Peel P50 - The world's smallest car!
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
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www.isleofmanm...
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PEEL P50
Certified by the Guinness Book of World Records, the Peel P50 is the world’s smallest production car ever made.
At 52.8 inches (134cm) long, 39 inches (99cm) wide, 39.4 inches tall (100cm), it is absolutely teeny tiny and not one for somebody who is claustrophobic!
But who and why were these made? Well first of all, this wasn’t a one off or a special vanity project. It was a microcar designed by Cyril Cannell and Henry Kissack and although it was a car, it was actually launched at the Earls Court Motorcycle Show.
The 49cc powered car made from 1962 until 1966 and was capable in her heyday of doing 37 mph top speed.
In fact, Peel sold these along with the Peel Trident with the strapline ‘cheaper than walking’ because they were reported to give you 100mpg.
Peel Engineering Company, the makers of these little cars, were based in Peel on the Isle of Man and had traditionally used their business for making fibreglass boats and fairings for bikes. In their heyday, Peel Engineering Company employed around 40 people.
Priced at £199 new, the lack of reverse gear on these meant that punters in the UK at least, could drive them on a motorbike license and dodge the car sales tax. It’s also worth mentioning, comparatively at the time, £250 would’ve bought you a fairly good motorbike.
Oh and I should mention, if you wanted to reverse, you had to pick up the car with a little handle at the back end and turn it around yourself.
It’ll probably horrify some of you at home to know, this was a completely road legal vehicle, although you’ll see when we’re out on test the slightest touch of the steering wheel gives a dramatic response, so they were prone to tipping.
Very few of these remain today, so I feel especially lucky and thankful to the Isle of Man motor museum for lending us this car.
Gosh, only in a Peel P50 could "two-and-a-half thousand miles from new" sound like a lot. Love it!
2500 miles that sounds like torture 🤣 👍
Normally if I saw that on the odo of a car this old I'd assume it had rolled over after 102,000 miles. This, not so much.
@@nlpnt yes my thoughts exactly, I dont fancy gaping 250 miles in this. 😂🤣
I love that you’re driving this. It’s the perfect marriage of your love for classic cars and your incredible weight loss journey. Great video.
Thank you. It did feel well deserved after the loss x
The impressive thing is that Jeremy Clarkson fits in one a 6foot 4 and famously drove one around BBC Television centre
Eddie Hall too.
That episode was hilarious.
Baffles the shinola outta me how anyone could ever have been unkind to someone as adorable as Steph, probably the sweetest person anywhere on UA-cam
Baffles me.
The world is shockingly messed up. 😢
Awesome! Imagine how scary it must have felt to drive these through London traffic even in the 60's 😊
Next to a Mini it’s not too stressful. Next to a modern car? No thanks.
Maybe this is where Clive Sinclair got the idea for an open-top version - the C5 ;-)
@@Mortimer50145 Sir Clive should have stuck to computers 😊
I think I'd be terrified... Imagine hitting a pot hole. Thanks for arranging this test drive. Which do you think is scarier, this the c5 or the Bond minicar?
In the 60's most cars were small (yes this is diminutive), and roads not as congested.
This would have been a good suburban get around.
My great Uncle used to build these!
I love it. If I ever win the lottery, I'll have to buy one to drive round my mansion hahaha.
There was another contender for World's Smallest Production Car: the Rytecraft Scootacar, built in the 1930s. Adapted from a fairground dogem car, around 1,000 were made in London. A Scootacar was driven around the world in the 1960s and is currently on display at Brooklands.
Let's not forget the Brutsch Mopetta.
Awesome looks like you had a lot of fun driving this.
There is even an optional trailer specifically for the p50 replicas for extra cargo space.
Wnen I was on holiday in the Isle of Man many years ago I saw one parked in a street only time after was Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear so nice to see Steph doing a proper road test . Yes the I.O.M. museum is worth a visit and the TT course
I remember the episode on Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson drove it into a lift, to show how small it was
@@davethornewell7417 ...and then had to slide the window open and call for someone to pull him out the door.
@@johnbastille5483 Fiona Bruce that was. Then Dermot Murnaghan turned him round with the little handle while he was stopped at a zebra crossing!
Such a brilliant video, and good to see such a quirky car, and by the way Steph your looking fabulous.
One of the surviving cars (551 TRL) belonged to a lady in Newquay. She used it like a mobility scooter. I remember seeing it once or twice when I was a boy.
I hope she didn't drive it on the pavements !
Bonkers, of course. But kudos to you for showing it to us. Thanks very much.
I like the little car 🚗. Thank you for the video 📸📸📸📸📸❤
looks like a fun car
I only recently discovered you and I have found your videos to be very informative and entertaining. Thanks!
😂. It makes Ian Seabrook's TWC look like a limousine 😮
Ah yes, good old HubNut!
49cc - blimey, my modern Husqvarna chainsaw has a higher capacity engine with greater power output. I'm amazed it can get to 38mph. Great video.
As always , cool car, classy lady.
I lived in Peel until a few years ago - hopefully the old factory unit where these were made is still there. Lovely review, thanks for sharing your experience!
Remember the episode of top gear where Jeremy Clarkson drove one of these through the BBC office lol
I remember seeing this a few years ago in a newspaper and the **PRICE** 😮😮😮😮
It looks like a "Little Tykes" kiddies car!!!
It looks terrifying!
Wow Ian's TWC would be bigger . Great vid as usual Steph.
You can place that in your handbag and catch the bus to go routes you aren't familiar with as that thing doesn't have a nav.
Just subbed.
Steph is so plucky. In spite of her concerns, she gave it her all and thus produced an enthralling video. Wonderful channel, keep up the good work and thank you Steph!
Loving where the coil is positioned! Great vid Steph.
IMO it still has room for 2 headlights
It looks hilarious and I love the noise it makes. Have you ever had a shot of an Invacar? That takes some serious retraining of the brain but is hilarious
Thank you, Steph, for a great drive in an exceedingly interesting creation. The museum has been added to my "must visit" list.
It’s brilliant!
Very cute!
Great Video!
Awesome little car! Did you see the BBC Top Gear where Jeremy Clarkson drove one of those around inside the offices of BBC Television Centre? It’s hilarious!
My favorite part is where he trolled the diversity meeting by showing up as a car. Lol.
The Peel P50 is nothing compared with the P45 by Jeremy Clarkson
Love the channel
Great film - Thanks Steph. I have always loved these little cars but you must feel very vulnerable driving one - a charming piece of motoring history.
Always liked the Peel, I blame Jeremy Clarkson for that 😂 great video.
I imagine that feels totally different to that Plymouth Fury you drove recently! From land yacht to toy car.
I love that no matter what you drive, you seem to so thoroughly enjoy it!
Next up: Isetta!
Using the Bank of England inflation calculator, £99 in 1962 is £1,700 today.
Not too shabby.
I could put my smart fortwo in the back of a truck. You could put your P50 in the back of my smartcar.. lol
Not surprised you were so careful with it - apart from being rather, er, challenging to drive these things are worth very serious money now.
FFS. That must have been terrifying in heavy traffic. Safer on a motorbike !!
Капсула смерти.
KNA 665F - pleasing for the way of intellectual arising in our existence
It’s called die fast. Guaranteed
I remember when it first appeared, the makers pointed that the it came in could be also used as its garage....
Soo' peaple by very smart! Too' cange mind! For'e that's Car save aload of gasolina- Litr'e end Money 2.
Haven't seen one of those opposite direction speedos before.
The boss of BMC,(was it Leonard Lord?) told Alec Issigonis to design the Mini, to get those blasted micro cars off the road.
It looks like a death trap, you’re a very brave Lady Steph .
Wow Steph you are one brave lady and very skilled at taking on any moving vehicle it would seem .... just love it .... can't imagine where the shopping was meant to go , roof racks?? no too much drag I dare say...
Reminds me of the old Cushman Trucksters I drove.
Thanks for posting this
I would like to see similarly sized battery operated vehicles with cca 70-80km range used for daily transport to work and home. Just add some additional space for grocery bag and few things. In general things like Renault Twizzy. Just the price of those is not very friendly for mass-use in large citties. It is far better than using scooter, because you can use it even if it rains and it si still a bit safer. And especially better if you compare it with bicycle commuting.
Check out the Elf car.
Its auto rickshaw with frontbwheel put at back and with steering wheel. Good thing is only if electric n cheap
Sadly, you can't really take advantage of the lack of speed limits on the Isle of Man in a Peel P50.🧐🤦♂️🤣
How cute this thing is ♥
And the car's nice, too lol
Да это машина явно достойна Кароля Чарльза!!! Кататься по Лондону в Паб!!! 😁😁😁😁👍👍
If you were to modify this with electric bike components to turn it into a mass produceable Velomobile, you could make a lot of money
Sounds like auto rickshaw ❤😂🎉
It looks like a bug that is out on a limb. In a road rage scenario, the aggrieved person could grab it by the handle like a suitcase and drag it to the pavement.
London taxi car review please from india🇮🇳
Good morning , Englander ... NY here , (very) late Saturday night ... Goodnight , catch you in the NY a.m. ...Nitey nite , Steph ... ( comment # 3 , never been so early , so late )
Haha good night and good morning xx
Nice has is been cut in half I'd never think of getting in there I like walking sorry but it is nice😊😮
So nice to see a POV from inside one of these. I wonder if you could drive it round the supermarket. It’s hardly bigger than a Costco trolley.
Jeremy Clarkson famously drove it through BBC headquarters and took it in a lift with Fiona Bruce.
Hello from Munich. That 'A' sticker with red-white-red does not indicate it was probably crawling up to some mountain farmhouse in Austria, does it. Thanks for peeling in and out 🌷:)
Very vintage car but you are so beautifull❤❤❤
It is an interesting car not one that would be fun to drive on the road with modern traffic though. Awesome video.
I would’ve felt uneasy with modern SUVs.
@@idriveaclassic that is true.
Imagine driving this on a motorway in foul weather at night with an artic cruising up behind you 😨.
Thanks for the video.
Legal 😊
На такие маленькие машинки нужно пересадить весь мир ни хрена на внедорожниках по городу расшивать! Одна ж*па 1 малюсенькая машинка 1 моторчик Максимум 5 сил
Also, the world's ugliest car 🤣
Very cute car Steph!
It's a two stroke! Does it have a tiny power band?! 😄
The car designed for driving around inside the BBC building.
I m intetestet producton this car
Very nice
Thank you for the video
Rf tired definitely needs alignment or suspension work
And you aren't driving safely. You were going the wrong way on a 1 way road in the parking lot
The car park was closed off. It was absolutely fine…
I would be too scared to drive it around any rigs, it would definitely be in all of the blind spots around big rigs, it looks like an nice town car to drive around town.
Looks like the seat from a 2CV.
Very cool machine, so small and probably very economical! True, you won’t take much away in such a car!🙂👍👍
What's it's towing capacity?
Cât ? costă, și unde mă pot adresa pentru a cumpăra, aceasta minune
That suits you Steph 😜
Superb, I really want one of those with a hayabusa motor 😂
I know a guy who needs one of these.
Was voted one of the ugliest
It's scary just sitting still!
Can i guy one of these here in Australia?
Пять минут позора, и ты на работе🤣
Lol
Looks like a Cozy Coupe
Only 49cc ! Legal for 16 yr old drivers then
Great review, your description gives a great impression of what is must be like to drive; which is why I enjoy your reviews.
Fantastic drive🎉.
Great fun I think, I mean what's not to like? I do remember seeing a news reel back in the 60's I think. The whole thing was promoting how easy it is to park and cheap to run. I love your 'have a go' attitude Steph, thank you.👍👍
Fun little road test! The horn reminded me of what the back-up alarms sound like on some of the Amazon vans here in the States, rather like a crow w/ laryngitis...Not sure how "ultra-mini" we got here in the States (Domestic makes, that is), except for some of Powell Crosley's early cars, sold thru hardware stores, alongside Crosley 'fridges and radios...
Enjoyed this one! I’ve read about the P50, and saw one at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, but had never seen one in action. Makes an Invacar look pretty posh… ;-)