Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Peel looking to reintroduce world's smallest car [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/24/peel-looking-to-reintroduce-worlds-smallest-car-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/24/peel-looking-to-reintroduce-worlds-smallest-car-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/24/peel-looking-to-reintroduce-worlds-smallest-car-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Peel P-50 and Trident pose with a Rolls-Royce - Click above for high-res image gallery

Sure, there's an increased emphasis on small cars here in America and all around the rest of the world, with brands like Smart and Mini vying for customers that think it's a big deal to go small. But none of these current machines can hold a candle to the 1962 Peel P-50, which to this day holds the record as the smallest car ever produced.

Just how small are we talking? Here are some stats: Wheelbases measures 50 inches, total length measures 52.8 inches, width measures 39 inches and height comes in at 47.2 inches. Perhaps most impressive of all, though, is the weight: just 130 pounds ready to drive.

Naturally, not a lot of power was needed to get this microcar moving, so a DKW single cylinder engine displacing 49cc was mated to a three-speed manual transmission without reverse, unless you count the handy grab bar at the very rear. One door was available on the left side of the car, which led to a lone seat and room for a grocery bag. Want one? Yeah, we do too, but there were only 50 made on the Isle of Man in the UK, so they aren't particularly easy to come by.

Fortunately, then, Peel Engineering has recently reopened its doors and is planning a small production run of 50 new cars, divided up between the aforementioned P-50 (above, blue) and the bubble-roofed Trident (red). From what we can discern, the reborn Peels will each go for a heady £12,499 and will use an electric powertrain in lieu of a scooter engine. No other specifications have been released that we are aware of.

We also don't know if any of the 50 pint-size Peels will make it Stateside, though with three wheels, it would seem the machines would be classified as motorcycles and would therefore eschew any need for crash testing requirements... which would seem rather important, don'tcha think? Click past the break for a couple of videos of the Peel P-50, including one from Top Gear where the six-foot five-inch Jeremy Clarkson takes one for a drive to through the office.


Gallery: Peel P-50 and Trident


[Source: Peel Engineering via The Scooter Scoop]

Continue reading Peel looking to reintroduce world's smallest car [w/video]

Peel looking to reintroduce world's smallest car [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>micro carmicrocarMicrocarspeelpeel engineeringpeel p-50Peel P50peel tridentPeelEngineeringPeelP-50PeelP50PeelTridentsmall carsmall carsSmallCarSmallCarssmallest carSmallestCarworlds smallest carWorldsSmallestCarTue, 24 Aug 2010 15:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19605394/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/08/24/peel-looking-to-reintroduce-worlds-smallest-car-w-video/19605394/article-detail.xml 19605394 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/peel-engineering_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/08/peel-engineering.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan's Nuvu electric car to compete with Toyota iQ]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/09/nissans-nuvo-electric-car-to-compete-with-toyota-iq/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/09/nissans-nuvo-electric-car-to-compete-with-toyota-iq/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/09/nissans-nuvo-electric-car-to-compete-with-toyota-iq/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

October's Paris Motor Show will be the stage for Nissan to unveil their new Nuvu concept, an electric 2+1 micro-car that would compete with the Toyota iQ if the automaker rolls it out. At less than ten feet long, the Nuvu will be about the same size as a smart fortwo, but powered solely by a battery. There are two main seats and an extra seat for a third passenger. According to Nissan, there is "sufficient space for a typical supermarket or shopping expedition". Demonstrating Nissan's commitment to EV technology, and their environmentally-conscience green side, the Nuvu's all-glass roof is covered with solar panels placed in the pattern of leaves on a tree. The "trunk" of the tree is the conduit feeding the power to the battery. Nissan hasn't released pictures of their newest EV, but we promise full details and a gallery when we see it in person next month.

[Source: Autocar]

Nissan's Nuvu electric car to compete with Toyota iQ originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electricMicro CarMicroCarNissan MicrocarNissan NuvuNissanMicrocarNissanNuvusolar panelsSolarPanelsTue, 09 Sep 2008 16:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1308445/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/09/09/nissans-nuvo-electric-car-to-compete-with-toyota-iq/1308445/article-detail.xml 1308445 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/nissan_logo_small_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/nissan_logo_small_opt.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan/Renault considering Nano competitor for India]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/nissan-renault-considering-nano-competitor-for-india/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/nissan-renault-considering-nano-competitor-for-india/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/nissan-renault-considering-nano-competitor-for-india/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Countries like China and India are a hotbed for the auto industry, and every major automaker is looking to improve its standing in the emerging markets while they're still on the ground floor. Low-cost micro cars are all the rage in the East, and Nissan/Renault is looking into getting a piece of that action by producing a Nano fighter. Nissan Motor India Director Neeraj Garg told The Times of India that while higher priced sedans and SUVs are also scheduled for India's booming auto market, a low-priced hatch is also on the wishlist if the pricing is right.

Company officials say that the low-cost transportation could be among six new products scheduled for India by 2012, and with the country's low-cost labor, Nissan/Renault could also export any vehicles it makes there.

[Source: The Times of India]

Nissan/Renault considering Nano competitor for India originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 May 2008 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Indiamicro carMicroCarNissanRenaultTata NanoTataNanoThu, 08 May 2008 09:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1188373/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/05/08/nissan-renault-considering-nano-competitor-for-india/1188373/article-detail.xml 1188373 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/05/nissan-renault_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/05/nissan-renault.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan 360: the Cube]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/29/nissan-360-the-cube/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/29/nissan-360-the-cube/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/29/nissan-360-the-cube/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a high-res gallery of the Nissan Cube.

Let's just get this out of the way right now: this blogger is going to buy one of these cars when they come to America. And I'm a die-hard 385-plus-horsepower sports car owner for years now. And I live in LA. But the Cube is just that great. So Nissan, don't pull a bait-and-switch, please...

The Cube is basic, and makes no attempt to dress it up. In fact, not only is the car not gussied up, but the entire interior of the car I drove was beige. And it was still hot. It's basic done completely right, with tons of cubbies and comfort in an enormous (relatively speaking) cabin and a unified design theme inside and outside that ties it all together.

The 1.5-liter, 107-HP engine has got the giddy-up-and-go, and the car is so much fun to drive that you'll cackle like an old hen every time you throw it around a corner. I admit I won't be buying one in sky blue, and it won't have the third row -- that row is more than a bit optimistic -- but I will have no problem showing everyone I know that "cool" is now spelled "cube."

You can check out the Nissan 360 event site for more details on all the vehicles in Nissan's lineup. In the mean time, be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res photos below.

Gallery: Nissan 360: the Cube



Our travel and lodging for this media event was provided by the manufacturer.

Nissan 360: the Cube originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cubekei carKeiCarmicro carmicrocarnissannissan 360nissan cubeNissan360NissanCubeTue, 29 Apr 2008 19:25:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1181237/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/04/29/nissan-360-the-cube/1181237/article-detail.xml 1181237 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/04/nissan_360_cube_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/04/nissan_360_cube.jpg <![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: the Goggomobile]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/06/ebay-find-of-the-day-the-goggomobile/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/06/ebay-find-of-the-day-the-goggomobile/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/06/ebay-find-of-the-day-the-goggomobile/#commentsFiled under: ,

Years ago in Australia there was a TV commercial for the phone company's yellow pages that featured a man looking for parts for his Goggomobile. Since no one knew what he was talking about, he was always having to spell the car's name. In a Scottish brogue (yes, a Scottish actor in an Aussie ad) he'd repeatedly belt out G-o-g-g-o. Finally, with the help of the yellow pages, he finds a parts supplier who speaks his language. I haven't seen the commercial in years but every once in a while I'll get the urge to don a Scottish accent and spell the car.

In fact, I had never even seen the car until a tipster sent this one in from eBay. Looking like something straight out of the movie Cars, the Goggomobile was a Bavarian micro car built from 1955 to 1969. It has a 2-cylinder, air-cooled engine behind the rear wheels. That powerplant is about 24 cubic inches and gets about 20 hp. You won't get anywhere quickly, but you'll be cute as a button while you're doing it. The seller claims it's one of less than ten in the US. For a slice of exclusivity and Germano-Scotus-Australian history, the bidding begins at $2,000.

Thanks for the tip, Jordan!

[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: the Goggomobile originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Aug 2007 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>germanygoggomobilemicro carMicroCarMon, 06 Aug 2007 10:51:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/958094/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/08/06/ebay-find-of-the-day-the-goggomobile/958094/article-detail.xml 958094 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/08/goggomobile_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/08/goggomobile.jpg <![CDATA[Frankfurt preview: VW to debut rear-engine city car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/frankfurt-preview-vw-to-debut-rear-engine-city-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/frankfurt-preview-vw-to-debut-rear-engine-city-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/frankfurt-preview-vw-to-debut-rear-engine-city-car/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The Tiguan is one of eight models making their Frankfurt debut.

Volkswagen is gearing up for Frankfurt and has no intention of disappointing the seething throngs of media-types when it lifts the curtain on its home turf. A total of eight new models will debut, including the Tiguan, six BlueMotion-equipped models and, most intriguing, a new micro car dubbed the City Expert that's equipped with a powerplant that "will beat where the flat-four 'Boxer' engine once did in the Beetle."

We've reported on rumors of a rear-engine vehicle in the past, and although it was easy to dismiss with a shrug, the market is ripe for an ultra-inexpensive model that VW claims is "sensationally flexible." That last part leaves us wondering what kind of body styles the City Expert will be available in, likely a three-door hatch, four-door sedan and five-door wagon. It's safe to expect that luggage space will be at a premium, considering the rear-mounted mill and the radiator, A/C and battery are likely to be fitted up front.

The real question is what kind of motor will fill the trunk, and rumors are beginning to circulate that two- and three-cylinder powerplants will provide motivation. We'll have to wait until next month rolls along to get all the official details, but in the meantime get your speculation caps on and read through the press release after the jump.

[Source: VW]

Continue reading Frankfurt preview: VW to debut rear-engine city car

Frankfurt preview: VW to debut rear-engine city car originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 08:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluemotioncity carcity expertCityCarCityExpertmicro carMicroCarrear enginerear-engineRearEnginetiguanvolkswagenvwThu, 02 Aug 2007 08:26:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/955834/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/08/02/frankfurt-preview-vw-to-debut-rear-engine-city-car/955834/article-detail.xml 955834 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/08/prod_tiguan_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/08/prod_tiguan.jpg <![CDATA[Have money, need growth: GM to invest $6b in Daewoo]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/28/have-money-need-growth-gm-to-invest-6b-in-daewoo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/28/have-money-need-growth-gm-to-invest-6b-in-daewoo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/28/have-money-need-growth-gm-to-invest-6b-in-daewoo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



GM has been rapidly expanding in countries outside the US, and South Korea-based Daewoo has been a major contributor to the company's growth in developing markets. GM is redoubling their commitment to Daewoo by investing $6 billion in the once bankrupt automaker over the next few years. President and chief executive of GM DAT Michael Grimaldi says the money will be used to expand design, engineering, and for new plants and products. Among the projects on the table are a mini car and a small car, which could mean that some form of the Beat, Trax, or Groove could be in the pipeline. With relatively low labor costs and a free trade agreement with the US, GM Daewoo could expand their role of providing low-cost economy cars to our shores, but with a Chevy badge.

[Source: Channel NewsAsia]

Have money, need growth: GM to invest $6b in Daewoo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Jul 2007 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BeatDaewooGMGrooveMicro carMicroCarSmall CarSmallCarTraxxSat, 28 Jul 2007 10:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/952251/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/07/28/have-money-need-growth-gm-to-invest-6b-in-daewoo/952251/article-detail.xml 952251 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/07/groove_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/07/groove.jpg <![CDATA[Toyota Aygo may make it to U.S.]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/toyota-aygo-may-make-it-to-u-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/toyota-aygo-may-make-it-to-u-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/toyota-aygo-may-make-it-to-u-s/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Why you ask? They already have the Yaris taking care of the B-segment market, why on earth would they want to import something even smaller? One word: SMART.

According to Inside Line's sources, Toyota may bring the Aygo, already a popular city-car in Europe, over to the U.S. in two-door form to battle the SMART by DaimlerChrysler. Even though D.C.'s mini-mobile hasn't even hit our shores and proven itself in a viable segment, Toyota may be expecting a blockbuster and doesn't want to be left out in the cold when a possible contender is waiting in the wings.

If Toyota does decide to bring a 'micro' to the States, expect it in 2008, along with the possibility of competition from the usual suspects, Honda, Nissan and Subaru.

[Source: Edmunds' Inside Line]

Toyota Aygo may make it to U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aygocity carCityCardaimlerchryslermercedes benzMercedesBenzmicro carMicroCarsmarttoyotayarisWed, 20 Sep 2006 08:39:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/671890/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/09/20/toyota-aygo-may-make-it-to-u-s/671890/article-detail.xml 671890 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/09/toyota_aygo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/09/toyota_aygo.jpg -1 2