Ateco

[JohnW]

There have been attempts to produce very small personal cars before. The cyclecar era up to the early 1920's produced some innovative machines but the market was for the family car. After the war there were the French micro minis like the Rovin but were killed off by the Renault 4CV, a larger car for not much more money.
I remember in 1962 a Ballarat car dealer, O'Briens Motors, imported a shipment of the very small Subarus common in Japan. Well made, had favorable road tests, an ideal city car but they gathered dust in the Bakery Hill showroom until it was redeveloped.
It looks like a modern attempt at the personal car will be made with models like the Twizzy. Hidalgo would like a Paris populated with such vehicles but to be successful traffic streams of very heavy and very light vehicles need separation.

Yes, agreed. I'd always buy something a wee bit bigger, secondhand. I've no idea how many Twizzys (what IS the plural?) have been sold.

 

[Kim Luck]

There have been attempts to produce very small personal cars before. The cyclecar era up to the early 1920's produced some innovative machines but the market was for the family car. After the war there were the French micro minis like the Rovin but were killed off by the Renault 4CV, a larger car for not much more money.
I remember in 1962 a Ballarat car dealer, O'Briens Motors, imported a shipment of the very small Subarus common in Japan. Well made, had favorable road tests, an ideal city car but they gathered dust in the Bakery Hill showroom until it was redeveloped.
It looks like a modern attempt at the personal car will be made with models like the Twizzy. Hidalgo would like a Paris populated with such vehicles but to be successful traffic streams of very heavy and very light vehicles need separation.

I grew up surrounded by Messerschmitt KR200, Heinkel Kabine and BMW Isetta "Bubble Cars". Those with a family could have a Reliant Robin, or the more sporty types could own a Berkley Sports. These micro cars abounded in the UK in the 50's and 60's and provided much needed mobility at a price point that was manageable. The Reliant became the second most produced GRP car in history. Sadly, whilst innovative and economical, these small cars were not necessarily designed to be involved in crashes, as things like single front doors might indicate. However, I'm sure that the concept of providing transport at a minimal size and price still exists, and now that EV's are here, it may be possible to enjoy them once again.

 

[JohnW]

I grew up surrounded by Messerschmitt KR200, Heinkel Kabine and BMW Isetta "Bubble Cars". Those with a family could have a Reliant Robin, or the more sporty types could own a Berkley Sports. These micro cars abounded in the UK in the 50's and 60's and provided much needed mobility at a price point that was manageable. The Reliant became the second most produced GRP car in history. Sadly, whilst innovative and economical, these small cars were not necessarily designed to be involved in crashes, as things like single front doors might indicate. However, I'm sure that the concept of providing transport at a minimal size and price still exists, and now that EV's are here, it may be possible to enjoy them once again.

I guess some of the vehicles like those didn't attract the same registration costs as larger "austerity" vehicles like the Topolino and the 4CV. That's a huge attraction as low cost mobility in post-war times with money tight. Interesting post, thanks.

 

[Russell Hall]

After Mr Bean I always kept an eye out for Reliants when leaving a park with a boom gate but alas none were ever handy. Three wheelers never made it big in Australia because on a dirt road your third wheel is always in the rough.

 

[David Cavanagh]

I think small personal transport is terrifying these days, my two experiences these days were being tail gunner for my nephew in his 4cv to Yass sitting on 80kph up the Hume Fwy. A truck probably didn't judge our speed and came so close to running up my backside I was about to jump into the emergency lane leaving James to fend for himself, as I swung left he swung right so crisis avoided.
Just yesterday on club run, I was driving my Alpine just cruising along the Monash Fwy when I realised I'm only up to the door handles of modern SUV's and utes. It was quite scary hopeing they knew I was there when they changed lanes.

 

[JohnW]

I think small personal transport is terrifying these days, my two experiences these days were being tail gunner for my nephew in his 4cv to Yass sitting on 80kph up the Hume Fwy. A truck probably didn't judge our speed and came so close to running up my backside I was about to jump into the emergency lane leaving James to fend for himself, as I swung left he swung right so crisis avoided.
Just yesterday on club run, I was driving my Alpine just cruising along the Monash Fwy when I realised I'm only up to the door handles of modern SUV's and utes. It was quite scary hopeing they knew I was there when they changed lanes.

Agreed. That's the main reason our daughter sold the 306 and got into a Scenic. Mind you the Scenic's volume suits her well too. I never thought the 306 was particularly small until the last few years of ridiculous SUV sales.

 

[Russell Hall]

A small car in front of a Kenworth is not visible to the driver. I've had a couple of incidents with the 203 with badly driven trucks that make me cautious. But then again in the Mazda ute I find it daunting being passed by a rattling unroadworthy log truck driven by an idiot travelling at 120k's. Don't try the Western/Dukes Highway at night, like the old Hume, all travelling at 120. Small cars like the Twizzy will only work in designated areas like inner cities where larger vehicles can be excluded.
When a truck is running up fast behind you look for the telltale puff of smoke as he locks the trailer brakes. It means he's woken up. Some drivers are so far out of it they could finish their journey with a 4CV stuck under the bumper and not notice.

 

[JohnW]

A small car in front of a Kenworth is not visible to the driver. I've had a couple of incidents with the 203 with badly driven trucks that make me cautious. But then again in the Mazda ute I find it daunting being passed by a rattling unroadworthy log truck driven by an idiot travelling at 120k's. Don't try the Western/Dukes Highway at night, like the old Hume, all travelling at 120. Small cars like the Twizzy will only work in designated areas like inner cities where larger vehicles can be excluded.
When a truck is running up fast behind you look for the telltale puff of smoke as he locks the trailer brakes. It means he's woken up. Some drivers are so far out of it they could finish their journey with a 4CV stuck under the bumper and not notice.

All too true.

 

[Kim Luck]

A small car in front of a Kenworth is not visible to the driver. I've had a couple of incidents with the 203 with badly driven trucks that make me cautious. But then again in the Mazda ute I find it daunting being passed by a rattling unroadworthy log truck driven by an idiot travelling at 120k's. Don't try the Western/Dukes Highway at night, like the old Hume, all travelling at 120. Small cars like the Twizzy will only work in designated areas like inner cities where larger vehicles can be excluded.
When a truck is running up fast behind you look for the telltale puff of smoke as he locks the trailer brakes. It means he's woken up. Some drivers are so far out of it they could finish their journey with a 4CV stuck under the bumper and not notice.

I've driven a few Prime movers in my time and anything with a vison obscuring bonnet on it is out of the era of Arks and cubits. They are an anachronism. In a modern cab-over prime mover you can see a couple of feet in front of your bumper.

 

[JohnW]

I've driven a few Prime movers in my time and anything with a vison obscuring bonnet on it is out of the era of Arks and cubits. They are an anachronism. In a modern cab-over prime mover you can see a couple of feet in front of your bumper.

No arguments but lots of prime movers on the Eyre Highway this week were big-bonnet Kenworths. Others were modern with no overhang, many of them Benz.

 

[Russell Hall]

I've driven a few Prime movers in my time and anything with a vison obscuring bonnet on it is out of the era of Arks and cubits. They are an anachronism. In a modern cab-over prime mover you can see a couple of feet in front of your bumper.

Local driver told me he couldn't see small cars right in front of him. Like the truck on a Melbourne freeway last year that travelled some distance with a small car under the bumper until alerted by other motorists. Perhaps their long bonnet trucks are old but they are in general use in the country and do all our freight.

 

[seasink]

The heavy lorries I see around here, Western Star, Mack, etc, usually with a dog trailer hauling rock from the endless excavations around town, nearly all have a bonnet. They aren't antiques. Having a longer wheelbase with more engine room they tend to be the really heavy haulers.

I don't think there's anything "modern" about cab over design. It goes back to blitz wagons, ti reduces wheelbase.

Because they have a poor view close up, I get really pissed when one tailgates the DS3 on the motorway.