Why Can’t New Microcars Be This Happy?

After the Second World War, drivers around the world—but mainly in Europe—enjoyed astounding freedom in the type of vehicle they drove.

Yes, you could order yourself a brand-new V12 Ferrari, but only if you were in the means. At the bottom end of the spectrum, you had a huge selection of scooters, scooter-powered microcars, and early mass-produced marvels.

I understand that global safety standards, fuel prices, market preferences, and the 1,000 other reasons why automakers no longer play in the low-low end—say, $5,000–10,000 cars.

For today’s Vintage Friday, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the happy, fun-loving designs of early microcars—and perhaps wish that Smart, Mini, Toyota, Suzuki, and all the others who play in this space could offer something comparable to a modern Messerschmitt…

How much happier would our roads look?

^{Images via: RM Sotheby’s, vintag.es, pinterest.com, gozany.tumblr.com, fourtitude.com}