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
