P50, Peel made the Manxcar and the Trident, as well as fiberglass bodies for the Mini.
(See “The Enduring Power of Microcars in SUV Era.”)
The Peel P50 is as bare-bones as a city-oriented commuter car could be. Note the low-mounted engine.
The Specs of the Tiniest Car Ever Made
The Peel is 54 inches long and 39 wide. Top speed with the DKW power plant is 37 miles per hour. A gallon of petrol should carry you more than 80 miles down the road. It’s a tight fit.
The low fuel bills would be nice. Although using it as a commuter vehicle would be an exercise in self-sacrifice. And it might be harder to use than your average daily driver:
The Peel P50 Fits in an Elevator
The car’s ability to fit in an elevator was tested in 1963. One went to the top of Blackpool Tower and then driven around the observation balcony. Despite stunts like that, the P50 was not a sales success, with 47 sales.
The Peel 50-cc motor could just as easily power a scooter.
Enthusiasts Gary Hillman and Faizal Khan revived the company in 2010. They were responsible for the new/old edition of P50s. The car sold on eBay was one.
Room for One Adult and One Shopping Bag
The Peel P50 weighs only 130 pounds. One could carry a badly parked P50 to a more appropriate spot.
It uses a three-speed manual transmission, but no reverse gear. Like a scooter, the vehicle is very easy to turn around. There’s even a handle for that purpose.
Designed as a single-seat city car, the Peel can carry “one adult and a shopping bag.” Only the left side had a door. Standard equipment included a single wiper and a Cyclops headlight.
The interior was functional but basic.
The motor on the original Peel P50 came from Germany’s DKW. One of the only choices the buyer had was color:
- Daytona White
- Dragon Red
- Dark Blue (like this example).
Get behind the Peel’s wheel, if you dare.
Where Is The Car Now?
The car is in Dusseldorf, Germany. But, it is registered in England. The seller, Stephan Gabriel, says the Peel P50—tiny as it is, and with only three wheels—will pass inspection with DMVs “in most countries.”
Gabriel told eBay Motors:
I saw this amazing car on Top Gear and fell in love with it instantly like Jeremy Clarkson did. At the end of 2014, I got the opportunity through a contact to buy two of 50 Peels from the limited birthday edition.
He uses it at events to promote his fashion label, saying:
Everyone loves to take pictures with the Peel. At every trade fair and opening, the Peel P50 is the star.
Updated: Sept. 2, 2020
See eBay Motors for sale on eBay.
