The content of the article:
- Who needs a "mini"
- The main advantages of a mini car
- TOP 10 most interesting "babies"
Mini cars are becoming more and more popular. These models are especially relevant in overcrowded cities, where there are enough parking problems at any time of the day, racing speed is not required, and maneuverability is highly desirable. In the cohort of mini-cars, you can find both children's vehicles and quite full-fledged cars that are operated along with the sedans we are used to. Let's see what interesting things the designers have created in this vehicle category.
Who needs a "mini"
Today, mini-cars are in demand in European countries, especially in those cities that are distinguished by narrow streets and congested parking lots. Miniature transport is in great demand in the cities of Italy and France, as well as in the Netherlands. Mini-cars are gradually penetrating our streets.
Among the mini-cars there are author's models created in a single copy, and there are also models launched into mass production.... When designing these vehicles, their creators sought to develop full-fledged models that can move on the roads along with standard cars.
The main advantages of a mini car
Miniature transport is not a car, it will not develop high speed, but this is not necessary for such a model. But the creators of miniature vehicles point to the following advantages:
- profitability;
- maneuverability;
- ease of parking.
The issue of fuel economy for mini-vehicles is very significant - since miniature cars were developed mainly for densely populated cities, they should be focused on low fuel consumption. Also, the creators pay attention to the fact that their "kids" are very maneuverable and easily park in places where at first glance there is enough space for a motorcycle. It is these characteristics that attract the consumer who decides to purchase a mini-car.
Another important characteristic of mini-transport is, of course, its safety.... For the creators, this is a real challenge - to design vehicles of small size with a decent level of protection for the driver and passengers. And, as the full-fledged crash tests of mini-cars testify, the leading car manufacturers are coping with this challenge quite adequately.
So which mini cars look the most interesting?
TOP 10 most interesting "babies"
E2o
This is a full-fledged serial electric car of the Mahindra company. Its length is only 2.28 m, it weighs 830 kg. Despite claims that mini-vehicles and high speeds are incompatible, this small car can travel at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour.
The company's designers took into account the current disappointing situation with full-fledged filling stations for electric vehicles and found an excellent solution - this model of a mini-car can be charged from the most ordinary household electrical outlet.
With such characteristics, E2o fits perfectly into the transport world of large cities and megalopolises. Where sedans or large SUVs will have problems with movement in too dense traffic, and electric cars will have difficulty charging batteries, this machine will be in demand and convenient.
Isetta
This is a very small model 2.28 m long and 1.27 m wide. The body shape resembles a bubble, for which the car received its nickname.
Isetta is the brainchild of the Italian car manufacturer Velam... The name of the car comes from the name of the motorcycle engine ISO Moto-200 with a capacity of only 9.5 hp. Compared to the e2o, this is just a baby - the model weighs only 360 kg. But at the same time, the speed remains quite acceptable - 97 km / h.
The car is designed for a driver and one passenger. The door to the salon is located on the front of the car. The designers took a non-standard approach to the issue of the safety of their transport: the roof of the car is made of a soft pliable material. As conceived by the authors, if the car door is blocked, the evacuation route for people will lie through the roof.
Fiat-500
Fiat has always gravitated towards small cars. The 500 model was first released in 1957 and is considered the best car in the history of the company. Interestingly, at a time when automakers, including Fiat, began to actively abandon classic models in favor of new projects, this very 500th model continued to be produced and sold.
The modern look of the model meets all the new directions and trends in automotive fashion, while maintaining its classic features.
The size of the "Pyatisotka" is 2.97 m, its weight is almost half a ton. The 17 horsepower engine allows the vehicle to accelerate to 85 km / h.
ForTwo
Perhaps this car is quite capable of pushing its closest competitor on the pedestal. The brainchild of the Smart company is distinguished by excellent equipment and, which is very important, excellent safety characteristics. Automotive experts claim that this is one of the best mini vehicles on the market today.
The body length of the model is 2.69 m, the width is 1.54 m. True, there is one caveat: these dimensions are already too miniaturized, not every motorist will fit into a cramped cabin. In this case, the car is designed for the driver and passenger.
An interesting fact: there are as many as eight (!) Airbags in this crumb.
The weight of the model is quite large - 900 kg, but at the same time the speed characteristics did not disappoint: 155 km / h for the "kid" is more than enough. The dynamics is provided by a 0.9-liter engine with 90 horsepower.
Tango
This model attracts attention even among its mini-brothers. The Kommuter Cars company has created a car for one person. Hence the shape of the model, which is unusual for a familiar look.
This car has all the maneuverability and speed characteristics of an average motorcycle, but at the same time it is a full-fledged single car with all the necessary degrees of protection. Crash tests have shown that the Tango easily competes with sports cars and regular, normal-sized sedans in terms of safety.
The body length of the model is 2.57 m, the width is 0.99 m. The model is not designed for dense car owners. The designers claim that the model is capable of speeds up to 250 km / h. True, it is not very clear who needs such a speed in modern overcrowded metropolitan areas.
The small dimensions of the car are not a hindrance to its weight: the mass of this model exceeds 1300 kg.
P50
This car is interesting because for almost half a century it held the palm as the smallest car registered in the Guinness Book of Records. The Reel company produced vehicles weighing only 59 kg, 1.34 m long and 1.04 m wide. A 4.2 horsepower motor allows this baby to reach speeds of up to 61 km / h.
Another model of the same developers, Trident, is no longer designed for one driver, but for a driver and a passenger. An interesting fact is that this model also got into the Guinness Book of Records - already as the smallest car for two.
It is noteworthy that both models are still in great demand, and not only among collectors - in the UK, these cars can easily be found on the roads.
Motoplan
The designer Karl Jurisch developed this model back in 1957. Being a fan of two-wheeled vehicles, Karl wanted to equip the car with two wheels.But the laws of stability dictated their own rules, and a third wheel was added to the car.
This 2.28 m model occupies an intermediate position between cars and motorcycles. The Motoplan weighs a little: 165 kg. Motor 9.5 hp provides speeds up to 88 km / h.
Мia Еlestriс
The creators of this model are French. The company of the same name presented this miniature electric car with the expectation that over time, more and more people will appreciate the advantages that small electric cars give to the citizen.
The car fits the driver and two passengers... There are two sliding doors on the sides of the body. Externally, the exterior of the model resembles a minibus, only greatly reduced. Its length is 2.87 m, weight is 810 kg. The electric motor provides 13 hp, which allows the car to move at a speed of 110 km / h.
And as a curtain - two more models of miniature cars that are not serial. Their creators developed them in a single copy.
Matiz
The prototype of this baby is Daewoo Ravon. The English mechanic used the Ravon platform and created his own plastic body on it. The car is designed for a child, but at the same time it is able to reach speeds of up to 95 km / h.
Coulson Mini Car
This auto mechanic from the United States in 2014 managed to present a mini-model, which displaced the brainchild of Reel from the pedestal in the Guinness Book of Records.
Its length is 1.27 m, width - 0.66 m, height - 0.64 m. It is noteworthy that the designer managed to get all the official certificates with which it is quite legal to drive this baby on American roads. So it is truly the smallest full-fledged car to date.
The mini-car theme is quite interesting. But, be that as it may, such models always move in the wake of the main automotive trends. A mini-car will always find its connoisseur, but in general this trend today is more exotic than everyday life.
