Bubble cars

Bubble cars /bub-buhl karz/ noun (plural)

Bubble cars were a type of microcar, popular in the 1950s and early 1960s, characterised by their diminutive size, small motorcycle-derived engines, and aircraft-canopy-inspired passenger enclosures. These were not so much cars as they were enclosed scooters with delusions of grandeur. Born from the economic hardship of post-war Europe, they were the absolute bare minimum of personal transport, designed by aircraft engineers who suddenly found themselves with nothing to do. The bubble car was a cheerful, noisy, and often precarious solution to the problem of getting out of the rain, offering just enough performance to be marginally better than walking.

The Full Story of Bubble Cars

The story of the bubble car begins in the ruins of post-war Germany. With its great aircraft manufacturers like Messerschmitt and Heinkel forbidden from building planes, their engineers applied their expertise in lightweight, aerodynamic structures to a new challenge: cheap personal transport. The result was the "Kabinenroller" or cabin scooter. The Messerschmitt KR200 was the most famous example, a bizarre tandem two-seater that looked more like the cockpit of a fighter plane than a car, right down to its hinged canopy and handlebar steering.

The most successful of the breed was the BMW Isetta. Originally an Italian design, it was adopted and re-engineered by BMW, which fitted it with one of its reliable motorcycle engines. Its most famous feature was its front end, which was a single, large, hinged door that the steering column was attached to. To get in, you swung the entire nose of the car out of the way. It was a brilliantly strange solution, and the car became a huge commercial success.

Britain, deep in its own period of post-war austerity, embraced the bubble car with enthusiasm. The German-designed Isetta was built under licence in a former railway works in Brighton and became a common sight on British roads. It was seen as a slightly more chic and modern alternative to the grim, domestically produced three-wheelers from the likes of Bond and Reliant.

Life with a bubble car was an adventure. They were cramped, buzzy, and terrifyingly slow. Their tiny two-stroke engines often required the driver to mix oil in with their petrol at the filling station. Crash protection was non-existent; the owner's optimism was the primary safety feature. Yet they had their charms. The Isetta's unique door meant it could be parked nose-in to the pavement, allowing the occupants to step directly onto the kerb, a trick that infuriated traffic wardens.

The bubble car's last hurrah came with the Suez Crisis of 1956. With petrol suddenly rationed, the public rushed to buy the most fuel-efficient vehicles they could find. But the end was already in sight. As prosperity returned, and with the launch of the revolutionary Austin Mini in 1959, the bubble burst. The Mini offered four proper seats and a proper engine for a similar price. Almost overnight, the bubble car was rendered obsolete, a comical and charming relic of a time when half a car was considered better than no car at all.

For The Record

Did they really have aeroplane parts in them?

Not directly, but they were heavily influenced by aircraft design. Their lightweight shell-like bodies, perspex canopies, and tandem seating layouts were direct applications of aeronautical principles by former aircraft engineers.

How did you get into a BMW Isetta?

The entire front of the car was a single, hinged door. You opened it, and the steering wheel and column swung out with it, allowing you to step inside. It was an ingenious solution to the problem of access in a car that was barely wider than its driver.

Did they have a reverse gear?

Not always. Some of the most basic models, particularly those with two-stroke engines that could be run backwards to provide reverse, omitted a proper reverse gear to save cost and complexity. The tiny Peel P50 required the driver to get out and lift the rear of the car using a handle.

What was the most powerful bubble car?

Power was not their strong suit. The Messerschmitt TG500 "Tiger" was the king of the castle. It was a rare, four-wheeled version of the KR200 fitted with a mighty 494cc engine producing almost 20 horsepower. In the world of microcars, it was considered a fire-breathing monster.

Why did Britain build German bubble cars under licence?

Because it was quicker and cheaper than designing a new car from scratch. The German designs were proven, and for British companies in the 1950s, it was an easy way to get a product into the booming market for fuel-efficient transport without the massive cost of research and development.