Filed under: Transportation Alternatives
The Peel P50 - the one car you can drive ALL the way to work!
Thanks to my international network of secret sources, I am happy to bring to ABG readers, from the Isle of Man, none other than the true mini of minicars, the Peel P50, recently re-discovered on British TV - don't miss it. As you may not believe in the Peel P50, check out a few more snaps after the break.
Thanks to the Spitfire aircraft of World War 2, the Brits seem to have a deep affection for three-wheeled vehicles - two in the front, one in the rear. Fuel wasn't cheap after World War II ended and in the early 1960s, folks on the damp Isle of Man, where fiberglass technology had some success, came up with this vehicle: enclosed, basic transportation that was highly economical. How economical? How about 100 mi/gallon!!
The P50 was 50 cc engine powered, lightweight, and was mass produced (in the dozens), but was frankly not quite up to 21st century safety standards. On the other hand, there is something here that is interesting. Let's say we put some structure around it, perhaps a roll bar and an airbag, give it bigger tires, a bigger, quieter engine, with a top speed of say, 100 kph (62 mph). How many millions of us could get to work, to the doctor, or (in)to a friend's house in a revised P50?
[Source: Flixxy]
Courtesy of Craig Littler
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Throwback 12:12PM (11/11/2007)
Ahh, those wacky Brits, gotta love em. I hope to attend the TT races there someday.
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:16PM (11/11/2007)
Not all the British 3-wheeled vehicles have the one wheel in the back. The Reliant Robin had the one wheel in the front.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliant_Robin
My understanding is that the British like 3 wheeled vehicles because they are technically motorcycles according to the Ministry of Transportation and thus have far less usage taxes, mostly MoT (registration) fees. Additionally, motorcycles (and thus presumably Reliant Robins) are exempt from the London congestion charge.
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:18PM (11/11/2007)
The Tourist Trophy races take place on the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man is not part of the UK. The residents aren't British, they're Manx.
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Johannes Vinke 12:47PM (11/11/2007)
Was featured on Top Gear episode on October 28, 2007
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Ernie 1:19PM (11/11/2007)
"Let's say we put some structure around it, perhaps a roll bar and an airbag, give it bigger tires, a bigger, quieter engine, with a top speed of say, 100 kph (62 mph). How many millions of us could get to work, to the doctor, or (in)to a friend's house in a revised P50?"
If you did that, you sure wouldn't get 100 MPG. The only way you can reach that number is with a lightweight car and a small engine. Feature bloat as you describe above, is entirely to blame for the increase in weight of every car ever made with each passing model year.
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Turbofrog 4:12PM (11/11/2007)
I think you could easily make an engine today that is double the size of the original yet even more efficient. A crash structure, airbag, and larger tires hardly comprises excessive feature bloat, merely the bare necessity to get such a car licensed for production today.
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Phil L. 4:53PM (11/11/2007)
You'd need a bigger engine: That 50cc motor is small and efficient - but it's an oil-mix two stroke, so it's dirty as all get out.
Going to a four stroke engine would clean it up right away - but you'd only get half the power strokes at the same RPM; more displacement would help get to the same power level.
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GenWaylaid 4:34AM (11/12/2007)
It definitely CAN be done, as Jory Squibb of Maine has proven with his "Moonbeam" scooter car:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6omtd/jorysquibb/index.html
It uses a 150cc engine from a 1980s Honda scooter and very nearly seats two. I've seen it in person, and the pipes comprising its "shell" are surprisingly sturdy. No airbag, of course, and the top speed is more like 40-45 mph. With a 250cc engine, you might brush 60 mph and still get 80 mpg.
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ug 1:16PM (11/12/2007)
I think stuff like the Aptera or the VentureOne are probably the final word on 3-wheelers.
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rodger 2:52PM (11/12/2007)
Excellent post, I found it very informative, keep up the hard work.
http://www.insightempire.com/Cheapcarsearch/
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Sonia 12:03PM (4/16/2008)
Hi, can you buy this car somewhere?? really need to know? thank you :)
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Brendan 3:48AM (7/21/2008)
where can i buy one, as long as it runs i would like to know how i can buy one? please if u r lookingh to sell a peel p50 microcar then contact me
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Kane 10:40AM (8/15/2008)
This car is awsome, i would love to have one but everyone seems to be worried about it being a bad vehicle to crash in, i think it would be just as bad as a motorbike crash really...
Also if anyone knows where to buy one, please reply to this
:)-\-
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amber 7:41AM (8/19/2008)
I am looking to buy a peel p50 but i dont no where to buiy one from if u know please tell me.
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