Absolutely love this! I've spent years designing cars, mostly outrageously expensive two (and three 😉) seat supercars. Latterly I was moved onto large character-less, heavy, un-needed SUVs. THIS! Is the future of urban transport, or it damn well should be. I'd happily have one, if it weren't for the fact that I have to do a 250 mile commute to get to work these days. I really hope this is adopted and takes off. It has genuine charm and it sounds very very practical. More launches like this please OEMs!
Thanks for the comment. We need to ask - what cars have you designed? Do tell. And blimey, you have a hell of a commute. Do you listen to the Smith & Sniff podcast? 😎
@@TheLateBrakeShow thankfully it is only once a week.... I've worked on a thing named Speedtail, another named Sabre for a Woking based mob and recently worked on something named T.50 I know of it but I'm not much of a podcaster, I should try, as there's a lot of interesting stuff out there, I just end up missing most of what I listen to whilst driving as I'm normally trying to avoid suicidal drivers 😆
Personally, I like this thing as an object. But I don't think, that this is the future of urban mobility. The problem is, that these tiny cars will probably be bought in addition to larger cars, that serve all the other purposes. Which means, that even more cars will clutter the already scarce public spaces. I think that people, when they REALLY need a car, should focus on small cars, that can do everthing. And ideally, the number of cars should be reduced, so we can use all that space that is reserved for them now for other uses / modes of transport.
At three times the price of an Ami, and getting on for £20k for the one you'd want, it is not the future. Yet. Another. Rich. Person's Toy. Nonsense. Watch the pinned comment get changed again because someone replies some common sense. 🙄
As a motoring journalist / car enthusiast, it must be so refreshing to have a genuinely interesting and different vehicle to review as the market becomes saturated with two-tonne "me-too" electronic app devices on wheels.
@@toastrytoaster New Escalade is 4 tonnes, which is insane. Also, there is something very sinister about the incessant rise in popularity of aggressive looking vehicles. It doesn't bode well for humanity, IMO.
That price is craaaaazy! This must be aimed at car collectors. Most of us normies would much rather have a lightly used anything. Way too many compromises for £22k
For that kind of money one can buy several good running cars from the auction with change left over. I rather roll the dice on a 500E for a couple grand and hope the battery is still good.
My friend bought the long range one for €27k... After I bought an used Tesla model 3 for €25k.. People facepalm every time I tell them that my friend's microlino is more expensive than my Tesla
I had the privilege of watching Mr Jonny Smith at work filming the Microlino. He was professional enough to answer my questions when I interrupted him frequently. An absolute gent. (+ the crew)Thank you Mr Jonny, and continue with the great videos!
I can't afford this, but 6 months ago bought a 2003 smart city coupe cabriolet (for two). It puts a smile on my face every time I drive it and even when I see it parked outside my house, I suspect this would do exactly the same. Love it.
Love it! Whilst it’s aimed at the city, I reckon it’s easily as good for us in the countryside where villages and local market towns are only 2-12 miles apart and it’ll really suit the narrow lanes, which haven’t grown with the width of modern cars and tractors. Thanx for the great (Patreon-special) review👍👏🙏⭐️💥
Thank you for the comment. And yeah, it'd definitely work for a short commute or village life. The boot is gigantic, and the cabin huge for its wheelbase. It's just a special thing.
@@alancampbell1008 You would be surprised, i live in a Hamlet and all the people round here use £500 crap old clios and other little cars as shopping trolleys
@@TheLateBrakeShow Uncomfortable, the battery (and overall drivetrain) won't handle a regular commute for many years, it's far less safe than cars, and I'd like to see how poorly it'll perform in the winter. Are there even winter tires sold for that quadricycle?
One of the reasons the original bubble cars disappeared from the uk was safety. I remember my dad who was a police man telling me about a crash where a bubble car was hit on its side when it was going round a roundabout, because it had no corners like a football it just kept on rolling and ended up in a shop not using the door. Thank you for taking the time to make this video the location was as good as the car a great atmosphere again thank you
@@smartgorilla The Smart is far safer and meets the safety standards which all cars must meet. The Microlino is a quadricycle, weighs far less, and isn't anywhere near as safe.
It's an L7E and L6E Quadricycle, it doesn't have to comply with car level safety standards. That's why it's limited to 28mph on the base L6E model and 56mph on L7E models.
No airbags. No ABS. No meeting of car safety standards. Also no parking sensors, cameras, high-tech headlamps, auto windshield wipers, lane change warnings, auto brake, nothing...
Leafy leafy London! I see you’re in the Greenwich side of things. I was there in 60s. It was a different time, Jonny. You could commandeer the Cutty Sark by topping up the caretaker’s pipe with a spot of the old hasish and sail to visit dear dear friends on the Kent Riviera. Sweet, sweet friends. Their springer spaniel would pick me up from Whitstable harbour in his motorcycle and sidecar. The sidecar had an ale pump connected to a freshly tapped cask of Old Friggadier. Ah, the sixtees.
Had this car a top speed on 62mph/100kmh via some sort of "overdrive", so it could be used on brief dual carriageway commutes, and was topped out at £17k instead of starting there, it would sell famously well! Maybe the UK Gov needs to INVITE Microlino to set up a UK assembly plant in order to make the vehicles MORE ACCESSIBLE and help develop our flegling EV industry? (and produce RHD versions for international markets like Japan, Sth Africa and the Antipodes?)
@ziggarillo 56 KMH! That's just about 30 mph! ....DANGEROUS in much faster traffic! In urban zones under 40mph it would be fine, but we have dual carriageways with 60mph limits within some towns and cities! Get caught on one of these, in a vehicle limited to such a low speed and it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt!
What a lovely car. There's no need for massive SUVs in the city. Just imagine the commutes if everyone had small cars. You'e right, small cars are not 'small' really. The bloke that does our cars bought an IQ which is pretty big inside and well specced. Shame this is £22K. Prices need to come down for quicker adoption.
Agreed. It might be time for North American cities to levy much higher taxes on larger vehicles to discourage their sales. After watching this, it's hard to *not* envision my city with micro cars mixed in with pedestrians, bikes, scooters, all supplemented with excellent transit options.
@@charlienyc1 I find it all very dangerous skimming so much off cars to the point where we have to go slower. Loved the concept of the smart but didn't like how they got rid of the spare wheel and had very custom parts. The four person made kind of sense but my up seemed better and cheaper
I drove an Smart car for a while, I love tiny cars and this looks like a Nice One. If you're flush with cash this looks like a perfect city car. Keep up the good work ya stroker! 🍻
You wouldn't believe how much I want one of these. I owned one of the original LHD drive smarts 25 years ago, so I totally get the comments about driving round with a massive smile, while people stop & stare as you drove by. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position financially to even consider one of these. But if my lottery numbers came up, I'd have one in a heartbeat. I notice some of the factory footage in the video shows a car panels in a very close match to Smarts "True blue" colour. ....that's got to be deliberate! :)
It's like these car manufacturers think we have got crazy money nowadays??? 65k for most new evs at top end and 20k for this . I'll keep the mk2 golf gti for now 😂
I think this is the first LBS video driving round streets i know well. It kept freaking me out when the scene would cut to somewhere nearby but absolutely not where it looked like it was heading a moment before. I enjoyed the review and i think it is a groovy little thing
This is a car that has been in the works for so long that the last time JM talked about it he was still on Fully Charged! I'm glad to see their financial issues have worked out. It was touch-and-go for a minute. I love this little thing! The folks who updated the design language really did a fantastic job.
Jonny this is magnificent. I keep saying it, but it's so great to see UA-cam car videos that has old school car TV production values and info. My 4 year old also loved it.
Thank you as always, Jonny! My daughter is about to move to her first (shared) apartment in Manhattan. This would almost be something she could use there to get to and from work and friends' apartments.
I absolutely adore it! From the first sight, just as I made that reservation for one quite a few years a go. But then, the initial €12.500 became €16.500 just as they've released it, with actually only the top spec limited one being sold at the time, and at the time the basic was rolled out it was almost double the price of what was suggested back when they've announced it. And that's just too much for a city roundabout toy which it is, even when you adore the thing. Short story of how a great idea presented as a new-old stylish green city mobility solution for the average Joe - became a expensive toy reserved for the rich. Which is a terrible shame.
Simply excellent. I heard about these a few years ago and so glad they are bringing this here now. It is a fresh clever innovative design. Like Tesla it is a product from people outside of the car industry. I love the intelligent result and will be adding this to my garage where it will play a role like its designers intended and bring fun. Congratulations you clever people!
I sat in the Microlino prototype years and years ago in Zurich and I absolutely loved it. It was clearly a mule, with a barely acceptable paint job, but you could feel the fun. Glad to see they've finished it and it's coming to the UK
These are the vehicles we need if we are to be cursed with electric power. I'm a development engineer and don't understand why every electric car seems to need 500hp. I've always liked Isettas and that looks really good fun, though I'm not sure about the rear end
Well, there is the fact that everything now seems to weigh 2 tonnes and is the size of fairly substantial barn. But absolutely it makes no sense to give a family car 500bhp when it's going to spend 90% of its life in 20 to 50mph zones.
@@manchegocheese997 It needs the rear lights to be vertical and the transverse bump sorting out, oh and put the number plate in a recess......but apart from that.
Thank you, been waiting to see a proper review of this car. Why more manufacturers are not going this way is beyond me. I’m also a big fan of the AMI. In my eyes this is the future of motoring. Not some big ev. Something that dares to be different, does what it says on the tin and is a cool way of getting around clogged up city’s. I love its retro look. This is where BMW have cocked up with the mini, Volkswagen with the Beetle. Look to the past and get some fun no nonsense city dwellers back on the road with a bit of style
I have been waiting soooooo Long for the Microlino to arrive in the UK. It’s funky, fabulous and cool. A much better choice then the Citroen Ami even at 22k
Cracking little car. Great review. Though honestly, you could review a dog’s breakfast and it would be entertaining. A shame we will never see these in the USA except perhaps in a museum.
I recently visited the excellent Krazy Horse at Bury St Edmunds for them to carry out the first service on a wonderfully entertaining Morgan Aero Super 3 and there standing outside was a green Micro-Lino which the sales guy offered me the keys for a test drive. My last experience of a bubble car was as a teenager and other than being a dry space in which to impress(?) the girlfriend, it certainly wasn’t a pleasant driving experience. So the kind offer of a test drive immediately took me back to those former days and made me wonder how this 21st century experience would compare. A friend who was with me was keen for the experience so we crammed ourselves into the tiny EV but to our surprise it wasn’t cramped at all, in fact at 6’2” I had to slide the bench seat forward to enable me to reach the controls and there was more than enough elbow space to manoeuvre. I have to agree with every positive comment made in the excellent video, it was a joyous fun driving experience and one which greatly impressed me. I’m not an EV fan but I have to concede to the fact that the Micro-Lino makes complete sense in a town environment so the experience has definitely been a positively enlightening one.
The base one costs more than 17.000 euros in Europe, other reviewers have commented on the very noisy engine and the stiff suspension, can’t see this to be a commercial success at this price!
@@frostreaper1607 Keep in mind this is a monocoque with aluminium panels and in many more ways more sophisticated than the Ami, they're not really sharing market space since the price isn't the point here. The Ami was made with budget as the #1 priority
Nice one, Jonny.. Been watching these for ages (years) now, waiting to see the finished product.. I would definitely buy one.. Nice to see a review from someone who knows how to do it right.. Just one thing though.. Think you mispronounced 'Sport' a few times.. OTSOT.. 🏁
Really enjoyed this. It’s a car that’s not only fit for purpose. But captures people’s imaginations. Like what you said, Jonny. It’s refreshing to see warm, friendly and unintimidating cars that’s self assured, unpretentious, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
@@TheLateBrakeShow I really love the car, it's DEFINITELY a practical design for inner cities. BUT, there's a bit of Italian financial shenanigans going on with the price 😜
Unfortunately I doubt we'll ever get it here in the US. Looks cool. I don't normally like electric cars, but this is very well designed and thought out. I love the simplicity, style, and the fact that it's made in Italy. Thank you.
What a great little car - an EV that works and makes sense. It's going to be hit with the "rich-set" in London, it's stylish and works as an "accessory". You had my laughing out loud with the "Gordon Murray spec" comment. Cheers. Great video Jonny. :)
What annoys me about these cute ’not cars’ is that they cost wayyyyy more than a moped. This can only be a second car for people who are very well off. Edit: lol I loved that you guys found a Fiat 500 and a Smart parket together and then had a lineup ! I love these microcars tho I don't think I'll ever be able get one next to a car.
Absolutely brilliant and thorough video review! You are so right! There is nothing as much fun as driving a unique vehicle that brings smiles to people's faces. My wife and I fell in love with the Smart ForTwos we saw while on vacation in France and bought a 2008 Cabrio as soon as they became available in the USA. I love the car as much today as ever and it still gives me joy every time I'm behind the wheel. In a marketplace saturated with boring, lookalike coupes and SUVs, if the Microlino ever comes to America I'll be one of the first in line to purchase one. Thank you for your honest commentary and showcasing Microlino's "real world" performance.
Shame he didn’t demo the nose in parking ability, never a practical option with the Smart given its big traditional doors, but very easy on the Microlino. Will be showing this feature off this week at Krazy Horse Kensington
Inability to choose air conditioning is the biggest deal-breaker for me. Coming from a tropical climate, where it's hot all the time, this would be completely impractical.
17K for this? correct me if i'm wrong but you can get a Dacia Logan/Sandero for well under 10K and you do get more car with those. Isn't this thing supposed to be cheap?
No comparison. Totally different buying demographic. Dacia is a pure value brand, the Microlino is a style statement that also fits a certain use. Nobody buys a Dacia for style statement (although they are cool).
@@TheLateBrakeShow No one buys a small efficiently sized EV as a style statement. That's as logical as buying a big long turd, putting it in your toilet and claiming that it came out of your body. Either well off people start doing that as a statement or EVs are a hoax when it comes down to climate change.
Love it! I hope they sell lots so I can pick a used one up for a good price in a few years. ;) Seriously, like you mentioned you could get a number of used cars for the same price or less. For me who doesn't live in Paris, London or even Stockholm a used Mini Cooper SE is a stylish, fun, more practical alternative. But for big city people this must be awesome.
When you said the back looks like a DS, I immediately wished the indicators were high like the DS. I’d love one except it is so expensive. 2 year old Honda E is a great idea.
One feature that the Microlino has compared to the Isetta is the reverse gear. In a Top Gear special May drove an isetta (in the studio) and parked straight into a corner and couldn't get out. It was hilarious to watch, and luckely you don't have that with this car.
Brilliant car, can't wait to try one and then buy one for my day to day use. Reminds me of the great times i had in the Hienkel Trojan when I was 18 years old 👍
Jack, at Everything Electric, tried out one of these a while ago, and it instantly became my future car of choice. Then there was a long time, and I imagined it had gone the way of so many brilliant ideas that foundered .... I am so pleased to see that this continues and stands every chance of being a success. I live in rural Herefordshire with no fast roads between me and the local towns and Hereford or Worcester as cities ... narrow winding and many sharp banks. The top speed would be no issue under my circumstances, so the range would probably be between the junior version and the middle version. If I wanted to drive to Lincolnshire or Norfolk, then I would hire an ICE car for the half dozen outings a year. It is not a Continental grand Tourer, and I don't tour the continent, grandly or not so much! Even the 2CV as converted to EV does not appeal quite as much as the Microlino! You can keep your Lotus Eletra, and other monster weight EVs. This has just enough sophistication to be easy, while being simple enough [no power steering, or power brakes] to be solid for a very long life. And withal cheap to power. Thank you for the update on this fantastic project. Best wishes from George
@@LuMaxQFPV The brilliance of the idea is that it brings back the admirable bubble car concept. That the initial [possibly rather brave] notion of a return to a tiny vehicle type that would either act a second car run-about, or for many all the car they need, is something I personally welcome. If I were to make a criticism, it would be the inclusion of an electric front door closing mechanism. I would have preferred to see a mechanical latch and lock. Otherwise it seems ideal. Of course the elephant in the room is the price, but that makes little difference to me as I shall probably never be able to afford a new vehicle. I am sure that it is aimed mostly as a second or even third car for people who are well off. Good luck to the company as there is always a niche for such things, be they photographic, hifi related, or even expensive mechanical watches. Best wishes from George. PS: If I did win the Lottery, I would be ordering one of these very quickly! Room for me and my Patterdale Terrier, and groceries!! For long trips, either hire a car or take the bus or train ...
I see this as a car I would and am thinking about buying. The numbers are right, design is perfect. It's a vehicle I can share with my kids for city use - them for college, me to go to town in. Funky, stylish and different. Love it. If the price was a little less in Germany, I would have one new!
The footage in this looks great. It's just the right amount of cinematic looking. Also, London in sunlight looks wonderful. Used to seeing it in its dreary gray condition.
That's awesome. I wonder if a seasucker bike rack would fit? Just got to the price...was hoping for a transport solution instead of ever bigger and heavier, but at at that price it will just a well off persons toy sadly as you can get so much more for a lot less cash. The Dacia Spring as an example offers far less compromise for most people for less outlay...which is important if this was going to replace a car, not be an additional one compounding the problem...
I’ve been waiting to try a Microlino too! And it appears just when I’m thinking of buying a city car as well. I’m happy to pay a premium for something well designed with a huge dollop of style as well. So pleased you like it…just worried that the bench seat doesn’t allow passenger and driver different levels of leg room, especially as I’m the shorter one…and the driver! 😂
Jonny I’m not as huge a fan of EVs as you are but I do like the idea of a small EVs not huge BMW i7s or similar. Diesel will always be here for shipping etc so keep the big cars eco diesel and concentrate on small city cars and hatch backs for EVs. I would definitely consider buying one of these if I were in the market for it. ❤ another great video. Looking forward to the latest car cave
It's still a bit expensive at 20K plus for the long range, but maybe, just maybe, it takes off, and maybe, just maybe the price comes down. At 15K, they will sell. Add a 7 year warranty on the car and batteries, and it is a hit. No fast charging is good for protecting the batteries. Put turf tires on it and the golf courses might let you on at a 1000lbs. Cheers 🇨🇦
These would only work in the States in places like universities, Gated Communities of senior Villages. Maybe in Disneyworld in Florida. Happy to finally see one running about.
Love it! Like Jonny, I’ve been waiting with anticipation for the launch. There’s a gap for a ‘proper’ city electric car that’s more than an Ami, but not 1.5-2 tonnes. While the product looks great, for me It’s just slightly disappointing that the price has crept from around £12-14k, which were the numbers being talked about at concept/development, to now North of £20k. I’m expecting Kia/Hyundai to come up with something soon…or why not just let us have Kei cars?!
Super nippy little runabout, what we should all be driving around town! Actually, no. We should be cycling round town but to have a car like this for "occasions" would be lovely. ❤️👌
Hey it’s Blackheath!❤ I am still so fond of this area after living just down the road for 10 years. Not in the U.K. anymore with no regrets but I miss this part 😢
looked at these at fully charged live last year and the wife fell in love with them but they couldn't give a confirmed date for UK deliveries sadly. ended up getting a skoda citigo iv instead
@@TheLateBrakeShow turns out our skoda citigo iv is extremely rare as it is one of only 400 trying to find out how many were sold in the hyper green colour ours is
Absolutely love this!
I've spent years designing cars, mostly outrageously expensive two (and three 😉) seat supercars. Latterly I was moved onto large character-less, heavy, un-needed SUVs. THIS! Is the future of urban transport, or it damn well should be. I'd happily have one, if it weren't for the fact that I have to do a 250 mile commute to get to work these days. I really hope this is adopted and takes off. It has genuine charm and it sounds very very practical.
More launches like this please OEMs!
Thanks for the comment. We need to ask - what cars have you designed? Do tell. And blimey, you have a hell of a commute. Do you listen to the Smith & Sniff podcast? 😎
@@TheLateBrakeShow thankfully it is only once a week.... I've worked on a thing named Speedtail, another named Sabre for a Woking based mob and recently worked on something named T.50
I know of it but I'm not much of a podcaster, I should try, as there's a lot of interesting stuff out there, I just end up missing most of what I listen to whilst driving as I'm normally trying to avoid suicidal drivers 😆
Kinda wish someone made something like this but with a back seat. Doesn't need to be any better specs-wise. Just give me four seats.
Personally, I like this thing as an object.
But I don't think, that this is the future of urban mobility. The problem is, that these tiny cars will probably be bought in addition to larger cars, that serve all the other purposes. Which means, that even more cars will clutter the already scarce public spaces. I think that people, when they REALLY need a car, should focus on small cars, that can do everthing. And ideally, the number of cars should be reduced, so we can use all that space that is reserved for them now for other uses / modes of transport.
At three times the price of an Ami, and getting on for £20k for the one you'd want, it is not the future. Yet. Another. Rich. Person's Toy. Nonsense. Watch the pinned comment get changed again because someone replies some common sense. 🙄
As a motoring journalist / car enthusiast, it must be so refreshing to have a genuinely interesting and different vehicle to review as the market becomes saturated with two-tonne "me-too" electronic app devices on wheels.
100%
yes, I too dislike Dual Cab utes.
As a journalist, you may want to avoid dangling modifiers.
Try 3 tonnes
@@toastrytoaster New Escalade is 4 tonnes, which is insane.
Also, there is something very sinister about the incessant rise in popularity of aggressive looking vehicles. It doesn't bode well for humanity, IMO.
That price is craaaaazy! This must be aimed at car collectors. Most of us normies would much rather have a lightly used anything. Way too many compromises for £22k
I liked it until I saw the price. That's a £9k car, not £17K...
@@peterconnolly2724 9k will only get you a Citroën Ami.
@@peterconnolly2724 Maybe a Toplino, if you're lucky .
For that kind of money one can buy several good running cars from the auction with change left over. I rather roll the dice on a 500E for a couple grand and hope the battery is still good.
My friend bought the long range one for €27k...
After I bought an used Tesla model 3 for €25k..
People facepalm every time I tell them that my friend's microlino is more expensive than my Tesla
A damn sight more exciting than most car launches these days. Love it. I hope it finds a market.
Thanks Andrew. Yeah, agree. It works so well for what it was designed for. Not a retro for the sake of it.
At three times the price of an Ami, and getting on for £20k for the one you'd want, I doubt it. Yet. Another. Rich. Person's Toy. Nonsense.
@@getawayhs2856 And you resell it for twice as much. Mr poverty
@@getawayhs2856 in the current climate, only the rich have got money, so it''s pegged perfectly for current climate.
Yet unlike the Ami you can keep up with traffic in the suburbs as well as the city @@getawayhs2856
Imagine an old S&S type video with you and Richard eating lunch in one of these then driving round leafy london.
Eating obnoxiously loud wasabi peas! 🤣 those were the days.
I had the privilege of watching Mr Jonny Smith at work filming the Microlino. He was professional enough to answer my questions when I interrupted him frequently. An absolute gent. (+ the crew)Thank you Mr Jonny, and continue with the great videos!
I can't afford this, but 6 months ago bought a 2003 smart city coupe cabriolet (for two). It puts a smile on my face every time I drive it and even when I see it parked outside my house, I suspect this would do exactly the same. Love it.
Same here: a 599cc City Cab.
This is where Ev's genuinely work and fit in the market... But this should be at least 50% cheaper.
Their marketing says, “This is not a car. Second car redefined”. Excellent ad.
Guess they should just give up... but wait, didn't citroen just sell out their Ami EV of "Electric Quadricycle" promo fame? Perhaps bad ads work...
Love it! Whilst it’s aimed at the city, I reckon it’s easily as good for us in the countryside where villages and local market towns are only 2-12 miles apart and it’ll really suit the narrow lanes, which haven’t grown with the width of modern cars and tractors. Thanx for the great (Patreon-special) review👍👏🙏⭐️💥
Thank you for the comment. And yeah, it'd definitely work for a short commute or village life. The boot is gigantic, and the cabin huge for its wheelbase. It's just a special thing.
With the size of most of the tractors round here I think you'd feel very vulnerable very quickly...
@@alancampbell1008 You would be surprised, i live in a Hamlet and all the people round here use £500 crap old clios and other little cars as shopping trolleys
@@MrStraightGangsta even the Smart Jonny parked behind was bigger...
@@TheLateBrakeShow Uncomfortable, the battery (and overall drivetrain) won't handle a regular commute for many years, it's far less safe than cars, and I'd like to see how poorly it'll perform in the winter. Are there even winter tires sold for that quadricycle?
Parks in front of a literal boat and compares all modern SUV's to it. Brilliant!
Whoa whoa whoa - Q for OTOSOT: please elaborate on selling your bubble car to Michael Barrymore…!
I second this.
I need closure on this anecdote !
One of the reasons the original bubble cars disappeared from the uk was safety. I remember my dad who was a police man telling me about a crash where a bubble car was hit on its side when it was going round a roundabout, because it had no corners like a football it just kept on rolling and ended up in a shop not using the door. Thank you for taking the time to make this video the location was as good as the car a great atmosphere again thank you
That smart can go on motorways too. This blue thing looks like golf ball. Bet your dad said four...
@@smartgorilla The Smart is far safer and meets the safety standards which all cars must meet. The Microlino is a quadricycle, weighs far less, and isn't anywhere near as safe.
@@pistonburner6448 that's what I thought..
@@smartgorilla Microlino doesn't have any airbags...in fact it doesn't even have such basic things as ABS brakes!
The front door is worrisome. You might be stuck inside after a collision.
Showing this to my 6 yo daughter - the only thing she could say was "awwww" - but that's before she's heard the price 😅
Air bags, crash test results, moose test. Great car. More safety info please
It's an L7E and L6E Quadricycle, it doesn't have to comply with car level safety standards. That's why it's limited to 28mph on the base L6E model and 56mph on L7E models.
No airbags. No ABS. No meeting of car safety standards.
Also no parking sensors, cameras, high-tech headlamps, auto windshield wipers, lane change warnings, auto brake, nothing...
Leafy leafy London! I see you’re in the Greenwich side of things. I was there in 60s. It was a different time, Jonny. You could commandeer the Cutty Sark by topping up the caretaker’s pipe with a spot of the old hasish and sail to visit dear dear friends on the Kent Riviera. Sweet, sweet friends. Their springer spaniel would pick me up from Whitstable harbour in his motorcycle and sidecar. The sidecar had an ale pump connected to a freshly tapped cask of Old Friggadier. Ah, the sixtees.
Of course, it's not like that now you know. We were so innocent then.
Had this car a top speed on 62mph/100kmh via some sort of "overdrive", so it could be used on brief dual carriageway commutes, and was topped out at £17k instead of starting there, it would sell famously well!
Maybe the UK Gov needs to INVITE Microlino to set up a UK assembly plant in order to make the vehicles MORE ACCESSIBLE and help develop our flegling EV industry? (and produce RHD versions for international markets like Japan, Sth Africa and the Antipodes?)
It's an L7E QUADRICYCLE, it's limited to 56mph to avoid having to comply with car safety standards.
@ziggarillo 56 KMH! That's just about 30 mph! ....DANGEROUS in much faster traffic! In urban zones under 40mph it would be fine, but we have dual carriageways with 60mph limits within some towns and cities! Get caught on one of these, in a vehicle limited to such a low speed and it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt!
@@black8art No, not 56 km/h. 90 km/h.
There is a speed-limited version for other vehicle categories on offer though.
@@black8art I wrote " 56 MPH" Pay attention!
@@pistonburner6448 Yes the base version is L6e and limited to 28mph.
What a lovely car. There's no need for massive SUVs in the city. Just imagine the commutes if everyone had small cars.
You'e right, small cars are not 'small' really. The bloke that does our cars bought an IQ which is pretty big inside and well specced.
Shame this is £22K. Prices need to come down for quicker adoption.
The Chelsea tractor lots won't adopt these cmon.
Agreed. It might be time for North American cities to levy much higher taxes on larger vehicles to discourage their sales. After watching this, it's hard to *not* envision my city with micro cars mixed in with pedestrians, bikes, scooters, all supplemented with excellent transit options.
@@charlienyc1 I find it all very dangerous skimming so much off cars to the point where we have to go slower. Loved the concept of the smart but didn't like how they got rid of the spare wheel and had very custom parts. The four person made kind of sense but my up seemed better and cheaper
I drove an Smart car for a while, I love tiny cars and this looks like a Nice One.
If you're flush with cash this looks like a perfect city car.
Keep up the good work ya stroker! 🍻
What a lovely little car just the car for the town ! Yes it has a happy little face ! Great video Johnny!
You wouldn't believe how much I want one of these.
I owned one of the original LHD drive smarts 25 years ago, so I totally get the comments about driving round with a massive smile, while people stop & stare as you drove by.
Unfortunately, I'm not in a position financially to even consider one of these. But if my lottery numbers came up, I'd have one in a heartbeat.
I notice some of the factory footage in the video shows a car panels in a very close match to Smarts "True blue" colour. ....that's got to be deliberate! :)
Ace, but TWENTY GRAND???
Initially he said it would be estimated at 17. Towards the end he said, 'the better part of 20 grand.'
It's like these car manufacturers think we have got crazy money nowadays??? 65k for most new evs at top end and 20k for this . I'll keep the mk2 golf gti for now 😂
Even a brand new Kia Picanto is about £17-20k. Cheap new cars don't exist anymore...
@@Djdc51 I agree. Keeping my 7yo Cerato.
@@SmallBlogV8 The Kia is... a lot more car than this though.
I think this is the first LBS video driving round streets i know well. It kept freaking me out when the scene would cut to somewhere nearby but absolutely not where it looked like it was heading a moment before.
I enjoyed the review and i think it is a groovy little thing
This is a car that has been in the works for so long that the last time JM talked about it he was still on Fully Charged! I'm glad to see their financial issues have worked out. It was touch-and-go for a minute. I love this little thing! The folks who updated the design language really did a fantastic job.
Brilliant video as ever Mr Smith & what a lovely little car. Hope to see plenty of them on our roads soon 👍
Jonny this is magnificent. I keep saying it, but it's so great to see UA-cam car videos that has old school car TV production values and info. My 4 year old also loved it.
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you. We try to make films that will be appreciated beyond the week they came out (and that view OK on a big screen).
It would be a great car (and cheapish too) to do an interesting wrap?!
@@TheLateBrakeShow yeah we always watch them on the TV, and that definitely feels like the rightful home.
£22,000 is far too much.
4:20 Love the Haynes manuals monitor stand. My monitor stand is made from The Road Rat magazine
This is what evs should be used for thats it city/country driving and simple design
Its better than an Ami as it does a Speed that is actually useable 56mph is more than enough in UK city roads and village roads
Thank you as always, Jonny! My daughter is about to move to her first (shared) apartment in Manhattan. This would almost be something she could use there to get to and from work and friends' apartments.
I absolutely adore it! From the first sight, just as I made that reservation for one quite a few years a go. But then, the initial €12.500 became €16.500 just as they've released it, with actually only the top spec limited one being sold at the time, and at the time the basic was rolled out it was almost double the price of what was suggested back when they've announced it.
And that's just too much for a city roundabout toy which it is, even when you adore the thing. Short story of how a great idea presented as a new-old stylish green city mobility solution for the average Joe - became a expensive toy reserved for the rich. Which is a terrible shame.
Great vid, great car, we need more cars that make you smile and are practical.
Simply excellent. I heard about these a few years ago and so glad they are bringing this here now. It is a fresh clever innovative design. Like Tesla it is a product from people outside of the car industry. I love the intelligent result and will be adding this to my garage where it will play a role like its designers intended and bring fun. Congratulations you clever people!
20k makes it a rich person's toy.
Ridiculous price for an e-bike with cover.
yes please i want 1
I could easily afford it but no way i'm gonna spend that kind of money on that, i'm not crazy. Way, way too expensive.
i love it BUT i wouldnt pay 10k let alone 20....
And no AC... Insane.
I sat in the Microlino prototype years and years ago in Zurich and I absolutely loved it. It was clearly a mule, with a barely acceptable paint job, but you could feel the fun. Glad to see they've finished it and it's coming to the UK
Brilliant little car and I love the apparent simplicity and practicality of it. I could see myself driving this, except for the price.
These are the vehicles we need if we are to be cursed with electric power.
I'm a development engineer and don't understand why every electric car seems to need 500hp.
I've always liked Isettas and that looks really good fun, though I'm not sure about the rear end
Well, there is the fact that everything now seems to weigh 2 tonnes and is the size of fairly substantial barn. But absolutely it makes no sense to give a family car 500bhp when it's going to spend 90% of its life in 20 to 50mph zones.
The rear needs work.
@@manchegocheese997
It needs the rear lights to be vertical and the transverse bump sorting out, oh and put the number plate in a recess......but apart from that.
Lost me when he said £17k for base model!!
Performance was a choice Tesla made to help penetrate/define the market.
Love it! Very quirky, cool design. Been looking forward to hearing what you had to say on this since I found out they existed!
I had an Isetta - loved it. Microlino? You bet! I'm having one!
You know the price? Way, way too high
Such a cool little car for local city and town trip! 💯⚡️😉
Brilliant video Jonny, your enthusiasm for the Microlino is infectious. Kudos to the videographer as well, Phil captured some great shots of London.
A really useful and stylish commuter car, it's just the price for me personally, if I was loaded I'd certainly consider one. 👍
Thank you, been waiting to see a proper review of this car. Why more manufacturers are not going this way is beyond me. I’m also a big fan of the AMI. In my eyes this is the future of motoring. Not some big ev. Something that dares to be different, does what it says on the tin and is a cool way of getting around clogged up city’s. I love its retro look. This is where BMW have cocked up with the mini, Volkswagen with the Beetle. Look to the past and get some fun no nonsense city dwellers back on the road with a bit of style
Awesome little machine! Very cool that you drove past my old house in Blackheath too. Super added context!!
I have been waiting soooooo Long for the Microlino to arrive in the UK.
It’s funky, fabulous and cool.
A much better choice then the Citroen Ami even at 22k
Cracking little car. Great review. Though honestly, you could review a dog’s breakfast and it would be entertaining. A shame we will never see these in the USA except perhaps in a museum.
I recently visited the excellent Krazy Horse at Bury St Edmunds for them to carry out the first service on a wonderfully entertaining Morgan Aero Super 3 and there standing outside was a green Micro-Lino which the sales guy offered me the keys for a test drive. My last experience of a bubble car was as a teenager and other than being a dry space in which to impress(?) the girlfriend, it certainly wasn’t a pleasant driving experience. So the kind offer of a test drive immediately took me back to those former days and made me wonder how this 21st century experience would compare.
A friend who was with me was keen for the experience so we crammed ourselves into the tiny EV but to our surprise it wasn’t cramped at all, in fact at 6’2” I had to slide the bench seat forward to enable me to reach the controls and there was more than enough elbow space to manoeuvre.
I have to agree with every positive comment made in the excellent video, it was a joyous fun driving experience and one which greatly impressed me. I’m not an EV fan but I have to concede to the fact that the Micro-Lino makes complete sense in a town environment so the experience has definitely been a positively enlightening one.
Great review Jonny - glad you got to drive one at last. Greenwich is my patch.. next time stop by for another Hijet try-out!
👍🏽
The base one costs more than 17.000 euros in Europe, other reviewers have commented on the very noisy engine and the stiff suspension, can’t see this to be a commercial success at this price!
Ouch, that's way more than the AMI!
ami sold well and thats junk
What amazes me is no one in the R and D dep. Said hold on who will buy them at these prices..... bankrupt company in 3 years....
@@Luckyjo21Ami is very singular vision. Its designed for car share/hire in city centres
@@frostreaper1607 Keep in mind this is a monocoque with aluminium panels and in many more ways more sophisticated than the Ami, they're not really sharing market space since the price isn't the point here. The Ami was made with budget as the #1 priority
Nice one, Jonny.. Been watching these for ages (years) now, waiting to see the finished product.. I would definitely buy one.. Nice to see a review from someone who knows how to do it right.. Just one thing though.. Think you mispronounced 'Sport' a few times.. OTSOT.. 🏁
Spawwwwwwwwwwwwwwaught_tahh
Better... 🏁
@@TheLateBrakeShowplease share the Barrymore story OTSOT or have you already done it on Smith n Sniff?
Really enjoyed this. It’s a car that’s not only fit for purpose. But captures people’s imaginations. Like what you said, Jonny. It’s refreshing to see warm, friendly and unintimidating cars that’s self assured, unpretentious, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Only the jubilee line makes that noise
The price is CRAAAAAAHHHZZZY 😮😮😮
I know, right. I thought he was going to say £12k. I still really like it, though.
Originally the estimated price was €12k. That was before Brexit, Covid etc etc.
@@TheLateBrakeShow
Damn. Thanks for your reply! It's still a lovely vehicle.
@@TheLateBrakeShow I really love the car, it's DEFINITELY a practical design for inner cities.
BUT, there's a bit of Italian financial shenanigans going on with the price 😜
@@TheLateBrakeShow Yes I would say that should be the base price and maybe 16k for top spec.
It’s got eyes like Syd from the movie Ice Age. If I owned one I’d feel obliged to paint the rest of the face on it.
Unfortunately I doubt we'll ever get it here in the US. Looks cool. I don't normally like electric cars, but this is very well designed and thought out. I love the simplicity, style, and the fact that it's made in Italy. Thank you.
What a great little car - an EV that works and makes sense. It's going to be hit with the "rich-set" in London, it's stylish and works as an "accessory". You had my laughing out loud with the "Gordon Murray spec" comment. Cheers. Great video Jonny. :)
What annoys me about these cute ’not cars’ is that they cost wayyyyy more than a moped. This can only be a second car for people who are very well off.
Edit: lol I loved that you guys found a Fiat 500 and a Smart parket together and then had a lineup ! I love these microcars tho I don't think I'll ever be able get one next to a car.
Have you seen the Silence S04 nanocar with the swappable battery packs. UK pre-orders are now open. It'd be great if you could get your hands on one.
I saw a couple of BMW Isettas as Highnam Court car show yesterday and i thought they were the stars of the show!
Absolutely brilliant and thorough video review! You are so right! There is nothing as much fun as driving a unique vehicle that brings smiles to people's faces. My wife and I fell in love with the Smart ForTwos we saw while on vacation in France and bought a 2008 Cabrio as soon as they became available in the USA. I love the car as much today as ever and it still gives me joy every time I'm behind the wheel. In a marketplace saturated with boring, lookalike coupes and SUVs, if the Microlino ever comes to America I'll be one of the first in line to purchase one. Thank you for your honest commentary and showcasing Microlino's "real world" performance.
Shame he didn’t demo the nose in parking ability, never a practical option with the Smart given its big traditional doors, but very easy on the Microlino. Will be showing this feature off this week at Krazy Horse Kensington
Inability to choose air conditioning is the biggest deal-breaker for me. Coming from a tropical climate, where it's hot all the time, this would be completely impractical.
Yea an air con option would help - even if it's a bolt-on device that doesn't add to the weight of every model
A lot of places even with dry heat that could be deadly to some out there.
Best Microlino review by far! Compliments! 🏆⚡️
Now this actually makes sense for EV & a City rather than a normal car that’s electric..I actually like it👍
This is just so much better than all the E-trons and teslas I see every day in the city, driving around with just one person and their lunchbox.
17K for this? correct me if i'm wrong but you can get a Dacia Logan/Sandero for well under 10K and you do get more car with those. Isn't this thing supposed to be cheap?
No comparison. Totally different buying demographic. Dacia is a pure value brand, the Microlino is a style statement that also fits a certain use. Nobody buys a Dacia for style statement (although they are cool).
@@TheLateBrakeShow No one buys a small efficiently sized EV as a style statement. That's as logical as buying a big long turd, putting it in your toilet and claiming that it came out of your body.
Either well off people start doing that as a statement or EVs are a hoax when it comes down to climate change.
Absolutely buy one. Commute in to London. Would have probably bought an Ami, but saw this at Fully charged a few years ago. And I’m in👍
Love it! I hope they sell lots so I can pick a used one up for a good price in a few years. ;) Seriously, like you mentioned you could get a number of used cars for the same price or less. For me who doesn't live in Paris, London or even Stockholm a used Mini Cooper SE is a stylish, fun, more practical alternative. But for big city people this must be awesome.
Love seeing Greenwich/ Blackheath in the sunshine its a lovely thing just too expensive
When you said the back looks like a DS, I immediately wished the indicators were high like the DS.
I’d love one except it is so expensive. 2 year old Honda E is a great idea.
One feature that the Microlino has compared to the Isetta is the reverse gear.
In a Top Gear special May drove an isetta (in the studio) and parked straight into a corner and couldn't get out.
It was hilarious to watch, and luckely you don't have that with this car.
Brilliant car, can't wait to try one and then buy one for my day to day use. Reminds me of the great times i had in the Hienkel Trojan when I was 18 years old 👍
Jack, at Everything Electric, tried out one of these a while ago, and it instantly became my future car of choice. Then there was a long time, and I imagined it had gone the way of so many brilliant ideas that foundered ....
I am so pleased to see that this continues and stands every chance of being a success.
I live in rural Herefordshire with no fast roads between me and the local towns and Hereford or Worcester as cities ... narrow winding and many sharp banks. The top speed would be no issue under my circumstances, so the range would probably be between the junior version and the middle version. If I wanted to drive to Lincolnshire or Norfolk, then I would hire an ICE car for the half dozen outings a year.
It is not a Continental grand Tourer, and I don't tour the continent, grandly or not so much!
Even the 2CV as converted to EV does not appeal quite as much as the Microlino!
You can keep your Lotus Eletra, and other monster weight EVs. This has just enough sophistication to be easy, while being simple enough [no power steering, or power brakes] to be solid for a very long life. And withal cheap to power.
Thank you for the update on this fantastic project.
Best wishes from George
"brilliant" idea? Oh, come on. Not brilliant. Not a new invention or discovery.
@@LuMaxQFPV The brilliance of the idea is that it brings back the admirable bubble car concept. That the initial [possibly rather brave] notion of a return to a tiny vehicle type that would either act a second car run-about, or for many all the car they need, is something I personally welcome.
If I were to make a criticism, it would be the inclusion of an electric front door closing mechanism. I would have preferred to see a mechanical latch and lock.
Otherwise it seems ideal.
Of course the elephant in the room is the price, but that makes little difference to me as I shall probably never be able to afford a new vehicle. I am sure that it is aimed mostly as a second or even third car for people who are well off. Good luck to the company as there is always a niche for such things, be they photographic, hifi related, or even expensive mechanical watches.
Best wishes from George.
PS: If I did win the Lottery, I would be ordering one of these very quickly! Room for me and my Patterdale Terrier, and groceries!! For long trips, either hire a car or take the bus or train ...
Perfect for urban driving
I see this as a car I would and am thinking about buying. The numbers are right, design is perfect. It's a vehicle I can share with my kids for city use - them for college, me to go to town in. Funky, stylish and different. Love it. If the price was a little less in Germany, I would have one new!
The footage in this looks great. It's just the right amount of cinematic looking. Also, London in sunlight looks wonderful. Used to seeing it in its dreary gray condition.
That's awesome. I wonder if a seasucker bike rack would fit?
Just got to the price...was hoping for a transport solution instead of ever bigger and heavier, but at at that price it will just a well off persons toy sadly as you can get so much more for a lot less cash. The Dacia Spring as an example offers far less compromise for most people for less outlay...which is important if this was going to replace a car, not be an additional one compounding the problem...
Good question.. Worth talking to Microlino directly.
I’ve been waiting to try a Microlino too! And it appears just when I’m thinking of buying a city car as well. I’m happy to pay a premium for something well designed with a huge dollop of style as well. So pleased you like it…just worried that the bench seat doesn’t allow passenger and driver different levels of leg room, especially as I’m the shorter one…and the driver! 😂
There is enough legroom for the front passenger. We have been driving our Microlino since October 2023. It's just fun.
@@mitrilmo oh that’s great to hear 😃
Emergency exit via the sunroof 😂
Thank God there is something a bit different out there. Fed up of huge SUVs. This is ace. You are so right about putting the joy back into motoring.
Jonny I’m not as huge a fan of EVs as you are but I do like the idea of a small EVs not huge BMW i7s or similar. Diesel will always be here for shipping etc so keep the big cars eco diesel and concentrate on small city cars and hatch backs for EVs. I would definitely consider buying one of these if I were in the market for it. ❤ another great video. Looking forward to the latest car cave
Very valid point Russell. 👍🏽
It's still a bit expensive at 20K plus for the long range, but maybe, just maybe, it takes off, and maybe, just maybe the price comes down. At 15K, they will sell. Add a 7 year warranty on the car and batteries, and it is a hit. No fast charging is good for protecting the batteries. Put turf tires on it and the golf courses might let you on at a 1000lbs. Cheers 🇨🇦
What a cool demo! Thanks.
I sat in one at a recent London Prive event. Quite cool looking car.
And I have a Smart Fortwo 453 that you parked next to. It’s the turbo version and I love it.
Great, but at least twice as expensive as I would like
Perfect EV for the city. Nobody needs a 4 ton Hummer or ludicrous speed...
Speed and power is the way to go.
4ton gets a 100% tax write-off while ludicrous speed gets you safely away from Dark Helmet
@@nosoupforyou425 silly me - never thought of that... ;o)
These would only work in the States in places like universities, Gated Communities of senior Villages. Maybe in Disneyworld in Florida. Happy to finally see one running about.
Love it! Like Jonny, I’ve been waiting with anticipation for the launch. There’s a gap for a ‘proper’ city electric car that’s more than an Ami, but not 1.5-2 tonnes. While the product looks great, for me It’s just slightly disappointing that the price has crept from around £12-14k, which were the numbers being talked about at concept/development, to now North of £20k.
I’m expecting Kia/Hyundai to come up with something soon…or why not just let us have Kei cars?!
Super nippy little runabout, what we should all be driving around town!
Actually, no. We should be cycling round town but to have a car like this for "occasions" would be lovely. ❤️👌
I absolutely need one 😍🤩
I've wanted one from the moment I saw it. We actually went to Switzerland to experience it. Looooofe it!
I can't believe how much I just smiled the whole way through watching this!
Lovely little thing!
Mind...... the gap. Toast of London fan!
Hey it’s Blackheath!❤ I am still so fond of this area after living just down the road for 10 years. Not in the U.K. anymore with no regrets but I miss this part 😢
you must be mad paying over 20k for that
Someone needs to put a bike engine in one of these
It's expensive but absolutely perfect for its target market. I'd definitely have one too.😊
I love that noise, so many manufacturers seem to apologise for it whereas this is just ace.
looked at these at fully charged live last year and the wife fell in love with them but they couldn't give a confirmed date for UK deliveries sadly. ended up getting a skoda citigo iv instead
You'll be able to get them in the UK v soon.
@@TheLateBrakeShow turns out our skoda citigo iv is extremely rare as it is one of only 400 trying to find out how many were sold in the hyper green colour ours is