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Archive for the 'microcars' Category

BMW CEO confirms city car with electric option

Friday, September 12th, 2008

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From user omolody on Flickr.

We’ve heard consistent rumors since last year that BMW was considering entering the tiny car market with a new electric car. This entire time, BMW was to decide on the fate of the city EV by the end of the year, and it seems that they have. BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer has confirmed that the Bavarian automaker will indeed go smaller, though we are not so sure it will wear the blue and white badge. Rather, the new vehicle could wear the Isetta badge made popular on microcars from the past. “It’ll be a car with a completely new look, with two engines available. One will be a very efficient combustion engine and the other will be a purely electric model,” says Reithofer. Speculation is that the electric model will get over 200 miles per charge. We don’t know what internal combustion engine is slated for the Isetta, but BMW has plenty of experience with small and efficient engines from its Motorrad division. We like the way this is going.

[Source: Autocar]

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SIA Flashback - The Mouse that Roared

Sunday, May 27th, 2007

Quick, what car beat the Corvette to the punch as America’s first modern sports car and at the same time brought down 30 miles to the gallon? Okay, so the picture above gives it away: the 1949-52 Crosley Hot Shot/Super Sports. Too many people overlook the tiny Crosley sports car because of its size or […]

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A few weeks back, we brought you the (alleged) 376 mpg Opel, noting that it (allegedly) was the result of a (unconfirmed) Shell ultra-mileage test on (clandestine) superheated vapor fuel technology, similar to the technology that Smokey Yunick (did indeed) patent and install on a 1984 Fiero. We noted that other (supposed) test vehicles in […]

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Any Crosley devotee knows that the CoBra four-cylinder engine that powered the post-war Crosleys was essentially repurposed from its use in generators that provided many an Allied war unit with necessary electricity. But Powel Crosley tried to offer plenty more assistance in the war effort.

For example, Crosley built at least a couple different three-wheeled prototypes, […]

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In a few ways, Microcars are the precursors to today’s NEVs and other small cars like the Smart. Microcars grew out of the post-WWII era in Europe when concern wasn’t on building small cars because they were fuel efficient, but because materials were not readily available. Over the years, these small and noisy little buggers grew to be favored by some and admired by many.

Now a new book, Microcars at Large!, covers the history and development or many microcars, including all the best-loved cars like the Isetta and Bond Bug. The book, by Adam Quellin, features picture of each model and compares early microcars with their modern counterparts. It’s available now from Veloce Press.

[Source: Veloce]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

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